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“ Summary, Part 4 (final) ” OBJECTION 3 [40:12]: “UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION NECESSARILY LEADS TO LOOSE LIVING.” If the key to salvation is being chosen, then how we live doesn’t matter. ANSWERS: 1. God also predestines us to good works. 2. God calls His chosen with a holy calling (2 Tim 1:9). 3. God calls His chosen to a life of practical godliness (Titus 1:1-2). 4. God equips the elect with personal diligence and circumspection (2 Pet 1:3-11). 5. The elect will be careful to live a righteous life (2 Tim 2:19). OBJECTION 4 [45:27]: “BELIEF IN UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION KILLS EVANGELISTIC ZEAL.” If the elect are guaranteed to be saved, why witness? ANSWERS: 1. Calvinists believe that bringing the lost to saving faith is the work of God, not a work of man. 2. Calvinists believe that God chose the elect and the means of their salvation, which is the gospel. Acts 13:46-48 – The apostles’ witness was fueled by God’s sovereignty in salvation (cf. 2 Cor 2:14-17). 3. Calvinists have always been on the leading edge of evangelism, even to the most pagan of peoples.
Ian Migala (7/18/2016)
from Minneapolis, Minnesota
“ Summary, Part 3 ” OBJECTION 2 [27:47]: “UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION FAILS TO SEE THAT GOD’S CHOICE IS ACCORDING TO FORESEEN FAITH OR GOOD WORKS.” This is another way to argue for man’s free will, which doesn’t exist, and presumes that God looks for inherent goodness in the sinner, which also doesn’t exist. That something good is the sinner’s faith in Christ. But from where does that faith come? For Arminians, it is prevenient grace; for Calvinists, it is a gracious gift from God. What do the Scriptures say? ANSWERS [33:33]: 1. God’s choice of sinners is utterly irrespective of the sinner (2 Tim 1:9, Rom 9:11-16, Acts 13:48). 2. Saving faith is granted as a gift through Christ and produces good works (Phil 1:29, Titus 3:5-7, Eph 2:8-10, 2 Cor 9:8). 3. If God chose sinners because of their faith, then salvation is initiated by man and comes by man’s merit.
Ian Migala (7/18/2016)
from Minneapolis, Minnesota
“ Summary, Part 2 ” OBJECTION 1 [9:46]: “UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION IS UNFAIR BECAUSE IT MAKES GOD A RESPECTER OF PERSONS.” The general misunderstanding of ‘foreknowledge’ is that God sees who will come to faith and then chooses them. But this is a misunderstanding of man’s nature, which is totally depraved and totally at enmity with God. Further, if fairness is the issue, then the only true fairness would be damnation for everyone. Rom 2:11 is often used to support this ‘fairness doctrine’, but it is support for verse 10, which distinguishes the saved and the damned. Acts 10:34 – Peter had made the wrong distinction. Cornelius wasn’t saved because he was a Gentile, but it showed Peter that Gentiles were saved in the same way as the Jews. OBSERVATION: Even Arminians must admit that not all men are given the chance to hear the gospel.
Ian Migala (7/18/2016)
from Minneapolis, Minnesota
“ Summary, Part 1 ” We continue III. THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION at D. ITS ARMINIAN OBJECTIONS [starting at 3:11 of the audio]. First, let us happily acknowledge that Arminianism (at least evangelical Arminianism) contains enough biblical truth to save sinners. Arminians may be in error, but they are not in heresy. They are our brethren. In fact, many Calvinists were saved in an Arminian context. Many Arminians also live more righteous lives than many Calvinists. Second, let us humbly acknowledge—we who profess to believe that the Lord is the one who makes men to differ—that our understanding of the gospel is not due to greater smarts or deeper piety. God had to open our eyes to these truths and make them plain to us; He deserves the praise, not our intellects. We believe the doctrines of grace, but do we show the grace of the doctrines (see the 1689 LBCF, Chapter 3.5)?
