With a Subtitle: A Biblical Christian view of God’s sovereignty, free will, and unresolved tension

A brief Excerpt: Do Christians have to choose between Calvinism and Arminianism? This Biblical Christian perspective explores God’s sovereignty, human free will, and why some truths in Scripture may stand in tension rather than fit neatly into a system.

The Author is: James Jordan

The two main theological systems of Protestant Christianity have clashed for years, and we seem no closer to solving the issue now than 500 years ago.

The point of either one is to put the entirety of the gospel into perspective. They both try to make something very complex into something easy to understand, which has some value. Both have strengths and weaknesses.

Both try to explain the greatest mysteries of life.

What is the nature of God?

What is the nature of man?

What is the nature of the relationship between God and man?

Trying to break that into five short points is an oversimplification, to say the least.

I can see how both are justified Biblically. I could make a decent Biblical case for either one or build a Biblical case to refute either one.

The problem, as I see it, is either one has to explain away some of the Bible. The same scripture that says “whoever will” also says “God chose you.” The interesting thing to me is that Biblical writers recognized this and did not see a problem with saying both.

It is we who have a problem. Instead of letting the Bible say both and believing that both are true — because that is what the Bible says — we try to make only one of them true.

This is why Calvinism and Arminianism exist, and why the debate rages. Both have good qualities, but both have to ignore verses they don’t like.

There are “tensions” in the Bible, ideas that appear to oppose each other. They are a paradox. Some people don’t like paradoxes because it leaves uncertainty.

That is basically what Calvinism and Arminianism do. God chose us, yet God says whosoever will. The options are to believe both are true because that is what God said or pay more attention to one or the other.

My background

For some background: I was once pretty much a Calvinist. I didn’t believe in limited atonement because it is clear that Jesus died for the sins of the entire world. I would say that it is effective only for the believer. But if that is the case, why is it even necessary for people to accept the gift when it is already paid for and given?

I also struggled with irresistible grace. I was pretty good at resisting grace — regeneration — even as a believer, so it was hard to believe one could not refuse to be part of God’s family.

A lot of Christians mix and match, liking two or three of one or the other. That may be a good way to approach the two, or you can see both as having value, but see no need to align with one or the other.

The mystery

God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and sovereign over everything that exists or ever will exist. Logically, this means God knows the future, which causes one to struggle with free will. But somehow, in a way I cannot explain, God knowing the future is not the same thing as God ordaining or planning the future.

We still have choices even though God knows what those choices will be. If God is all-knowing and all-powerful, he has to know the future. Some Christians think God is at the same time we are and does not know the future, but that seems to go against the sovereign nature of an all-powerful God.

Calvinists paint God as an arbitrary ruler who orders the outcome, which is not fair. Arminians weaken God to make Him dependent on our choices.

Or to put it more positively.

Calvinists see God as all-knowing and all-powerful and develop the rest from there. Arminians focus on the human aspect of the relationship with God.

Does it matter?

The thing is, there is no reason to choose one or the other. Adopting either one can be an excuse not to think for yourself or to wrestle with deep theological questions yourself. It’s much easier to grab a list of points and then defend those points. You can find plenty of Bible to back up either one of those theological constructs. But you end up having to explain away other parts of the Bible.

The basic message of the Bible is simple, but trying to understand God is difficult. Our finite human minds can’t grasp the mind of God.

A better way

Instead of debating this issue, choosing one or the other, and defending that viewpoint, we should develop our theological system ourselves. It will take a very long time and a lot of work, and you may never complete the work, but that would be more fulfilling.

Calvinism emphasizes the role of God, while Arminians emphasize man’s role. Choosing one might reveal more about your priorities than God’s truth.

Theology is not something you find, put in a box, and then you are done. Your theology should be a part of you. It should develop as you continue on your spiritual journey.

Some people don’t like paradoxes, and I suppose I’m the odd one. I like the grey, the lack of certainty, and embracing the mystery. The paradox between free will and God’s sovereignty is just one of those things that I cannot explain. Again, choosing one might reveal more about your priorities than God’s truth. I am OK with that.