Freewill vs. No Choice

 

I am not a Calvinist or Arminian, my theological understanding is based scripture alone and not the views of uninspired men from the 16th century. I have more access to ancient text and cultural and historical sources than they could have ever imagined. These tools help me build my worldview based on what I read in scripture in cultural and historical context with the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Paul himself said that the Holy Spirit will help you understand scripture. I agree with much of both men but there are other areas I believe they have misinterpreted. Instead of Freewill Vs. No Choice, it is more like a combination of both in specific ways.

On my website under my beliefs, I state that I do not hold Reformed Theological views. I wish to give an apologetic defense of why I believe in Freewill choice to choose Jesus as your Lord, King and Savior or choose knowingly or unknowingly damnation of your soul. I have read John Calvin’s book, Institutes of the Christian Religion of 1536, I would say the vast majority of those espousing Calvinism have not. While there is much I can agree with based on scripture there is one hurdle I cannot cross. Election and Calvin’s  interpretation of it. If you look in scripture and the actions from Adam and Eve until this very day, in every aspect of our lives we have freewill choice, for good or bad, our choice. Even in the Garden of Eden, God placed a choice for Adam and Eve in the garden. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Realize, God created the tree, and put it in the garden, something He did not want them to eat of the fruit but trust Him instead. He warned them not to eat and then left the choice for them to handle. They were deceived, true,  but sin always requires us to ignore God’s law and choose our way instead.

David was a man after God’s own heart, meaning, David actively and consciously strived to follow God’s will and law wholeheartedly. Yet, he still sinned, committed adultery and murder as he, just like Adam and Eve, was faced with a choice and even though he knew God and loved Him, still chose to fulfil his selfish desires.  I believe if God really wanted to control us in ways that is best for us, why not take away the choice to sin but always without question uphold God’s Word. In a way it is like having a wife that says she loves you, but not because she chose to love you, but because she was compelled by some other force or reason other than her own true affection. Would a man value the two loves equally? No, you want someone to love you and follow you from their own devotion. I say God allowing us freewill choice to believe in Jesus as the Messiah and Savior of all who truly believe in Him is His desire and plan.

The other side of that if God only chooses specific people to be saved and purposely chooses who will not be allowed to be saved appears to be wholly unfair to hold people guilty of sin when they are not offered the opportunity to repent and be saved. I believe God is Sovereign and He can do as He wills of course, but I believe in this area God wants true love and affection because of His love and goodness instead of a preprogrammed response. Here are some other observations about the results of Reformed Theology.

 

What advantage is gained from believing in John Calvin’s Reformed Theology?

From all I have ever witnessed from those who claim to follow Reformed Theology is pride and arrogance. And they look down or ridicule those who do not hold their views which causes dissention in the Church and causing dissention among the believers, that is an abomination to God. Insults such as, “I guess you do not know scripture then.” are proffered.

How does holding this view help in sharing the Gospel?

The easy answer is it doesn’t. In fact, it hinders the spreading of the Gospel. Historically, denominations that have embraced Reformed Theology, residing in their self-important arrogance, evangelism is hindered since they may feel God doesn’t need them to share the Gospel because if they are of the “elect” then they will trust in Christ without anyone’s help, since God is sovereign and decrees their salvation.

Understand, the views of John Calvin or Jacobus Arminius are not inspired scripture, their work is just a commentary on biblical theology based on their views. Never let their teachings be the bedrock of your theological understanding. Trust scripture to reveal its truth itself with the illumination by the Holy Spirit.

Be sure not to read into scripture your preconceived theological beliefs when you read the texts of scripture because they will color the meaning based on your beliefs. We are to exegete a passage or “draw out” the meaning of scripture apart from our biases. To read “into” the passage based on one’s beliefs is called eisegesis. We must not add to scripture our beliefs if we truly want to know what God is revealing through His Special Revelation of Himself to us through scripture.

Why do I not follow Reformed Theology?

When we compare scripture text from both sides I found a big problem on one of their foundational points. Election and the key to their boastful position. This is their main sticking point for most. Most people can agree with the other four points of Calvin’s views, but it is Calvin’s view of Election where the disturbance begins. I believe they are confusing election with God’s foreknowledge. Because God is outside linear time, since He made time, He can see the beginning to the end of time. So of course, He knows who will and will not be saved, but that is not the same as saying He only pick a minority to be saved and because the majority will never choose to come to faith in Jesus are eternally barred from repentance and salvation in Jesus. The real rub is that  there are many important all-inclusive scriptures that are problematic for such views.

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

 

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. "And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. "For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. "But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." (John 3:14-21)

 

Why do I believe Reformed Theology is harmful to the Church?

There are several reasons:

1. It promotes arrogance and pride in people who advocate for Calvin’s view than they do that of  Jesus.

2. Other than a few times the word Election is used in the New Testament, there are far more verses with all-inclusive language.

3. Also, if God was going to choose people without their freewill to follow Him, why didn’t He choose any people before the Flood, He only chose Noah, the only faithful one available, Noah’s family was only saved for Noah and starting over the population. Are they in effect saying that because God didn’t forcefully choose people before the flood? Instead  waiting until after the flood, so He could have faithful people He then started choosing people to be saved? What happened to being chosen before the foundation of the world?

4. Whole Denominations and Churches curtail their fervent pursuit of the lost, making seeking the lost a lower priority when it should be the main focus of believers. It makes sense in their view, if God has already picked who will be saved, then why does He need us?

5. The beliefs on both sides cannot be definitively proven either way. Both sides will have their foundational scriptures to support their position and no amount of arguing will change anyone’s mind about their position. It is a fruitless and nonproductive issue.

6. Because of the tension it causes if left unchecked and believers cannot agree to disagree and let it go and focus on where we do agree. It will cause dissention in the Church, In fighting, theological lines drawn, people leaving, pastors leaving or pushed out, nor will evangelism be accomplished and the inevitable fruit of it all is a Church Split if it is not resolved. All while the community is watching the whole thing play out. Thinking, “typical judgmental Christians” and the witness of Christ is tarnished while limiting the effectiveness of the Church in the community.

7. Finally, when Christians fight over theology or differing scriptural views , they are unknowingly serving the purposes of Satan, Not Jesus. Therefore, promoting Reformed Theology or General Theology is a tragic waste of time, avoid it at all cost. Which is the reason I do not bring up the topic because it is pointless to do so but I feel I must address this issue as to what and why I believe in Freewill. Thereby , removing any excuse for the reason a person would end up in Hell, other than they chose to do so, willfully or out of ignorance.  Instead the Reformed view that God chose to create most of the people for Hell with no possibility for parole.