Thinking Outside Theological Boxes

Last updated on: December 13, 2016 at 8:49 am by Andrew Farley

Thinking Outside Theological Boxes 2016-12-13T08:49:38-06:00 Andrew Farley

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I recently heard a popular teacher of Calvinism argue that unlimited atonement (“Christ died for all”) cannot be true, because such a notion cannot include eternal security for the believer. This teacher did not seem to realize that it is possible to believe that Christ died for all and that, after one is born again, the new birth is irreversible, and therefore we believers are secure.

Some appear to think that the only way we can be secure in our salvation is if God first individually selected us to get saved apart from our choice. They think that only through God making us believe can we then be eternally safe. They esteem our ongoing belief more than they esteem the eternal nature of the new life we have been given.

These have likely not spent much time with the idea that Christ died for all and that anyone can call on the Lord to receive *eternal* life, which by its very definition is eternal and therefore secure.

Some only see Calvin versus Arminius, and no third possibility. They pit one against the other to argue that one framework must be fully right and that we simply cannot have eternal security without limited atonement (“Christ only died for the elect”). There is a third position- namely, that predestination was God’s secret plan (now revealed!) to unleash the Gospel on all nations, because we Gentiles were also chosen to receive the message. And after anyone believes, they are crucified, buried, and raised to newness of life- a life that, by its very nature, is both eternal and irrevocable.

Even when we are faithless, He remains faithful. He lives within us, and He cannot disown Himself! (for more on this topic, enjoy the section called “God’s Big Fat Greek Wedding” within my book “God Without Religion.”)

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