I have come to a point in my studies that I suddenly realize there can be no going back to the theologies of Arminianism, though years ago I defended it. The reason is twofold: for one, "Reformed" theology (or Calvinism, if you like) strikes me more and more as being, not a branch of theology per-say, but the theology most plainly taught in Scripture. But setting that aside, were I ever to find reason to doubt this, I still could not return to Arminianism, but would find myself compelled to embrace Catholic theology instead. The reason is this: of the two major branches of Protestant theology (Calvinism and Arminianism), Arminianism strikes me as being the weakest and most ineffectual attempt at maintaining concepts such as free will (as regards Salvation) while still being protestant. I've heard many people say that Catholic theology is altogether different than "Christian" (by which they mean Protestant) theology because they preach a different means of grace. I say this is rubbish. In fact, Catholics preach the same basic theology that the Arminian believer holds, but preaches it more boldly and openly and draws it to its logical conclusions, something the Arminian is unwilling to do.
Catholics teach a melding of God's grace with the works of man. To be sure, no good Catholic believer will teach that works save anyone; all are saved only by God's grace. But works are the means by which men cooperate with God in salvation, and those works therefore hold significant weight in the process. The Arminian teaches that salvation may be lost or rejected, that a person may lose their salvation if, once being saved, they begin to live in unrepentant sin, cease caring for the things of God, or deliberately choose at some point to reject Him. The Catholic teaches this as well, but with a great deal more sanity.
You see, according to Arminianism, you are saved by grace alone and your works, although of value, do not result in salvation. You cannot commend yourself to God through works, but works DO operate in the negative; you can lose your salvation through persisting in doing what is wrong. It is as thought the Arminian presents the grace of God as a stone which no one else can move, and which cannot be built upon. But this same, immovable rock of grace, which no one can take from you and which cannot be altered, nevertheless may be cast aside like a pebble by the one who holds it.
To the Catholic salvation is more like building a house out of multiple bricks of grace which God provides. As long as you cooperate with God, the master builder, and follow His plan, He provides bricks and instructs you to build up the house. You may cast them away, and you may also repent and pick them back up. Your salvation is a work in progress, only possible through the grace of God, but dependent also upon your works as you build up the house with Him (or, through sin, tear it all down).
Calvinists, of course, see salvation as a rock which cannot be moved or built upon, neither by yourself nor by others; it is eternal, resting solely upon the action and will of God, paid for and established by Christ, and thus altogether unaffected by your actions, whether good or bad.
I have respect to the Catholic position as, long before Arminianism came to be, they took the basic concepts of it as relates to salvation and boldly carried them out to their conclusions, unafraid to admit that if works may act against salvation, then they must also act in favor of it. The Calvinist, then, with the same boldness, stood up and said that as salvation cannot be improved or built with works, then certainly they cannot be diminished by them either. The Arminianist, on the other hand, saw the conflict and attempted to straddle the fence, insisting that whereas works cannot improve or result in salvation, that immovable rock may be carried away by a breeze should man's sin take hold in his life. In desiring to have it both ways, they make salvation into a peculiar and contradictory beast, one moment unaffected by man's actions, the next, altogether dependent upon them. A Catholic may urge a man to do good, for in doing so he blesses his soul as he works with God towards his salvation. A Calvinist may urge a man to be altogether thankful before God, for his salvation is secure from the foundation of the world by the Lord's work on our behalf. But the Arminianist can only, with any authority, speak in the negative, that a man must keep from sin lest God cast him out of His presence and into eternal damnation, despite the salvation he once bestowed upon him.
No comments:
Post a Comment