How is Calvinism Different from Arminianism?

What is Man’s Role in his salvation? 

Man is totally dead … and can contribute nothing to his salvation.  

Man is only wounded … and can contribute to his salvation.  

How does God choose a person for salvation?  

God’s election of an person is unconditional … and does not depend on anything a person does.  

God’s election of a person is conditional upon how he would respond to the call from God.  

What is the scope of Christ’s atonement?  

Jesus Christ died for the Elect alone.  

Jesus Christ died for all.   

Some believe He only suffered for all.   

Can A Man resist God’s grace?   

One may resist the general call from God, but not the internal call, which only goes to the Elect.  

Man can resist the call from God.   

Can a Believer lose his/her salvation?    

One cannot lose his/her salvation if one has been truly saved.  

One can lose his/her salvation after being saved.   

Thus God, not man, determines who will be the recipients of the gift of salvation.

Thus Man, not God, determines who will be the recipients of the gift of salvation.

Total Depravity or Total Inability

Because of the fall, man was unable, of himself, to savingly believe the gospel. 

• Romans 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 

The sinner is dead to the things of God; his heart is deceitful and desperately corrupt. 

• Ephesians 2:1  And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins 
• Jeremiah 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things,  And desperately wicked;  Who can know it?  

His will is not free, it is in bondage to his evil nature, therefore, he will not — indeed he cannot — choose good over evil in the spiritual realm.

Consequently, it takes much more than the Spirit’s assistance to bring a sinner to Christ — it takes regeneration by which the Spirit makes the sinner alive and gives him a new nature.

Faith is not something man contributes to salvation but is itself a part of God’s gift of salvation — it is God’s gift to the sinner, not the sinner’s gift to God.  

• Genesis 6:5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  
• Romans 3:10-12,18  As it is written:  “There is none righteous, no, not one; ¹¹ There is none who understands;  There is none who seeks after God. ¹² They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”   ¹⁸ “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”  

As a result of Adam’s fall, the entire human race was affected. 

All humanity is dead in trespasses and sin.  Man is unable to save himself.  

Free Will or Human Ability

Although human nature was seriously affected by the fall, man has not been left in a state of total spiritual helplessness.

God graciously enables every sinner to repent and believe, but He does not interfere with man’s freedom. Each sinner possesses a free will, and his eternal destiny depends on how he uses it.

Man’s freedom consists of his ability to choose good over evil in spiritual matters; his will is not enslaved to his sinful nature.

The sinner has the power to either cooperate with God’s Spirit and be regenerated or resist God’s grace and perish.

The lost sinner needs the Spirit’s assistance, but he does not have to be regenerated by the Spirit before he can believe, for faith is man’s act and precedes the new birth.

Faith is the sinner’s gift to God; it is man’s contribution to salvation.  

• John 3:16    For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  
• John  5:40  But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.  
• Acts 2:38  Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  
• Romans 10:9   that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  

Because of the Fall, Man inherited a corrupt depraved nature.  Through prevenient grace, God removed the gilt of Adam’s sin.  Prevenient grace (the preparatory work of the Holy Spirit, given to all) enables a person to respond to God’s call.  

Unconditional Election

Election refers to the concept of how people are chosen for salvation.

Before the foundation of the world, God unconditionally chose (or “elected”) some to be saved. Election has nothing to do with man’s future response. The elect are chosen by God.

God’s choice of certain individuals unto salvation before the foundation of the world rested solely in His own sovereign will. His choice of particular sinners was not based on any foreseen response of obedience on their part, such as faith, repentance, etc.  On the contrary, God gives faith and repentance to each individual whom He selected. These acts are the result, not the cause of God’s choice.

Election therefore was not determined by, or conditioned upon, any virtuous quality or act foreseen in man.  Those whom God sovereignly elected He brings through the power of the Spirit to a willing acceptance of Christ.

Thus God’s choice of the sinner, not the sinner’s choice of Christ, is the ultimate cause of salvation.  

• Romans 8:29-30   For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.   ³⁰ Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.   
• Romans 9:11    (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),  
• Ephesians 1:4-6,11-12  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, ⁵ having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted  in the Beloved …  ¹¹ In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to  the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, ¹² that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.   

Because Man is dead in sin, he’s unable to initiate a response to God.  Therefore, in eternity past, God elected certain people to salvation.  Election and predestination are unconditional.  They are NOT based on Man’s response because Man is unable to respond and does not want to.

Conditional Election

Election is based on God’s foreknowledge of those who would believe in him through faith.

In other words, God elected those who would choose him of their own free will. Conditional election is based on man’s response to God’s offer of salvation.

God’s choice of certain individuals unto salvation before the foundation of the world was based upon His foreseeing that they would respond to His call. He selected only those whom He knew would of themselves freely believe the gospel.

Election therefore was determined by, or conditioned upon, what man would do.

The faith which God foresaw and upon which He based His choice was not given to the sinner by God (it was not created by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit) but resulted solely from man’s will.  It was left entirely up to man as to who would believe and therefore as to who would be elected unto salvation.  God chose those whom He knew would, of their own free will, choose Christ.

Thus the sinner’s choice of Christ, not God’s choice of the sinner, is the ultimate cause of salvation.  

• Romans 8:29   For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.   
• Romans 11:2  God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew.  Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying,  
• 1 Peter 1:1-2     

  Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,   To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ² elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:

  Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

   

Election is based on God’s foreknowledge of those who would believe in Him through faith.  In other words, God elected those who would choose Him of their own free will.  Conditional election is based on Man’s response.

Limited Atonement or Particular Redemption 

Christ’s redeeming work was intended to save the elect only …

and His work actually secured salvation for them.

His death was a substitutionary endurance of the penalty of sin in the place of certain specified sinners.

In addition to putting away the sins of His people, Christ’s redemption secured everything necessary for their salvation, including faith which unites them to Him.

The gift of faith is infallibly applied by the Spirit to all for whom Christ died, therefore guaranteeing their salvation.

• Matthew 1:21    And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”  
• John 10:11  “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.  
• John 17:9    I pray for them.  I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.  
• Acts 20:28  Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.  
• Romans 8:32  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?  
• Ephesians 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 

Because God determined that certain ones should be saved as a result of God’s unconditional election, He decided that Christ should die for the elect alone.  All whom God has elected, and for whom Christ died, will be saved.  

Unlimited Atonement or General Redemption  

Christ’s redeeming work made it possible for everyone to be saved.

However, His work did not actually secure the salvation of anyone.

Although Christ died for all men and for every man, only those who believe on Him are saved.

His death enabled God to pardon sinners on the condition that they believe, but it did not actually put away anyone’s sins.

Christ’s redemption becomes effective only if man chooses to accept it.

• John 3:16    For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  
• Romans 11:32    For God has ^[a]committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. 
• 2 Corinthians 5:14-15  For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;  ¹⁵ and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.   
• 1 Timothy 2:3-6  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴ who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  ⁵ For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,  
• 1 Timothy 4:10    For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.  
• 1 John 2:2  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for  the sins of  the whole world. 

Christ died for everyone.  The Saviour’s atoning death provided the means of salvation for the entire human race.  Christ’s atonement, however, is effective only for those who believe.  

Efficacious (or Irresistible) Grace

In addition to the outward general call to salvation which is made to everyone who hears the gospel, the Holy Spirit extends to the elect a special inward call that inevitably brings them to salvation.

The eternal call (which is made to all without distinction) can be, and often is, rejected; whereas the internal call (which is made only to the elect) cannot be rejected; it always results in conversion.

By means of this special call, the Spirit irresistibly draws sinners to Christ. He is not limited in His work of applying salvation by man’s will, nor is He dependent upon man’s cooperation for success.

The Spirit graciously causes the elect sinner to cooperate, to believe, to repent, to come freely and willingly to Christ.

God’s grace. therefore, is invincible; it never fails to result in the salvation of those to whom it is extended.

• John 6:37    All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.  
• John 6:65  And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”     
• John 6:44   No one can come to Me unless  the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 
• John 10:16     

God draws those whom He elected to Himself through irresistible grace.  God makes Man willing to come to Him.  When God calls, Man responds.  

Resistible Grace

The Holy Spirit Can Be Effectually Resisted

The Spirit calls inwardly all those who are called outwardly by the gospel invitation.

The Spirit does all that He can to bring every sinner to salvation, but, inasmuch as man is free, he can successfully resist the Spirit’s call.

The Spirit cannot regenerate the sinner until he believes; faith (which is man’s contribution) precedes and makes possible the new birth.

Thus, man’s free will limits the Spirit in the application of Christ’s saving work.

The Holy Spirit can only draw to Christ those who allow Him to have His way with them.

Until the sinner responds, the Spirit cannot give life.

God’s grace, therefore, is not invincible; it can be, and often is, resisted and thwarted by man.

• Matthew 23:37    “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!  
• Acts 7:51   “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised.  You are just like your ancestors:  You always resist the Holy Spirit!   
• 1 Thessalonians 5:19  Do not quench the Spirit.   

Through the prevenient grace, given to all, by the Holy Spirit, Man is able to cooperate with God and respond in faith to salvation.  Through prevenient grace, God removed the effects of Adam’s sin.  Because of “free will”, Man is able to resist God’s grace.  

Perseverance of the Saints

All who are chosen by God, redeemed by Christ  and given faith by the Spirit  are eternally saved.

They are kept in faith by the power of Almighty God and thus persevere to the end.

• John 10:27-29  My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  ²⁸ And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.   
• Romans 8:29-30    For whom  He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.  ³⁰ Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.   
• Philippians 1:6    being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;  
• Ephesians 1:3-14  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, ⁵ having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.⁷ In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace ⁸ which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, ⁹ having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, ¹⁰ that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth — in Him.  ¹¹ In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, ¹² that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.  ¹³ In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,  ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.    

The precise ones God elected and drawn to Himself, through the Holy Spirit, will persevere in faith.  None of whom God has elected will be lost.  They are eternally secure. 

Falling from Grace

Those who believe and are truly saved can lose their salvation by failing to keep up their faith. etc.

All Arminians have not been agreed on this point; some have held that believers are eternally secure in Christ — that once a sinner is regenerated. he can never be lost.

• Matthew 5:13  “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 

• John 15:1-7  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.  ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.  ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

• Hebrews 6:4-6  It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age ⁶ and who have fallen^[a] away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 
• Hebrews 10:26-29   If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, ²⁷ but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.  ²⁸ Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.  ²⁹ How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?  

Whether they are capable (through negligence) of forsaking the first beginnings of their life in Christ, (of returning to the present evil world, of turning away from the holy doctrine, of losing a good conscience, of becoming devoid of grace, that must be more particularly determined out of the Holy Scriptures before they can teach it with the full persuasion of their minds.