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Overview

• Theological Issues• Historical Context• Biblical Teaching• Contemporary Voices• Personal Perspective

Acts 17:11

11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Support Materials

• Handout• Online Companion Site–http://tinyurl.com/symposium1

• Audio Recording will be available on First Family’s Website.

Definition of Theology

• The study of all that God has revealed about Himself and our relation to Him

• God-centered• The theologian develops his worldview

from the study of divine revelation

Problems in Theology

• Infinite vs. Finite • Holy vs. Sinful• Reality vs. Descriptive

Our Galaxy

Job 11:7-8

7 “Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? 8 It is higher than heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?

Sovereignty of God

Augustine (354-430)•Man became totally

depraved at the Fall and could no longer exercise free will•Adam’s descendants are

born sinful with a depraved nature•Man cannot use his free

will to be saved•Only God’s elect can be

saved by God’s grace alone

Reformation Era

354

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AUGUSTINE

LUTHERCALVIN

Martin Luther (1483-1546)

John Calvin (1509-1564)

Jacob Arminius (1560-1609)

Five Points of Calvinism

• Total Depravity• Unconditional Election• Limited Atonement• Irresistible Grace• Perseverance of the Saints

Synod of Dort (1619)

Five Points of Calvinism

• T• U• L• I• P

Famous Calvinists

• John Knox• John Bunyan• Jonathan Edwards• Puritans• C. H. Spurgeon

Famous Calvinists

• John Knox• John Bunyan• Jonathan Edwards• Puritans• C. H. Spurgeon• Apostle Paul

Five Points of Arminianism

• Free Will• Conditional Election• Universal Atonement• Obstructable Grace• Fall from Grace

Picture of Daisy

Famous Arminians

• John Wesley• George Whitefield• Alexander Maclaren• G. Campbell Morgan• F. B. Meyer• Charles Finney

The Dividing Line

• Free Will• Conditional Election• Universal

Atonement• Obstructable Grace

• Total Depravity• Unconditional

Election• Perseverance of

the Saints• Irresistible Grace

Limited AtonementFall from Grace

Arminianism Calvinism

Biblical Teachings

• Dozens of Verses, too many to cover within the scope of this presentation

• Website contains a more thorough list• We will examine a few key passages as

proof texts

Biblical Issues

• Apparent contradictions?• Antinomy?• Paradox?• Mystery?

Faith in the authority and accuracy of Scripture must

trump human reason.

Charles Spurgeon

“That God predestines, and yet that man is responsible, are two facts that few can see clearly. They are believed to be inconsistent and contradictory to each other. If, then, I find in one part of the Bible that everything is foreordained, that is true; and if I find, in another Scripture that man is responsible for all his actions, that is true; and it is only my folly that leads me to imagine that these two truths can ever contradict each other.”

In Defense of Calvinism

John 6:44

44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

Ephesians 1:4-6

4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Ephesians 1:11-1211 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Romans 9:11

11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—

John 6:37

37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

Romans 8:38-39

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In Defense of Arminianism

Deuteronomy 30:19

19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,

Joshua 24:15

15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

John 3:116

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:18

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

2 Peter 3:9

9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

John 1:12

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

John 3:36

36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Hebrews 6:4-6

4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

Time Magazine (March 20, 2009)

Time Magazine

Building Bridges Conference

Contemporary Reformed Voices

• Southern Baptist Theological Seminary• R. Albert Mohler, Jr.• Tom Nettles• John Piper• John MacArthur• J.J. Packer• Matt Chandler• Mark Driscoll• C. J. Mahaney

Contemporary Non-Reformed Voices

• Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary• Paige Patterson• David Allan• Charles Stanley• Charles Swindoll• Ergun Caner• Jerry Vines

Young, Restless, ReformedYoung people are dissatisfied by modern church growth strategies epitomized by men like Rick Warren and Bill Hybles. The megachurch movement of the 1980s and 90s downplayed doctrine in favor of seeker-sensitive preaching. Kids who grew up in these churches are looking for something more today. They want more authenticity and emphasis on core doctrines.

Doctrine“Driscoll and Breshears attempt–and accomplish—vigorous interaction with biblical texts, systematic doctrine, culture, and flawed thinking; they directly address the reader, urging repentance and faith.”

–Publishers Weekly

C. H. Spurgeon

Calvinism is nothing more than a nickname for Biblical Christianity.

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Paul Washer

John 10:25-27

25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock.

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

Paul Washer

“If this were written today by some of the most popular preachers alive, it would be totally and completely the opposite.

It says ‘you do not believe because you are not my sheep’ and they would rewrite it as ‘you are not my sheep because you do not believe.’ There is a major difference in these two things.”

– Paul Washer

Daniel 4:34-35

34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever,

for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;

Daniel 4:34-35

35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth;

and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

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