Why I am an Arminian

This is my first entry so I figured I would start with why I am an Arminian. I grew up in a conservative Baptist church, which unbeknownst to me, was more Calvinist then Arminian. They taught both predestination and freewill and said it was all a mystery.

When I was in high school a friend challenged my views. I hadn't really thought about any of the issues and he was strong in the word. I couldn't answer his questions but was leery of some of his interpretations of scripture.

But after a while I broke down. The first point of Calvinism that I agreed with was Total Depravity. I read Luther's Bondage of the Will and that was it. To this day, I have never question that view. At that time, I called myself a Calvinists.

But one night while I was reading scripture I came across Hebrews 10:26-29. I was shocked. Why hadn't this passage ever been talked about in Church. Up till this point, I had never questioned eternal security.

I decided not to decided anything. I spent the next two years researching the issue. And I came out of that process an Arminian.

Comments

B. P. Burnett said…
Nice first post. I remember when I two years ago or so now was challenged to read Romands 9 and I did and quite frankly on the surface I was disheartened becasue it really did seem to teach that God chooses to save and to damn whom He wills. It disheartened me at that time, for in all my years of following Christ(about five years at that point) I had always read the Scriptures and found God to be holy and stern--yes--but moreso loving and caring towards His creation.

As I was challenged further by that same person with the doctrines of TULIP, I got frustrated to the point of bitterness at the whole issue. At one point I almost gave up the faith out of mere frustration, since Christianity was not as it all seemed to me....

But then I discovered the writings of John Wesley and Jacobus Arminius along with other views which actually challenged those Calvinist views. Eventually I rejected Limited Atonement and Eternal Security as rubbish; I found Unconditional Election to beg the question and Irresistable Grace unfounded, since in the Old testament for example the Israelites always resist the LORD! I struggled even with Total Depravity for a while, bt after being honest with Romans 1-3 I had to concur with it. And would you guess my suprise when I actually foudn out that this was quite an Arminian viewpoint!

Eventually I found SEA and became a member and I have been greatly encouraged. Now I have a systematic theology to expain the salvation of the LORD and to expand my thinking. I strive to become more theologically minded to a certain degree, but I keep the fact at heart that knowledge puffs up but love builds up, so I strive to do the latter.

What about that guy at Church who first challenged me? We had many debates thereafter and a frustration did appear between both of us such that we didn't speak for some time. However by the grace of God there is now reconciliation between us both, though strong differences.

Hallelujah!
April 20, 2011 at 10:53 PM
Godismyjudge said…
Glad to hear this B.P. What a wonderful journy you have been on. I think Romans 9 is a difficult text - not in that it's Calvinistic - it's just complex and hard to understand. So when Calvinists come in and offer an understanding of it that makes sense, people go with it because it makes sense of a hard passage to understand rather than comparing the Calvinist interpretation with Arminian ones.

Anyways, really glad for the work God is doing in your life and your reconciled with your Calvinist friend.

God be with you,
Dan
April 21, 2011 at 3:10 PM
Leigh B said…
Hi,

I'm a young arminian Christian and have been since my conversion. I've been discouraged of late because so many of my Christian friends don't hold the same viewpoint and seem to bag me out as being heretical. I'm desperately seeking out fellowship with likeminded believers and came across your posts. It's encouraging to hear how God led you to the His truth!! I live in Australia and am getting the sense that its very much a spiritual desert. Perhaps the States have more arminians?? B.P., can I ask you who SEA are??

Thanks and God bless!

Leigh
May 11, 2011 at 7:11 PM
Godismyjudge said…
Hi Leigh,

SEA stands for the Society of Evangelical Arminians. It's a group of Arminians who love God and want a forum to exchange thoughts with fellow Arminians folks. Many Arminians feel like they are on an island until they join SEA. In your case that may be true in more ways than one though I guess Australia is a continent not an Island. :-)

If you agree with SEA's statement of faith you are more than welcome to join. Here's the statement:

http://evangelicalarminians.org/sof

If you want to join either email me (via my profile) or hit contact us on the SEA website.

I hope you will find SEA as edifying as I have. I know there are a few SEA members in Australia, but I am not sure how many.

God be with you,
Dan
May 11, 2011 at 9:15 PM
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