Dial Daily Bread: Two Great Systems of Thought

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Two great systems of thought contend in almost all Protestant churches. One is Calvinism--which maintains that if God purposes something, it's going to happen whether or no. In other words, if God elects someone to be saved, that person is going to be saved, whether or no. But this system is forced to recognize that many will be lost at last; therefore it requires the belief that God has not elected "all men" to be saved, but has chosen some to be lost--whether or no. It means Christ died only for "the elect," and, actually, loves only "the elect." Pretty discouraging, if you're not sure God has elected you, and you're not sure Christ died for you!

The other great system of thought is Arminianism, a reaction against Calvinism. It maintains Christ died for everyone, that His sacrifice is sufficient to save everyone, but it is only provisional. It's a maybe, perhaps, possible salvation which is true only if the sinner succeeds in doing his part properly, that is, believes and keeps His law. Otherwise, the sacrifice of Christ does you no good; it's as if He had never died for you. This system appears to be much better Good News, but it leaves also a nagging fear: how can one be sure he is doing everything just right, has believed enough, or repented enough?

There is an author who has an idea that transcends both Calvinism and Arminianism, in her book The Desire of Ages, p. 660. She maintains that when the Son of God said "except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you" (John 6:53), He was speaking to every human being in the world. "Never one, saint or sinner, eats his daily food, but he is nourished by the body and blood of Christ." This is true, she says, both of our physical and our spiritual nature. And she comes full circle: "The sinner may resist this love, he may refuse to be drawn to Christ; but if he does not resist he will be drawn to Jesus" (Steps to Christ, p. 27). Thus when Christ died on His cross, He "elected" "every man" to be saved; He purchased the gift and has given it to him; but the lost deliberately reject that which Christ has given them in the gift of Himself (John 3:16-19). Let's stop resisting Him!

Copyright © 2009 by Robert J. Wieland.
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