Soteriological Systems

 

Systematic Theology

Steve Rowe

April 5, 2003

 

I.      Framing the discussion

a.       Soteriology is the study of Salvation.

b.      Most of the modern debate has been framed by Calvinists. 

                                                  i.      Comparisons are made in reference to Calvinism.

                                                ii.      All opposing systems are labeled as Arminian.  Often this is then used to label opponents as guilty by association. 

                                              iii.      This framing distorts the debate and must be rejected. 

c.       Do we need labels and systems?  Can’t we just believe the Bible?

                                                  i.      Systems can be beneficial if they allow us to understand things we otherwise would find difficult.  They are detrimental when they force us to read away the plain meaning of a verse because doing otherwise would contradict the system.  (John 3:16 is a good example)

                                                ii.      Labels can be useful to convey a lot of information quickly.  They are bad when they are used divisively or worn by people who don’t really agree.

II.      Pelagius

a.       British man born between 350 and 380.  Spent time in Rome.

b.      Most information comes from the writings of Augustine who was opposed to it.

c.       Beliefs

                                                  i.      Adam’s fall injured Adam alone, not the human race.  Merely a bad example.

                                                ii.      Children come into the world in the same condition Adam was in before the fall.

                                              iii.      Rejects infant Baptism (which most non-Baptist Calvinists adhere to)

                                              iv.      Christ’s death on the cross was not atonement for sin but merely an example of human perfection to follow.

                                                v.      Man has free will not only to follow Christ’s example but also to live without sin.

III.      Saint Augustine (354-430)

a.       Claimed as the father of both Calvinism and Catholicism.

b.      Beliefs

                                                  i.      Reformed Beliefs:  Allegorical interpretation, taught Amillenialsm and Postmillenialism, and encouraged Church to control the state.

                                                ii.      Unorthodox beliefs:  use of the Apocrypha, held that Mary was Sinless, intercession for the saints (prayer for the dead), adoration of relics and miracles attributed to them, and was the first to define the sacraments as imparting invisible grace.

                                              iii.      Father of predestination – both elect (saved) and reprobate (sinners)

                                              iv.      Rejected ability to freely accept God’s gift of salvation and made faith an irresistible gift from God.

IV.      Arminianism

a.       History

                                                  i.      Named after James (Jacobus) Arminius, a Dutch theologian

                                                ii.      Defined by a document called the “Remonstrance” presented to the Synod of Dort (1619) in response to Calvin’s teachings.

                                              iii.      Popularized in the 1700s by John Wesley (Methodism)

b.      Major Tenets

                                                  i.      Election based on Foreknowledge

1.      God determined, before the foundation of the world, to save those who believe on Christ and persevere in this belief until the end.  

2.      God leaves those unwilling to believe in sin and under wrath.

                                                ii.      Unlimited Atonement

1.      Christ’s death was sufficient for every person.

2.      Christ’s death has no efficacy to an individual until they believe.

                                              iii.      Natural Inability

1.      Man can do nothing truly good in and of himself.

2.      To do what is truly good, you must be born again.

3.      Adam’s sin is not imputed to all of humanity, but a sin nature exists in every one.

                                              iv.      Prevenient Grace

1.      No man can save himself

2.      The Holy Spirit enables people to respond to the Gospel.  Note:  Arminius taught that humans had free will to accept without the Holy Spirit having to grant “prevenient grace.”

3.      The Spirit can be resisted.  Man can choose not to be saved.

                                                v.      Conditional Perseverance

1.      Believers are empowered to live a victorious life

2.      Christians are capable of turning from grace and losing their salvation.  (Not held by Arminius or Remonstrance)

c.       Modern belief system bears little resemblance to what Arminius himself believed.

d.      Modern Adherents – Methodists (conservative ones), Nazarenes, Free Will Baptists, Pentecostals.

V.      Calvinism (Doctrines of Grace)

a.       History

                                                  i.      Named after John Calvin (1509-1564)

                                                ii.      Inherits its central belief in predestination from Augustine

                                              iii.      Was the major belief system of the Reformation

                                              iv.      Five point were outcome of the Synod of Dort (1619)

b.      Major Tenets (TULIP)

                                                  i.      Total Depravity

1.      Man is totally sinful.  Sin is imputed from Adam.

2.      Means total inability to ever believe the Gospel.

3.      The will is not free.  Man can only choose from a menu of sins.

                                                ii.      Unconditional Election

1.      God’s choice of certain individuals until salvation before the foundation of the world rested solely on his sovereignty.

2.      Election is therefore not conditioned upon any quality or future act.

3.      Reprobate (the non-elect)

a.       Some see this to its logical conclusion and agree that God elects some to eternal damnation.

b.      Others believe God selects the elect and merely leaves the others alone.  They are condemned by their own sin nature.

                                              iii.      Limited Atonement (Particular Redemption)

1.      Christ died only for those the elect.

2.      His death was a substitutionary endurance of the penalty of sin.

                                              iv.      Irresistible Grace

1.      The Holy Spirit irresistibly draws elect sinners to Christ.

2.      This call cannot be rejected.  The Holy Spirit causes the person to cooperate, believe, repent, and come willingly (?) to Christ.

3.      The Spirit regenerates the spirit of each member of the elect.  Once regenerated, the person believes in Christ and is thus saved.

                                                v.      Perseverance of the Saints

1.      All who are chosen by God (the elect) are eternally saved.  No one can be lost.

2.      The person’s spirit is regenerated and thus the person will cease to sin (in a serious way anyway).  Significant sin is a sign that the person is not truly saved.

c.       It is important to note that John Calvin was not a nice person.  This is well detailed in such modern books as What Love Is This? and Chosen But Free.

d.      Modern Adherents – Reformed, Particular Baptists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Puritans.

e.       Variations

                                                  i.      Calvinism lives and dies as a unit.  Either one adheres to all 5 points or to none of them.  Reformed scholars will freely admit this.

                                                ii.      Hypercalvinism

1.      Belief in double-predesination.

2.      No one claims to be a “hypercalvinsist.” 

                                              iii.      Four Point Calvinism

1.      Belief in unlimited atonement

2.      Clashes with irresistible grace – If Christ’s death provides grace and this grace is irresistible but we know all will not be saved, it cannot be given to all.

3.      Conflicts with Unconditional Election – If God already selected some to be saved and some not to be saved, Christ died in vain for this latter group. 

4.      Christ’s death cannot be said to be available to all since not all can accept its gift.

                                              iv.      Moderate Calvinism – Another term for Biblicism.

                                                v.      Two Point Calvinism – Another term for Biblicism

1.      Belief in Total Depravity and Perseverance of the Saints

2.      Can agree with words but not really meanings. 

3.      Rejects the heart of Calvinism (predestination). 

VI.      Middle Ground – Biblicism

a.       Loose coalition of those rejecting the Calvinist/Arminian dichotomy and taking their beliefs directly from the Bible.

b.      Also known as “Moderate Calvinism” or “2-point Calvinism.”  I recommend not using those terms as Calvinism refers to a belief system antithetical to Biblicism.  Why take on that baggage?

c.       Major Tenets (loose coalition so not well defined)

                                                  i.      Man is totally depraved.  He has a sin nature and cannot save himself.

                                                ii.      Man has the free will to accept or reject the gift of Salvation. 

                                              iii.      Christ died for all and His call is to “whosoever will”

                                              iv.      Salvation is through faith alone.  Faith is a non-meritorious act.

                                                v.      Once saved, a believer is sealed by the Holy Spirit and predestinated for adoption.  Salvation cannot be lost.

                                              vi.      Christians can fall into sin but do not lose their salvation (1 Cor 3:12-15).

d.      Modern Adherents (harder to determine) – General Baptists, many small Bible-based, non-denominational churches.