Before I hit the bed, I think I should at least update everyone on my thoughts and what I'm learning this week.
It is an HONEST struggle of mine that many of my heroes of the faith (both current and historical) fall into a theological camp or system that I can't seem to align myself with. I understand many of the arguments of this position and even hold to many of it's basic tenents, but I simply can not buy into all of it's nuances.
I want to avoid using the terminology that so many in the past have used to (really) "box in" view points in a radical, absolutists sort of way. So, instead of saying Calvinism vs. Arminianism or Reformed vs. Everything else, I'd like to use the term Theological Determinism.
"Determinism" (for our purposes) is the view that everything is predestined or for-ordained, and "Theological" simply defines who determined it... namely God.
I know that there may be those who make distinctions between Calvinism, Reformed Theology, and Theological Determinism, but just step back for a second and accept, in the grand scheme of things, that I am using these terms as VIRTUALLY Synonymous.
I choose to use "Theological Determinism" because the terms "Calvinism" and "Reformed" have so much baggage for the common church-member (whether good or bad).
And so... to the issue at hand.
My struggle, as of late, with this fact that so many of those that I look to for spiritual direction and guidance seem to think so differently on certain theological viewpoints has lead me explore WHY certain doctrinal nuances are so important to them.
I want to do my best to explain WHY those who differ (whether a lot or a little) from the Theological Determinst should at least respect their view, for in their view are nuggets of particularly life-changing truth that can be freeing and empowering for the Christian Life (and Christian Thought Life).
I will intentionally overstate some points so as to drive home (what I believe is) the good that can be gained from their particular viewpoint. This does not mean that I prescribe to THE WAY that they end up formulating their system of beliefs.
1. Man is completely and utterly dead without Christ. Not mostly dead (think Princess Bride :), but completely dead. It would do us all some good contemplate and meditate on just how lost lostness really is.
2. We've somehow gotten up the idea that because God created us "knowing" that we would sin, He somehow OWES US salvation in order to be fair. God does not owe us anything. Perhaps everyone else has just always believed this, but it has been revolutionary to me to think that there was somehow, potentially a way that we would NOT be saved. We would die apart from grace and suffer punishment for all eternity. And... most importantly... this is how it SHOULD have gone. God would have been most justified in allowing this "natural" chain of events to occur. But it is in His love and grace that He chose to save us.
3. It is not by ANYTHING we have done that God chose to save us. Though I do hold to the view that God saves those whom He knows will ultimtely choose Him (the idea of foreknowledge-based predestination)... I do not believe that this says anything about US and it says everything about Him. His foreknowledge of those who would choose Him did not FORCE Him to bring salvation to them. He still chose to bring it. He still chose to draw those whom He would. Their acceptance of grace is and was still subject to the drawing of the Holy Spirit.
4. God's will WILL win out the day. We are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:28). I, at this juncture, personally believe in the predestination of circumstances, not souls... though, in a sense, that's an argument in symantics.
I ABSOLUTELY believe in the free will, free choice of man when it comes to salvation and every other thing in life which CAN be chosen (ie... place of birth, parents, etc. CAN'T be chosen by you). Who knows exactly how this works, but it seems to me that the spirit of man is quickened to the point of being able to make a FREE WILL choice to accept or reject the work of Christ.
5. I reject, in it's entirety, the doctrine of Limited Atonement. The main reason I reject this is because it is a logical or phylisophical argument and not a Biblical one. To say that God has a chosen people and therefore Jesus only died for those people is logical but misunderstands the idea of Atonement in the Scriptures. This point does not follow suit with my overall purpose in this entry, but I thought it necessary to continue with the line of typical thought among theological determinists.
6. It is comforting to know that while I do have a choice in the matter of my salvation, it's inception, growth, and completion are entirely in the hands of God. Be careful. Personal holiness is most certainly the duty of man, but even this must be empowered by the Holy Spirit in order to be acccomplished. Without God the Holy Spirit, personal holiness is simply self-righteousness.
All of this is to say that I am beginning to appreciate why many theological determinists say things the way they say them. I am not yet ready, nor do I think I'll ever be ready, to jump head-long into becoming a ___________ (fill in the blank with your label), but I KNOW there is something to be learned from these great men and women of faith and their theological positions.
In Christ,
Andy
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