FEB 8

Ephesians 1:11
Memorise Ephesians 3:11
“…made known unto us the mystery of his will…”

The basic premise of Arminianism is that man is the one in control of his own destiny, and not God. They emphasise the free will of man to such an extent as to call into question the sovereignty of God. To them, it is man who takes the first step to choose God, and it is also man who must live a holy victorious life in order to ensure that his salvation is complete. Some have described Arminianism as being more “acceptable” to the human heart and mind, in that it seems easier and more reasonable. Man can choose to believe or not believe in God; man is not totally depraved as in being unable to exercise faith in God, for there is some good in him, and so on. God in Arminianism does not seem as harsh as what Calvinism portrays God to be, in that God does not predestine any man to hell. However, is it biblical? Does it match what God’s Word says?

Through the verses we have read in the past few days and the accompanying explanations, I hope that you have come to the firm belief that Arminianism is not biblically sound. Their teachings contradict God’s Word and we should reject it. God’s Word is very clear about the total depravity of man in his total inability to come to Christ unless God causes him to. There are numerous Scriptural passages to support the Calvinist view and contradict the Arminian view. We should come to appreciate how wonderful our God of grace is, that despite our sin, He has taken upon Himself the whole work of salvation. In this grand story of redemption, God alone does everything, and we are but the appreciative audience who stands in awe, and can only give our thankful praise and rapturous applause. As believers, we must follow the principle that in all things, Christ must increase, and we must decrease. Any doctrine that emphasises the glory of God and diminishes the glory of man is a true doctrine; in contrast, doctrine that teaches the opposite must be rejected.

There may be times when we would question God, and feel that it is unfair that He would choose to save some and not the rest. We may wonder why He did not just save the whole world. However, these questions are not for us to ask, for our mortal minds can never fathom the will of God. His will is always the best. He has predestinated us ‘according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will’, and we must simply acknowledge that His counsel is perfect.

Thought: Can my will be better than God’s will?
Prayer: Father, send Thy Holy Spirit to help us discern Thy Word.