Saturday, November 17, 2012

Calvinism vs. Arminianism vs. Open Theism vs. Molinism

First off, let me begin by asking you to comment and let everyone know what your current belief system is regarding God's predestination, foreknowledge, and foreordination.

Do you consider yourself a Calvinist, Hyper-Calvinist, Moderate Calvinist, Arminian, Open Theist, Molinist, or something different?

Short Summary of Belief Systems:

Calvinism--God ordained every future event before creation. God selected only certain individuals for salvation, based on nothing good or bad within the person. God changes the pre-selected people's hearts to love God. God's saving grace is irresistible. Jesus only died for the ones who had been pre-selected for salvation.

Moderate Calvinism/Arminianism--God sees the future. He knows who will respond to the Gospel and be saved. God enlightens sinners first, thus granting them the same freedom of choice that Adam had in the beginning. People can either accept or reject Jesus. Jesus died for all people, but it only applies to those who respond in faith.

Open Theism--It is impossible for God to know the future free will choices of humans in advance. God knows everything which can be known. But this simply cannot be known in advance. So this is why God tests people, to see how they will respond. When God prophesies, He is not looking to see the future, He is stepping in to actively cause those events to take place.

Molinism--God knows every possibility of every circumstance and every different choice a human might make. God chooses to allow only one of these potential choices to occur. Or He knows which one is more likely to occur. God maneuvers people's circumstances to cause people to make certain choices.

2 comments:

  1. I'm an Open Theist. What I am interested in however is what do people think about all of these being legitimate options to choose from and still under the Evangelical banner? I have to admit to be sorely tired of some who go on about Open Theism being a heresy when it is no such thing. (How could it be...no creed agreed upon by the wide range of Protestants speak anything about God's having comprehensive knowledge of specifics of the future).

    Thanks

    Tim

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  2. I guess I would fit into the Moderate Calvinism/Arminianism. I agree with only one and a half points of Calvinism. Total Depravity being a half point and Eternal Security. I do not believe in total inability.

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