Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, in order to know what has been freely given to us by God. We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people. But the natural man does not welcome what comes from God's Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to know it since it is evaluated spiritually. - (1 Corinthians 2:12-14)

How is it that a natural, unconverted man can hear the gospel, understand the message, and believe in his heart, all without the Holy Spirit in him? The Bible says that spiritual things are foolishness to the unconverted, and yet Arminianism teaches that the unconverted can in fact understand scripture and take the first step by believing in Christ. Spurgeon would say that it is God's election and calling that leads to regeneration (a change from being dead in sin to being alive in Christ, we gain the holy spirit in this step) and then that regeneration leads to conversion (the active part of man in the process of salvation), repentance and belief. Once God has elected, called, and regenerated a person, that person is actively converted having what is needed to understanding the Scripture and giving them the ability to repent, believe, and choose Christ. Without the Spirit, those things are impossible.

So again, lets take a look at the order of salvation. Remember that these things happen in a moment, as if it is one event, and yet there is still a process or order to things. When it comes to the difference between Arminianism and Calvinism, the heart of the issue is the order of salvation. Both sides believe in some of the same steps of salvation, however, they don't agree on the order.

Arminianism (Order Of Salvation):

1. Purpose: The sovereign purpose of God. (To save all spiritually dead men through Christ)

2. Calling: The calling of God. (Through preachers and His word, God calls lost and spiritually dead men to repentance and offers all sinners His grace)

3. Conversion: Degenerate and spiritually dead man chooses to accept God. (A spiritually dead man makes the choice to accept God through repentance and faith. Without this choice salvation is completely impossible.)

4. Regeneration: Spiritually dead man is made spiritually alive. (Because of man's choice to repent, believe, and accept God's free gift, he is made into a new creation. He is no longer dead in his sins, but is now alive in Christ.)

5. Sanctification: Spiritually alive man becomes more like Christ. (The man who is alive in Christ now has the ability to grow into a mature Christian throughout his lifetime. Sanctification is a process by which we become more and more like Christ.)

6. Glorification: Spiritually alive man becomes like Christ. (The last step in our salvation occurs in our death and resurrection. We will be glorified in heaven.)

Calvinism (Order Of Salvation):

1. Purpose: The sovereign purpose of God. (To save the utterly degenerate and helpless sinner who is spiritually dead.)

2. Election: The distinct and definite election or separation of spiritually dead man. (From the beginning God chooses and predestines spiritually dead, helpless sinners to receive His sovereign and saving grace.)

3. Calling/Regeneration: The effectual and irresistible calling of God and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. (God calls the spiritually dead man he has elected out of the darkness and he regenerates the spiritually dead man, making him spiritually alive and giving him the Holy Spirit.)

4. Conversion: Born again, spiritually alive man accepts God. (The spiritually alive man now has the ability to understand scripture, believe, have faith, and experience genuine repentance. Being made spiritually alive, he accepts God through repentance and faith.)

5. Sanctification: Spiritually alive man chooses to obey God and becomes more like Christ. (The man who is alive in Christ now has the ability to grow into a mature Christian throughout his lifetime. Sanctification is a process by which we become more and more like Christ.)

6. Glorification: Spiritually alive man becomes like Christ. (The last step in our salvation occurs in our death and resurrection. We will be glorified in heaven and will be like Christ.)

"If any man is saved, it is not because he willed to be saved. If any man be brought to Christ, it is not of any effort of his, but the root, the cause, the motive of the salvation of any one human being, and of all the chosen in heaven, is to be found in the predestination, purpose and sovereign distinguishing will of the Lord our God... ...Even the very will thus to be saved by grace is not of ourselves, but is the gift of God. There lies the stress of the question. A man ought to believe in Jesus: it is his duty to receive Him whom God hath sent forth to be a propitiation for sins. But man will not believe in Jesus, he prefers anything to faith in his Redeemer. Unless the Spirit of God convinces the judgment, and constrains the will, man has no heart to believe in Jesus unto eternal life. I ask any saved man to look back upon his own conversion, and explain how it came about. You turned to Christ, and believed on His name: these were your own acts and deeds. But what caused you thus to turn? What sacred force was that which turned you from sin to righteousness? Do you attribute this singular renewal to the existence of a something better in you that has been yet discovered in your unconverted neighbor? No, you confess that you might have been what he now is if it had not been that there was a potent something which touched the spring of your will, enlightened your understanding, and guided you to the foot of the cross. Gratefully we confess the fact; it must be so." - Charles Spurgeon

Spurgeon considered Arminianism to hold several Biblical errors, including an error in the order of salvation.

Comments

Posted by: gid
December 3, 2004 03:22 PM

I like your blog and I will certainly be back for more.