Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:13-14)

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Some Feedback

I have been very busy with classes that I teach at a Bible college. It has been the end of the semester and I have been grading term papers and finals. I see that I have some feedback.

Nothing new. More mud-slinging and theological cuss words. I like how to a Calvinist, there are only two types of Christians: Calvinists and Arminians. To the Calvinist, Calvinism is the gospel, pure and true. Anyone who disagrees with Calvinism is automatically an Arminan by default. To this category is heaped every objectionable tenet and doctrine that has ever arisen in Christendom. Calvinism seeks to entrap the undiscerning and immature with this divide and conquer tactic; these people rightly do not want to be associated with such a picture as Calvinism paints of the only other Christian group! Neither do they wish to be called every Christian pejorative in the book.

As for Arminian, I am not.

You may call it Free Grace, Overcomer theology, Metachoi theology, or most aptly Biblical.

Arminian, no. Calvinism, NO!

Good day!

Antonio

7 Comments:

Blogger Antonio said...

I do. I enjoy his book and use it as reference. I do not hold to his Calvinism though. He is a Free-Grace Calvinist, and I am just happy he wrote the book he did. It is excellent. There are other Free Grace Calvinists as well:

John Robbins and Gordon Clark of the Trinity Foundation
R.T. Kendall
Michael Eaton

to name a few.

I have to say that I enjoy Zane Hodges the most.

His book (that is now out of print and used copies are going for $50) "Grace in Eclipse" was a life changing book for me!

I correspond with him frequently as he is a very approachable and humble fellow. I had the pleasure of hanging out with him on several occasions and most recently in August.

November 03, 2005 7:44 PM  
Blogger Antonio said...

bobby,

actually, John MacArthur's book, "The Gospel According to Jesus" is a reaction to Zane Hodges' book "The Gospel Under Seige". And "Absolutely Free!" is in response to John's book.

AF! is a brief yet powerful answer to Lordship salvation. I would be happy to discuss any of its points in detail.

"The Gospel under Seige" is in its second edition and like 15th publication. You should get your hands on it! It is a GREAT reference and covers many Scriptures!

Antonio

November 04, 2005 2:52 PM  
Blogger Antonio said...

Oh yeah,

One of the biggest correspondences between FG and C FG is that of assurance and the denial of the practical syllogism. They agree it is truly by grace through faith apart from any works whatsoever (see Gerstner, Piper, and MacArthur for their insistence that a form of works IS necessary for eternal life).

Also, FG people believe that the faith that appropriates eternal life is punctilliar rather than linear. Linear aspect would make faith meritorious, while punctilliar faith corresponds to a one time appropriation, like to the one who "drinks of" the water that Jesus gives and never thirst again (John 4:14).

Most FG Calvinists reject particular atonement and and modify the perseverance of the Saints to be preservation (eternal security, or OSAS) in its place.

R.T. Kendall shows clearly that Calvin himself believed in universal atonement.

If you look at Jody Dillow in "Reign" chapter 23 I think, on Negative Rewards, you will see that the atonement is not limited in extent but limited in INTENT.

You may want to re-read it.

Also, Zane Hodges (whom first suggested the limited intent doctrine) wrote about it in his book, "Harmony with God: Repentance reconsidered" which, the entire book, is online at http://www.chafer.edu in their back journals section.

It is GREAT stuff, and interesting reading!

there are other correspondences as well.

I differ from C FG in that I do not believe in individual election unto eternal life. I do not believe in the supposed fruit of total depravity = total inability. I do not believe in irresistible grace (is this not an oxymoron!?). I do not believe in POS, nor particular atonement.

http://www.faithalone.org

Antonio

November 04, 2005 3:03 PM  
Blogger Antonio said...

Hey Bobby,

I feel we have a lot to learn from each other and I would like to discuss soteriology with you. Would you be inclined to answer some of my questions? I would answer first the same question I would ask you.

I think it would be fun and informative!

I am definitely interested in your Dr. Frost friend. Are there any articles by him that I could read that wouldn't take a long time to read? You know, journal size articles, not much longer?

Michael Horton talks about the Antinomian controversy in one of his books where he lies considerably about Zane Hodges. Zane reviews this book in the Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society.

If you are interested in historical theology, you may find a journal article on the Marrow Controversy quite interesting:

http://www.faithalone.org/journal/2003ii/makidon.pdf

I am interested in your soteriology since you have, in so many words, said that my soteriology and Calvinisms soteriology is cut from a common mold.

Your new friend,

Antonio

November 05, 2005 1:57 PM  
Blogger Antonio said...

Hey Bobby,

It is called Southern California Seminary.

http://www.socalsem.edu/

It is an accredited Bible College/Seminary under the ministry of Dr. David Jeremiah.

It is a classical dispensational seminary with a Chafer/Walvoord DTS flavor.

Antonio

November 05, 2005 2:47 PM  
Blogger Antonio said...

Christian Heritage College (now known as San Diego Christian College) is a liberal arts college affiliated with Dr. Jeremiah's ministry. SCS is a different organization, but still associated with it, and is across the street.

Antonio

November 05, 2005 4:16 PM  
Blogger Jon Lee said...

Amen brother!

January 29, 2007 9:37 AM  

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