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Total Depravity 

 

Nobody desires God- we are all total enemies of God and everything He stands for.

Is. 64:6

 

Unconditional Election

 

 We have done nothing to deserve our election

Romans 3:11

Limited Atonement  

 

Christ only bore the sins of those whom God has chosen

Jesus’ blood is sufficient for all, but he only bore the sins of those God had chosen. He did not die to make everyone saveable but to save. He was a literal substitute for those God has chosen.

To say that Christ died a vicarious death in the place of all sinners but that not all sinners will be saved is a contradiction. Christ’s atonement was limited in its intent or purpose, it was unlimited in its power. Had God willed the salvation of every single person, the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus would have been sufficient. 

Christ would have been ‘punished’ on the Cross for those sins, and yet the unbeliever is still punished in Hell.

 

Mark 10:45

Rom 3:22

 

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Arminianism

 

While Calvinism emphasises God's sovereignty, Arminianism is based more around man's responsibility when it comes to responding to the Gospel. It is named after a guy called Jacob Arminius, who like Calvin came up with five points to lay out his argument.

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Calvinism

Calvinist's subscribe to the principles set forth by this chap called John Calvin who said that essentially God was in total control of a persons eternal destiny. Calvin said that as humans we can't respond to God in any way of our own accord because we are totally sinful and don't Want to be saved. He set his argument out in what is now know as the Five Points of Calvinism.  

Eternal Salvation

Christians love their debates don't they! And what debate can be bigger than one that includes questions such as:

  • whether we have free will or not?

  • whether we can lose our salvation?

 

Basically there is a massive split in Christianity- Calvinism and Arminianism. You've probably heard of these words, but if not, here's the basics of both sides of the debate.

 

 

Irresistible Grace

If God has chosen you, no matter how much you fight you will meet Jesus

John 6:37

Perseverance of all the saints

Every single true believer is a believer forever

Eph. 1:13,14

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Free Will
You choose God, it is a decision on your part
Rev 3:20

 

 

Conditional Election

God looked down the passage of time, and saw who would trust him and therefore chose them

John 1:12-13

Universal Atonement

Christ bore the sins of all

Luke 19:10

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Resistible Grace

If God has chosen you, you can still say no

Rev 3:20

Perseverance of some of the saints

Only believers who are 'overcomers' and live Godly lives will go to Heaven 

James 1:12

Rev 3:5

Another Key Point before we go any further...

There is a difference between standing and state. These are two words that often get muddled up, especially when understanding ideas about enternal security. 

 

Standing: your eternal position before God- basically, are you saved/unsaved?                                      

State: your current enjoyment of the things of God in your walk here? This can be affected by how                           much you read the Bible, how much you pray, your moral life etc. 

 

A Case for Eternal Security

 

 

Salvation is not Ours to Lose                                                                                                       

  According as he has chosen us in him before [the] world's foundation, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love; having marked us out beforehand for adoption through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will (Eph. 1:4-5)

 

The question is not 'Can I lose my salvation?', but seeing as (Jonah 2:9) ‘…Salvation is of the Lord.’ Can Jesus loose a Christian?

 

Look up:

John 10: 28, 29

2 Cor. 5:17

 

THINK: When the Children of Israel crossed the Red Sea (a type of us leaving the world behind), what part did they play? No part at all! Could they physically go back? No!

 

Not By Good Works

There are some who believe that good works are required in order to be saved. This would, again, cast doubt on their salvation. If salvation is based on something as shaky as our own doings, it would not be a very firm foundation.

Look up:

Titus 3:5

Ephesians 2:8,9

Romans 4:5

 

Was Christ's sacrifice so inefficient that it only takes one sin on my part to undo? No! The work on the cross was completed to God's eternal satisfaction

 

Our Salvation is based upon Christ, the Person and His finished work.

 

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