But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

This made me wonder, who will save the likes of Joel Osteen and Jermiah Wright? Who will snatch them from the fire? Though they claim Christ, “they are from our world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them” (1 John 4:5). Though they claim him, they deny the whole of him. One man loves the world and money, just as Demas did, who turned from the faith (1 John 1:15, 2 Timothy 4:10, Matthew 6:24). The other man hates his brother, and thus displays he has not the love of God (1 John 2:9).

The author is really driving at answering the question as to whether or not it is important that Christians consider and decide whether or not Calvinism is the right view of the Bible. Using quotes from such towering figures as Spurgeon, Edwards, Luther, Calvin, Augustine and Paul, he shows that the Church fathers, Reformation leaders and other well-respected and oft-referenced Church leaders throughout the Church’s history considered this decision very important. Granted, other well-known Church leaders were not Calvinists, such as John Wesley, Charles Finney, etc., and the author takes care to address the reason.

1. Pelagianism, which was decreed heretical shortly after Augustine’s death, and which Augustine argued against;
2. Semi-Pelagianism, which allows that man still has some goodness even while the Bible says that all men are spiritually dead (Finney, Wesley and other Arminians belong to this group); and
3. Calvinists, who believe that man has no capability in himself, being spiritually dead, by which he can then choose God (Romans 1 is a good starting place).

I am trying to keep the details to a minimum, so as not to force you to read everything twice over. I really agree with the author on his article. I think a believer’s view of God has a lot to do with how he/she relates to God, and as God desires that we should seek to know and love him, this seems pretty essential. I once thought that deciding whether or not I was a Calvinist was really unimportant and at best just a divisive stance. The Lord has since opened the doctrines up to me, and I now have a much better understanding of what the whole debate is really about. I can understand from where the Arminian doctrines derive: man’s point of view. However, I don’t find this at all acceptable in light of the revelation of God through scripture, which points out God’s view. I don’t think it is superbly clear, and it is not meant to be. Only those that seek find. Those that knock find the door opened to them.

I further think that people’s hesitancy to look into Calvinism vs. Arminianism is due in large part to the number of Calvinists (of which I am sometimes a member, for which I apologize) who lose patience and/or try to convert all believers to their way of thinking. “Divisive” is always the word used for such encounters, and it surprises me not at all that so many people should distrust such a hard-to-grasp doctrine. It is difficult to grasp. The Lord must show you and break you and allow you to see it. I know of no one that started off believing these doctrines as a new believer. They are not what we want to hear as fallen man. Please forgive us, then for our divisiveness in the past and ask the Lord to show you himself. I do not ask this for my sake, but for his. Accepting these doctrines as truth greatly changed my faith and my perspective on things. I can now sing “To God be the glory, great things he hath done…” and not try to subconsciously add “through me” each time. It is He and He alone who does all things. All glory and honor and power are his alone. There is nothing I can contribute. Apart from him, I truly am a wretch, but what a blessing to be a wretch saved and made perfect by the atoning work of the Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior! For “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah)

You can read the news for yourself here and here.

P.S. If I’m just being a cynic, please let me know. Thanks!