Replying to Article Claiming that Moderate Calvinists Are Defending the Arminian Gospel

Alpha and Omega Ministries spent some time reading and responding to Dr. Sonny Hernandez’s response to me on Arminianism and the Gospel, and frankly, James White still haven’t a clue exactly where he is coming from. But, he'll gave it the old college try.

[alihoussney]

Either way Arminianism leaves the final decision in the hands of man, which is NOT salvation by grace.

[joshwagar]

I have been a Christian for many years and have only recently discovered Calvinism. I have matured a lot as a Christian since I embraced these truths. However, I agree wholeheartedly with Dr. White that Arminians are saved. That doesn't mean that they are correct or that they won't benefit from knowing the truth, it just means that they aren't going to hell if they die as Arminians. We should encourage them to discover the truth, but as brothers in Christ. What we need to realize is that a lot of "Arminians" don't know what the 5 points of Arminianism are and could not accurately describe Arminianism. They just know that they are not Calvinists because they have been told that Calvinism is terrible and makes God a monster and the author of evil and that we would all be mindless robots etc. I realize now that I had no idea what Calvinism really was. I thought that Christians were all Arminians until Calvin arrived. All a lot of so-called Arminians know is that they aren't Calvinists, but many of them actually believe in 1 or more of the points of Calvinism without realizing it. I always believed in the depravity of man because I was always very aware of my own sinful nature and could see all the evil in the world. What I didn't come to realize is that this view is incompatible with an Arminian's freewill argument because God must choose us by enabling us to come to the Son, otherwise our depravity would prevent us from choosing Him. Once you understand depravity you can understand the other 4 points. I just didn't make that connection because I just never really thought about it. I didn't study my Bible enough. Many of these people would be better described as non-Calvinist than Arminian because they simply don't really know what they believe, they just know what they do not believe about Soteriology. They may hold to one or more points of Calvinism without even realizing it, but at the same time believe in freewill without seeing any contradiction with any of these viewpoints. Many baptists would fall into this category. People like Sonny Hernández are not doing Arminians any favours. By treating them as unbelievers, all he is doing is reinforcing the stereotype that they already hold of Calvinists as unspiritual, judgemental, religious pharisees. This is what I believed of Calvinists until I started listening to people like John MacArthur and Paul Washer etc. Yes, there are many unsaved people in Arminian churches, tares among the wheat, but there are plenty of God-fearing, loving, truth-seeking men and women of God in these churches who love the Lord wholeheartedly. I know this because I have met many of these people and many of them are still my friends. Likewise, there are tares also in Calvinistic churches. In summary, Calvinism is correct, but fully understanding the 5 points of Calvinism is not a requirement for Salvation and it's adding to the Bible to say so. Believing that all Arminians are unsaved is an idea just as unbiblical as man choosing God.

[mariosangermano]

I
My wife and I went to Sonny Hernandez's church a couple of years ago. There was us, his family and his associate pastor and his family. That was the congregation.
After we left the service I had the most ugly fearful feeling about what we just experienced. It felt demonic. Never went back.

[CBALLEN]

Brother, I remember when you told the story of a Catholic woman who wanted to interview a Calvinist and once you told her what you believed, she said, " I could never believe in a God like that" and you said, ''I know and you never will unless God changes your heart".The thing is, Michael Brown agrees with the Catholic woman.

[jackal]

Why don't you go ahead and do a debate on this topic with Sonny then James? I'm sure Sonny would love to.

Heres the problem that I see with your position as plainly as I can state it.

The arminian rejects the calvinist interpretation of the doctrines of grace not simply because they have a different interpretation that they think is closer to the truth or more consistent. The arminian rejects the the calvinist's interpretation because they think the God that ordains some to destruction and some to eternal life irrespective of and in the absence of human will is a monster. They think He is unfair. They think He is unjust.

You affirm the doctrines of grace as consistent, biblical, and beautiful God glorifying truth and then defend the arminian that hates that God.

If the arminian HATES God that you affirm is taught in the bible does it seem like the arminian has truly had their eyes opened and their heart softened to believe the glorious truth of the gospel of God's soveriegn grace in, by, and through Jesus Christ alone? no

[FredHenry]

Just because an Arminian claims it was their choice to put their faith in Christ, and, thus, are misguided on that point, does not mean that Christ did not give them saving faith. They have faith in Christ, they just don't know how they got it. And also, who really knows the nature of their salvation when they first come to Christ in saving faith? All they know is: "Thank you, Jesus, for dying for me and paying for my wicked sins! I love you!" Just imagine the many saints who are in Heaven now who had a simple faith like that. I'm glad that God saved sinners back in the 3rd Century before they ever got a chance to read Calvin's Institutes, which are a wonderful blessing to the Church.

[ForwardTalk]

Dr. White, can you expand on what a “functional modalist” is?

[timothyjupin]

So, Dr. White, it appears when you claim that Sonny Hernandez has an unbalanced view of things and is radical and that he should be balanced, would you also say this about the synod of Dort? This counsel clearly claimed arminianism to be heresy. How can you call scripture fair and balanced? If God was fair and balanced, we’d all be in hell.

[joshpeterson]

I agree with James White that inconsistent Arminians are just confused, not heretics, but I disagree with his naïveté concerning Flowers, who is consistent. He is a semi-Pelagian. Flowers denies the necessity of internal and Spirit-wrought prevenient grace to enable someone to be able to repent and believe when they hear the gospel. The Church has condemned heretics like Flowers for 1, 500 years because Flowers does not believe in grace alone and openly flaunts it.

[MariusVanWoerden]

I belief that there can be Christians in the Catholic Church. Our Lord is not limited in any way. However those have been saved by an alter-call is a very dangerous way to be saved. Never Lost Is Never Saved.
THIS IS HOW CALVIN PREACHED THE GOSPEL (Calvin's Wisdom p119-120)
He calls all men to himself, without a single exception, and gives Christ to all, that we may be illumined by him. When we pray, we ought, according to the rule of charity, to include all. God invites all indiscriminately to salvation through the Gospel, BUT THE INGRATITUDE OF THE WORLD IS THE REASON why this grace, which is equally offered to all, is enjoyed by few.
Other than the result of men’s refusal. Calvin as you can see and put the responsibility by men.

Arminius had studied theology under Theodore Beza, Calvin's successor. Beza was one of the stronger proponents of the Reformed doctrine of predestination. But Arminius's theology represented a retreat from this position. In some ways, ARMINIUS'S THEOLOGY WAS ACTUALLY A RETURN TO THE POSITION TAKEN BY ROMAN CATHOLICISM AT THE COUNCIL OF TRENT. NATURALLY, ARMINIANISM STIRRED HEATED CONTROVERSY IN THE REFORMED CHURCHES.

It happened when Arminius was asked to counter Dirck Coornherd as he joined the reformation. Coornherd was a Semi Palagian. But after studying Coornherd and Palagius Jacob Arminius started to agree with Dirck Coornherd and brought it out as a professor in theology in Leiden Holland. He was opposed strongly by a colleague Franciscus Gomaris, as being a Heretic and Palagianist. The Arminius side was named REMONSTRANDS and Gomaris CONTRA REMONSTRANDS Arminius his real name not Latinized was Jacob Hermanszoon he became good friends with Coornherd. However bringing out the teaching of Pelagius as Leighton does, would have cost Arminius his position at the university and no way of earning an income in Holland. So Arminius was very cautious in his words special in writing but less in speaking. Arminius's thoughts were later defended by Dirck Coornherd on the Synod of Dordrecht in 1618 10 years after Arminius dead. It was clearly Pelagian and condemned as a heresy. Arminius full-out denied Total depravity and claimed the ability of men to reject or accept the offer of salvation and the ability to become sinless by his own will. I have and read all the works of Arminius and the Institution and most works of Calvin. Arminius claimed that when Paul said: "Wretched man I'am' he says that before his conversion and would not say that after his conversion. Predestination he explained as God foreknew a person would come to faith and also God's plan of salvation is not from the foundation of the World but came after the fall in Paradise. All works of Arminius were forbidden and never printed in Dutch. The first print of his works was in 1875
The Canons of the Synod of Dordt thus constituted the Reformation's official reply to the Remonstrants. The Remonstrants were expelled from the Reformed Churches in Holland, and Arminianism was tagged as a deviant doctrine. Far from dealing a crushing blow to the movement, however, the Synod of Dordt merely became the starting point for the underground spread of the doctrine. There are many strains of Arminianism. The classic Arminianism of the Remonstrants had much in common with Pelagianism (a compromise position between the radical free-will doctrine of Pelagius and a twisted predestinarian view ) The tendencies of the Remonstrants
(Arminianism) and those who followed them were barely evangelical. In the eighteenth century, John Wesley adopted Arminian doctrine and refined it with a strong evangelical emphasis on the Reformed doctrine of justification by faith. Wesley's variety of evangelical Arminianism survives today in many Churches. Two of them that brought it strongly out in their preaching were Charles Finney and later Billy Graham. We clearly find in both their preaching: “man’s free-will” and the alter call and invitation to pray the sinner's prayer or even to fill out a sinners-card would safe.
I belief: "Never Lost is Never saved" We need the conviction of the Holy Spirit like soil need the plow in order to the seed to bring forth fruit. Jesus came to save that which was lost.
What about 70 Million Buddhists in Thailand. 93% in Thailand are Buddhists and 5.5% Islam. Why??? If God wants all men to be saved, did God fail to bring the gospel there so they could chose to be Christian or Buddhist? One born into Buddhism has no choice but Buddhism, Only the conviction by The Holy Spirit can change hearts.

[alonzomccloud]

I believed justification by faith alone, my inconsistency was in believing my tainted faith saved me, that it was different from works, but this is why we are commanded to study to show ourselves approved and found out "...not of the will of man, " "but of GOD." I Then started interpreting these truths in light of John 6:44 everything fell in line and I still have more to learn... Mr White I'm answering your questioner or rather giving my testimony on this subject...

[Chirhopher]

i must say, it is very concerning when we see someone's entire ministry based upon attacks of Holy Scriptural Truths. That phrase, blessed inconsistencies comes into play. Which is strange, because that does mean there is a lie in there somewhere, but none are yet perfected. Solí DÉÕ Gloría that HE Is Perfecting Us, Molding Us Into HIS Holy Image!

[maxxiong]

It is dangerous to judge someone based on the logical conclusion of their beliefs. Otherwise, any kind of inconsistency would logically result in heresy (since any statement can be proven from a contradiction).

[joshuabusby]

“Stealing” this! Excellent! It’s going on Facebook! Lol

[NicholasproclaimerofMessiah]

If someone trusts their own works for salvation, then they are not saved, and so I do think we should be skeptical of the salvation of those who insist against monergistic soteriology. One can say they trust Jesus for salvation, but then why do they insist that, if it's solely Jesus, it can't be logical? For some of them, they are desperate to have some role in saving themselves, they have not died to self, and are not regenerate because they've chosen to trust themselves for salvation. It really is a scary matter and I think James White is underestimating the danger. Some of them are saved, yeah, but plenty are not saved and that is very important. We must worship in spirit and in truth.

[ElenaBaumann]

The Gospel is: "Christ died for OUR SINS in accordance with the Scriptures". 1Cor 15:3
OUR SINS = limited ATTONMENT.
In accordance with the Scriptures = in accordance with the Scriptures!!!

[ElenaBaumann]

Not everyone heard the true Gospel on this planet. But God will lead every sheep to hear the true Gospel and believe it. VERY FEW CHRISTIAN S WILL BE SAVED, JESUS SAID.

[NicholasproclaimerofMessiah]

I think in the case of false teachers, it is possible to know them by their fruits. I think that, for non-teachers, this does not apply.

[someperson]

Someone could believe that Jesus atoned for the sins of all people and at the same time believe that we are not saved on the basis of our faith, repentance, and obedience.

[Pnice]

Anyone who believes that salvation is conditioned on the free will of man is believing in another gospel. Anyone who believes that the Father does not choose and elect His people before the foundation of the world is believing in another work of the Father. Anyone who believes that Jesus died, atoned, and propitiated for the sins of those who are lost is believing in another Jesus, another atonement, another work of the Son. Anyone who believes that the Father and the Holy Spirit are trying and trying and trying to save all those whom He decreed to eternal damnation is believing in another Father and another work of the Holy Spirit. Anyone who believes that the lowly created creature called man can resist Gods will is believing in another God.

You see I can go on and on and on about the heresies of the Arminian teachers like Brown and Flowers. And it is utter vomit when Dr White with all those brains and all that wisdom can call these two heretics his “brother.”

There is a difference between the teachers of heresy and those who sit under them who are new to reading the Bible. But the goal of the scholarly like White should be to defend the faith and defending the “TRUTH.” But somehow White has lost sight and focus for the love and zeal of the truth. When it happened only the Lord knows. May the Lord help you return to your first love of defending the TRUTH, so that you will stop helping the spread of lies by these Arminian heretics.