Calvinism and Arminianism

One of the most potentially divisive doctrinal debates in the history of the church centers around the opposing doctrines of salvation known as Calvinism and Arminianism.

Calvinism is based on the beliefs and teaching of John Calvin (1509-1564), and Arminianism is based on the beliefs and teaching of Jacob Hermann (1560-1609), who was best known by his Latin name, Arminius.

Chuck Smith, in his book Calvinism, Arminianism and the Word of God, lays out these simple, 5-point explanations of the contrasting doctrines:

The "Five Points of Arminianism:"

1. Free Will - Arminius believed that the fall of man was not total, meaning that there was still enough good left in man for him to will to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
2. Conditional Election - Arminius believed that election was based on God's foreknowledge of who would believe. Man's "act of faith" was seen as the "condition" for his being elected to eternal life, since God foresaw him exercising his "free will" in response to Jesus Christ.
3. Universal Atonement - Arminius maintained that redemption was based on the fact that God loves everybody, that Christ died for everyone, and that the Father does not will for any to die unredeemed. The death of Christ provided the grounds for God to save all men, but each must exercise his own "free will" in order to be saved.
4. Obstructable Grace - Arminius believed that since God wanted all men to be saved, He sent the Holy Spirit to "woo" all men to Christ, but since man has absolute "free will," he is able to resist God's will for his life. He believed that God's will to save all men can be frustrated by the finite will of man. He also taught that man exercises his own will first, and then is born again.
5. Falling From Grace - If man cannot be saved by God unless it is man's will to be saved, then man cannot continue in salvation unless he continues to will to be saved. In other words, man can fall away from grace and lose his salvation.

Those in the reformed tradition who disagreed with the teachings of Arminius chose the word "TULIP" as an acrostic to summarize the "Five Points of Calvinism:"

1. "T" = Total Depravity - The Calvinists believed that man is in absolute bondage to sin and Satan, unable to exercise his own will to trust in Jesus Christ without the help of God.
2. "U" = Unconditional Election - The Calvinists believed that foreknowledge is based upon the plan and purpose of God, and that election is not based upon the decision of man, but the "free will" of the Creator alone.
3. "L" = Limited Atonement - The Calvinists believed that Jesus Christ died to save those who were given to Him by the Father in eternity past. In their view, all for whom Jesus died (the elect) will be saved, and all for whom He did not die (the non elect) will be lost.
4. "I" = Irresistible Grace - The Calvinists believed that the God possesses irresistible grace that cannot be obstructed. They taught that the free will of man is so far removed from salvation, that the elect are regenerated (made spiritually alive) by God even before expressing faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. If a totally depraved person wasn't made alive by the Holy Spirit, such a calling of God would be impossible.
5. "P" = Perseverance of the Saints - The Calvinists believed that salvation is entirely the work of the Lord, and that man has absolutely nothing to do with the process. The saints will persevere because God will see to it that He will finish the work He has begun.