Somewhere in former years I learned the points of Calvinism and Arminianism and decided that in the grand sense, it really didn't matter. They are doctrines made by men and while I found many ideas of both sides well said, they were inferior to the Word itself. I would be better off without: I believe in God to lead me when I read, and, scripture is everything that I should need to form concepts. So I went on my way and set aside the controversy.
But what really happened was this: my mind had been formed thus-forward. Once I had read and understand the points of Calvinism, I absorbed it without even realizing it.
I didn't even see how jaded I was to God's Word till these last two weeks, while reading Romans in the context of its entirety. I was amazed that scripture so resolutely answered my need for understanding and yet I was blind for so long. Let me give an example. Chapter eight gives direct opposition to the Calvinic principle called "irresistible grace[1]:"
In addition to the outward general call to salvation which is made to everyone who hears the gospel, the Holy Spirit extends to the elect a special inward call that inevitably brings them to salvation. The internal call (which is made only to the elect) cannot be rejected; it always results in conversion. By means of this special call the Spirit irresistibly draws sinners to Christ. He is not limited in His work of applying salvation by man's will, nor is He dependent upon man's cooperation for success. The Spirit graciously causes the elect sinner to cooperate, to believe, to repent, to come freely and willingly to Christ. God's grace, therefore, is invincible; it never fails to result in the salvation of those to whom it is extended.
Here is what Romans 8 says:
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live....
I have never read this passage as if it were speaking on the matter of pleasing God after salvation, only for justification! Once I read it as a teaching subsequent to salvation, it became evident that I had a choice! That I must choose, in every decision! Either life and peace by focusing on the Spirit's thoughts, or to continue on living dead in sin by listening to the flesh.
Well, duh!
I mean, I knew that, but somehow, I never grasped on to it. I knew that my life needed me to choose to obey. Can I tell you that I have been laboring for most of the conscious years of being a Christian, as expecting God to intervene and make me want to? I think God pulled out after a long time of putting up with my ignorance, knowing that eventually choices needed to have some sense of competition in me in order for Him to really be loved by me, instead of me acting like I think I'm some automation. The most wretched thought borne of this irresistible grace is that sin, my sin, is God's fault.
Yeah, I've been feeling guilty wanting to say that all these years. How sad, but very very real.
How I listen to the bible is so, so important. I should be diligent to open my mind to the way it plainly is expressing truth.
1. Comparison of Calvinism and Arminianism
No comments:
Post a Comment