Sanctification: Calvinism vs. Arminianism

[Guest]

Hi Steve,

What are the rifts between Calvinists and Arminians concerning sanctification? One Calvinist teacher I was reading made a passing comment on what he termed "the weakness" of the Arminian position. He didn't elaborate much.

Have you engaged Calvinists on this subject?

Thanks,
JD

[Guest]

Never have. I believe there is a book out there (which I used to have, but never got around to reading) called, "Five Views of Sanctification." One of the views, if I remember correctly, was "the Calvinist View." I have never heard a distinctively Calvinist view of sanctification expounded.

It seems to me that a true Calvinist would see sanctification (along with regeneration) strictly as a sovereign work of God, which we humans can do nothing about.

Paul says, "This is the will of God, your sanctification" (1 Thess.4:3).

In explaining why not all Christians experience the same degree of santification (just as not all humans experience regeneration), my Arminianism would place a significant measure of the responsibility for the failure (in both cases) upon human volition.

Since Calvinism does not believe that anything is determined or caused by human volition, I would expect a Calvinist to blame God for the lack of sanctification in some Christians' lives.

Alternatively, a Calvinist might consistently say that sanctification occurs in the lives of the elect, and its presence if a primary proof of genuine election. This makes sense, within the Calvinist paradigm. However, it would seem to leave unanswered the obvious question: What degree of sanctification in my life justifies my concluding that I am of the elect?

As with the other aspects of Calvinism, this would diminish the ability of any thinking person to be assured of his own salvation. Hence, my friend Jude (who posts at this forum and is a Reformed pastor) freely admits that he does not know for certain whether he is saved or not—even though he has every evidence of sincerity in his Christian life and witness.

[Guest]

As with the other aspects of Calvinism, this would diminish the ability of any thinking person to be assured of his own salvation. Hence, my friend Jude (who posts at this forum and is a Reformed pastor) freely admits that he does not know for certain whether he is saved or not—even though he has every evidence of sincerity in his Christian life and witness.

This is something that I've been trying to get across to Calvinists. In their system, a believer has no way whatsoever of knowing if they are - or ever were - elect. No matter how much fruit a person bears, they can never be sure that the fruit will not at somestage dry up. And if a long time of bearig fruit (say 20 years) a person ceases to bear fruit - then that person must seriously consider if all of those years were actually false. They have to consider that they never really knew God.

I like to tell Calvinists that a person can only be sure they are elect when they die. What assurance!?!

[Guest]

What are the rifts between Calvinists and Arminians concerning sanctification?

The truth is, we must be more readily willing to error on the side of expecting too much victory over sin because of the wisdom of God demonstrated in the finished work of Christ than to error on the side of those who exalt sin over the blood of the covenant and insult the Spirit of Grace. For where sin abounded grace abounded much more. God's grace is abounding and working much more than the sin that previously worked in our lives when living in unbelief. The power of righteousness and the Spirit of God active in the life of a believer is much greater than the power of sin and satan active in the life of an unbeliever. It is in these points where some Calvinist views error exalting the depravity of man, and the power of sin as if it were greater than the work of redemption accomplished through Christ Jesus; it is in these points that there is a rift between a large portion of Calvinists and many Arminians.

The above is a quote from a review by Chad Craig, (a friend of mine) of Sanctification, five views (I think that's what it is called).

[Guest]

John Macarthur uses this verse to support his idea of man's depravity.
Romans 9:18
" Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens."
To use this verse to support the idea of John Calvin without considering the events in the whole bible is incorrect. We have to know if there are instances in the bible in which God hardened the heart of a person then we have to know the reasons if it is given or indicated. In Exodus 4:21
God told Moses that he wiil hardened the pharaoh's heart. But God has given the pharoah the chance to repent before God hardened the heart of the pharoah. It was not stated that God gave the pharaoh the chance to repent but rather it was indicated. Moses asked the pharaoh 5 times in 5 different occasions to release Israel but the pharaoh never did so God hardened the heart of the pharaoh. Even after the last plague the pharaoh has the chance to repent but he never did.