WHEN DOCTRINAL VIEWS COLLIDE

WHAT ARE CHRISTIANS TO DO WHEN DOCTRINAL VIEWS COLLIDE?

My wife and I were hosting neighborhood Bible studies. One particular evening the neighbor across the street from us accepted our invitation to attend. They brought some food and the husband asked if he could play some gospel music on his guitar. (We are excited at their response, especially since the did not go to church and had stepped away from their Catholic beliefs – although they said they believed in God).

The evening was going very well. Great interaction between guests. We at a meal, chatted for a while then went into a time for songs and Bible study. The focus verses were from John 1:1-13. Things were going well and the discussion was lively until we reach verse 12 which reads, “But as many as received Him (Jesus), to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name”, whereupon the neighbor from across the street erupted in protest. “You Christians are all the same! Exclusive bigots”. All in the room were stunned by his sudden outburst. I politely asked him, “Why would you say that?” He angrily responded, “Because you have to believe your way or you can’t be a child of God!” One of the others explained to him that, first of all, it wasn’t our view, it is what the Bible says. And secondly, It is not an exclusive invitation. Everyone is invited to come to Christ Jesus, although you have to believe in Him to become a child of God. But this man was having nothing more to do with it. He grabbed his guitar and stormed out of our house. Wow!

The rest of us began a discussion about what had just occurred. We all agreed that this man got it! He understood, at least partially, that he would have to give up his current worldly views, and surrender his life to Jesus to become a Christian and a child of God. It seemed to enrage him. He apparently wanted the benefits of being a Christian but without the cost.

The discussion that ensued centered around the questions about the inclusiveness and the exclusivity of the Gospel and we ended the evening talking about the doctrines of Election and Predestination, (are some Elected and others not, and are some predestined and other not?)

So, I ask you to take a self-evaluation by review these questions:

Is the Church INCLUSIVE or EXCLUSIVE?

(Your answer goes here)                                                                                                     .

Why do you say that?                                                                                                           .

 

Should the Church be INCLUSIVE or EXCLUSIVE?

(Your answer goes here)                                                                                                     .

Why do you say that?                                                                                                           .

 

Based on your first two answers, Is God INCLUSIVE or EXCLUSIVE?

(Your answer goes here)                                                                                                     .

Why do you say that?                                                                                                           .

Based on your last answer, Do you still feel the Church is or should be INCLUSIVE OR EXCLUSIVE?

Why do you say that?                                                                                                           .

 

What do you believe is the reason that the Church is either INCLUSIVE or EXCLUSIVE?

Please explain                                                                                                                        .

DOCTRINES

Doctrines are official teachings or systems of beliefs established by religious traditions that guide the practices and beliefs of their followers. Each religious denomination has its own unique doctrines.

Doctrines are the codified beliefs or teachings of a religious denomination, outlining their principles and positions on various aspects of faith and practice. Each denomination may have unique doctrines that distinguish them from others, such as the nature of Jesus, salvation, and authority within the church.

Doctrines are theologian’s and Church leader’s codified views derived from the Bible’s teachings outlining their principles and positions on various aspect of faith and practice and the governance of the Church body. Religious (Church) doctrines are man’s interpretations of the Bible’s intent; hence there are approximately two hundred Christian denominations in America alone, and over forty-five thousand worldwide. I.e., there are as many denominations as there are opinions and interpretations of the Bible by men, which has led to schisms, divisions, disagreements and even hostilities within the Body of Christ, which in turn has led to a chaotic weakening and reduced effectiveness of the Word of God in people’s lives.

The most divisive of doctrines are about Election, Predestination, and Eschatology (the study of the End Times); followed by doctrines on baptism, hell, spiritual gifts, complementarianism (women in the pulpit and / or pastoring over men).

Now, to the question, “what should you do when doctrinal views collide”?

Let me give you a prime example: ELECTION. According to the Reformed or Calvinist view (Presbyterians, Congregationalists, some Baptists), the Bible teaches that God chooses some people, that is those who He will save, and will not choose others, based on His own purposes and His desire to show grace to undeserving sinners. Ephesians 1:4–6 says, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.” He chose in love, in accordance with His pleasure and will, so that He would be glorified. God’s election has nothing to do with what the elect would or would not do. According to this view, God’s grace is irresistible to the chosen. (I.e., an individual cannot choose, on their own volition, to be saved. This says that even if I wanted to be saved, unless I have been Elected by God to be saved, I would have no choice in the matter of salvation. I would be sentenced to Hell.)

Overview of the Calvinist acronym, T.U.L.I.P.

TULIP is an acronym that represents the five key points of Calvinism, a theological framework within Reformed Christianity. Each letter stands for a specific doctrine related to salvation and God’s sovereignty.

The Five Points of TULIP

Letter	Point	Description
T	Total Depravity	Humanity is completely affected by sin, rendering individuals unable to choose God without divine intervention.
U	Unconditional Election	God’s choice to save certain individuals is not based on any foreseen merit or action on their part.
L	Limited Atonement	Christ’s atonement is specifically intended for the elect, meaning His sacrifice effectively saves only those chosen by God.
I	Irresistible Grace	The grace of God to save individuals cannot be resisted; those whom God calls will inevitably come to faith.
P	Perseverance of the Saints	Those who are truly saved will remain in faith until the end; they cannot lose their salvation.

Historical Context

The TULIP acronym emerged in the early 20th century but is rooted in the theological debates of the 17th century, particularly the Synod of Dort (1618-1619). This synod was convened to address the challenges posed by Arminian theology, which presented alternative views on predestination and grace. The five points of TULIP serve to contrast Reformed theology with these Arminian perspectives.

Significance

Understanding TULIP is essential for grasping the core beliefs of Calvinism, particularly regarding the nature of salvation and God’s sovereignty. These doctrines emphasize that salvation is entirely the work of God, highlighting His grace and the assurance of salvation for the elect.

God did not choose everyone. If He had, then everyone would come to faith in Christ. He chose some, and He left others to their own desires. Left to ourselves, all of us would continue in our rebellion and reject Christ. God chose to pursue some, convict them of their need, and lead them to faith. It is because of God’s choice that anyone comes to faith in Christ. Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day” (John 6:44).

Conversely, the Armenian view, (Methodist, Nazarene, Wesleyan, Free Will Baptist), believe in an interplay between divine grace and human choice, asserting that God desires all to be saved while allowing individuals the freedom to accept or reject His offer of salvation. This theological framework stands in contrast to Calvinism, which emphasizes God’s sovereign choice in electing individuals to salvation.

Key Tenets of Arminian Salvation

Conditional Election

• Definition: Arminianism posits that God’s election is conditional upon an individual’s faith in Jesus Christ.
• Implication: This means that while God’s grace is universally available, individuals must choose to accept it to be saved.

Universal Grace

• Prevenient Grace: Arminians believe that God’s grace precedes human action, enabling individuals to respond to the gospel.
• Resistible Grace: Unlike Calvinism, which teaches that God’s grace is irresistible, Arminianism holds that individuals can resist God’s grace.

Atonement for All

• Scope of Atonement: Arminian theology asserts that Christ’s atonement is available to all people, not just the elect.
• Faith Requirement: Salvation is contingent upon faith in Jesus, meaning that individuals must actively choose to believe.

And finally, Provisionism, a more recent development, asserts that God’s grace is available to all, allowing anyone to respond to His call for salvation. This view holds a generally Arminian view of free will and salvation, with notable differences such as positive belief in eternal security. The main gist of Provisionism is the idea that the gospel is the Word of God, which is sufficient in itself, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to enable a response in all who hear God’s appeal to be reconciled to Him (John 6:63; Hebrews 4:12).

The main use of the term Provisionism comes from the writings of theologian Leighton Flowers. The term is also meant to describe the general approach to salvation held by most Southern and Independent Baptists. So far as Reformed doctrine is concerned, this means narrow disagreement on the subjects of total depravity and limited atonement, as well as the exact meaning of words like predestined and elect.

Christians have often debated (and sometime vehemently) the finer points of how human will and God’s sovereignty interact when it comes to salvation. Though the nuances of Provisionism may not be accepted by particular believers, its tenets are well within the realm of orthodox Christian theology.

Similar to the TULIP in Calvinism, Provisionism can be summarized with the acrostic P.R.O.V.I.D.E. (see Statement-of-faith for more information):
People sin: Which separated all from fellowship with God.
Responsible: Able-to-respond to God’s appeals for reconciliation.
Open door: For anyone to enter by faith. Whosoever will may come to His open arms.
Vicarious atonement: Provides a way for anyone to be saved by Christ’s blood.
Illuminating grace: Provides clearly revealed truth so that all can know and respond in faith.
Destroyed: For unbelief and resisting the Holy Spirit.
Eternal security: For all true believers.

CONCLUSION:

Comparison Table

Attribute	Calvinism	Arminianism	Provisionism
View on Predestination	Predetermined by God	Based on foreseen faith	Grace available to all
Human Responsibility	Limited by God’s sovereignty	Emphasizes free will	Individuals can respond
Atonement	Limited to the elect	Universal for all	Vicarious atonement for everyone
Key Proponents	John Calvin	Jacob Arminius	Leighton Flowers

These theological frameworks shape the beliefs and practices of various Christian denominations, influencing how they understand salvation and God’s role in the lives of believers.

So, why all the debating and all the rhetorical heat between belief system? After all, we are all considered Christians. Right? It is all due to man-devised views of Biblical teachings, their meanings and intents.

What can you do (at least for now) to avoid doctrinal divisiveness within the Body of Christ?

• Draw near to God in prayer and Bible reading and study.
• Follow the core teachings of Jesus – the ones that are the easiest to understand (even though some may be hard to do because of the sin nature present in all people).
• Treat all people, most particularly, other Christians, as you would like to be treated.

The Apostle John explained how to be saved this way: “For God so loved the world (you), that He gave His only Son, so that anyone who would believe on Him would be saved”.

The Apostle Paul said it this way, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

Jesus clearly taught how to be saved and demonstrated what it means to follow Him and to be His disciple. Sometime, we as humans, just have differing highly educated albeit personal interpreative opinions.

Just do what Jesus says and does and leave all the difficult and divisive ‘other things’ to the theologians to debate for now. You and I must just follow Him obediently.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young