Seekadoo

How to Rebuild the Battery for a Merida TEV 500/550

2011-07-11T12:05:00.022-07:00

If you are the owner of a Merida Electric assist bicycle, you are probably aware that it's impossible to get factory replacement batteries, because they are no longer shipped to the USA.

I was able to successfully rebuild my Merida battery, and it now works great! Total cost was about $100 with tax. It took me about three hours labor. If you are mechanically minded, you can probably do it in less time than I did.

For replacement batteries I used four WKA6-8.2F batteries from Batteries Plus. These are slightly different than the original batteries, but close enough in size and amp hours to work. The original batteries were two 12 volt 9 amp hour batteries (for a total of 24v 9 ah). Replacement batteries were four 6 volt 8.2 amp hour batteries (for a total of 24v 8.2 ah).

To open the case, unscrew the 4 screws at the base of the battery, and the two ones on the side where the power plugs into. You do not need to undo the screws at the top where the metal plate is. That area controls the ignition and can be left alone.

Inside you will find two SLA batteries that are wired together. You will need to wire cut the old batteries out. Cut the red wire and black wire close to the terminal connections (the two at the bottom right and left of pic above). The important thing is to leave enough wiring for when you put everything back together.

Add in the new batteries. You will need to wire them all together to complete the circuit. I was fortunate in that the guy at at the Kennewick Batteries Plus store soldiered all of my connections together and did it for free! Wire in positive and negative connections on the two ends, these will connect back into the electrical system. Notice that the four batteries fit in quite nicely. Sorry about the cluttered work bench. :)
Crimp the ends back into the wiring system. Use yellow 12-10 gauge crimps - available at any hardware store. Make sure the wiring goes in the same direction as when you pulled it out. :)

The fit is kind of snug for putting the cover back on. Make sure to neatly manage the wiring as best you can, so the cover will go.

Enjoy!
Be sure to drop a comment if you do a replacement, I'd like to hear how the process went for you. And also, if you would like for me to do a battery replacement, drop a comment or email me (nampamarinerfan_at_gmail_dot_com) and we can work out the details.

Happy cycling. :)

Debt Per State - Right to Work Compared to Union States

2011-02-23T08:00:00.002-08:00

There is a noticeable correlation between the per capita debt of a state, and whether or not the state is "Right to Work". There are 22 "Right to Work" states, and 28 "Union" states. The 7 states with the lowest debt are all "Right to Work", and the 14 states with the highest levels of debt are all "Union".

Wisconsin comes in at #12 on the worst offenders list. Even given Wisconsin's problems, they are considerably better off than the folks of Connecticut, who have almost three times the debt level.

Full stats are below, pulled from a CNN Money article.

How to get free bonus boosts in Bejeweled on Facebook.

2010-08-10T20:52:00.009-07:00

How to cheat in Bejeweled on Facebook.

1) Earn enough coins to buy what you want, but not any more. If you have extra coins, this trick will cause them to be spent.

2) Open up a bunch of tabs, all to the facebook Bejeweled page. You will need about 20 tabs for an endless supply of boosts. If your computer is old or low on ram, try a few less tabs. Make sure the flash loads on each tab.

3) Buy your bonus boosts on each tab.

4) Enjoy! After you have played the first tab three times, Bejewled is smart enough to realize that you are out of coins, but not smart enough to prevent you from playing on each of the other tabs. Thus the number of games you get to play is equal to the number of tabs plus 2. If you open 20 tabs, you will get to play 22 games.

This trick also works on more than one browser and more than one computer.

How to Build a Wooden Tree Swing - Illustrated.

2010-02-26T21:40:00.010-08:00

Here is an illustrated guide on how to build a wooden tree swing.

Tree and branch: What kind of tree branch? You want a branch that is strong enough to hold the weight of an adult. You want a branch that is far from the trunk so that the swing will not hit the trunk. You want a branch that is not close to any other branches so the rope won't hit anything. Prune if necessary. You want a branch that is high enough for a swing. I picked an evergreen tree in our back yard. The branch has about about an 8 inch diameter, and is about 15 feet from the ground.

Rope: Nylon rope is good because it holds up in weather. Pictured is 100ft of 3/8 inch nylon rope (240 pound test). Since the swing will have two ropes, that gives you 480 pounds of strength. About $10.

Bench: A piece of 2x6 wood for the bench. I had a scrap piece that was about 20 inches long. Drill holes in the four corners with a 3/8 drill bit. Drill close to the edge, but not so close that the wood is weakened. The holes should be wide enough for the rope to go through, but no wider. Sand the wood so your kid doesn't get a sliver in the behind. And apply wood finish to help minimize weathering.

Eye bolt: Get two heavy duty eye bolts with washers and nuts. Drill holes through tree branch (you will need a 3/8 foot long drill bit). Run bolts through the branch. The ropes will attach to these. DO NOT loop the rope over the branches. The rope loops can fray and weaken the rope, and the wear on the bark can kill the branch. Buy strong bolts that will support the weight. About $8 per bolt.

Bench Rope: Cut two 4 foot lengths of rope, put them through the bench drill holes, tie simple knots and burn the ends so they don't fray. My lovely thirteen year old demonstrates.

Swing Ropes: Cut two long pieces of rope for the swing. Tie loop knots on one end, and run the rope through the eye bolt and loop. Burn the ends so that they do not fray. You can see this step in the first picture with me on the ladder.

Attach the swing: Attach the swing and you're done! You can do a fishing version of the loop knot called the "Palomar Knot" (description here) to attach the wood. The four foot loop of rope from the swing will be your fish hook. My 5 year old and 9 year old demonstrate.

Where have you been in the "I've Been Everywhere" Song?

2010-01-03T23:42:00.006-08:00

Where have you been to in the I've been Everywhere song (As sung by Hank Snow, Johnny Cash and others)?

Here's where I've been. I gave myself the benefit of the doubt for locations that could refer to more than one place (like Springfield and Washington) if I had been to one of them.

18 out of 92 places

[x] Winnemucca
[x] Reno
[x] Chicago
[ ] Fargo
[ ] Minnesota
[ ] Buffalo
[ ] Toronto
[ ] Winslow
[ ] Sarasota
[ ] Wichita
[ ] Tulsa
[ ] Ottawa
[x] Oklahoma
[x] Tampa
[ ] Panama
[x] Mattawa
[ ] La Paloma
[ ] Bangor
[ ] Baltimore
[ ] Salvador
[ ] Amarillo
[ ] Tocopilla
[ ] Barranquilla
[ ] Padilla
[ ] Boston
[ ] Charleston
[ ] Dayton
[ ] Louisiana
[x] Washington
[ ] Houston
[ ] Kingston
[ ] Texarkana
[ ] Monterey
[ ] Ferriday
[ ] Santa Fe
[ ] Tallapoosa
[ ] Glen Rock
[ ] Black Rock
[ ] Little Rock
[ ] Oskaloosa
[ ] Tennessee
[ ] Hennessey
[ ] Chicopee
[x] Spirit Lake
[ ] Grand Lake
[ ] Devils Lake
[x] Crater Lake
[ ] Louisville
[ ] Nashville
[ ] Knoxville
[ ] Ombabika
[ ] Schefferville
[x] Jacksonville
[ ] Waterville
[ ] Costa Rica
[ ] Pittsfield
[ ] Springfield
[x] Bakersfield
[ ] Shreveport
[ ] Hackensack
[ ] Cadillac
[ ] Fond du Lac
[ ] Davenport
[x] Idaho
[ ] Jellico
[ ] Argentina
[ ] Diamantina
[x] Pasadena
[x] Catalina
[x] Pittsburgh
[ ] Parkersburg
[ ] Gravelbourg
[x] Colorado
[x] Ellensburg
[x] Rexburg
[ ] Vicksburg
[ ] El Dorado
[ ] Larimore
[ ] Atmore
[ ] Haverstraw
[ ] Chatanika
[ ] Chaska
[ ] Nebraska
[ ] Alaska
[ ] Opelika
[ ] Baraboo
[ ] Waterloo
[ ] Kalamazoo
[ ] Kansas City
[ ] Sioux City
[ ] Cedar City
[ ] Dodge City

New Award Ideas For Obama

2009-10-12T09:20:00.017-07:00

No president should have to settle for a devalued Nobel Peace prize. If Carter and Gore have already won it, it ain't worth much. Here are some more award ideas for our dear peacock.

Clunker Auto Sales Award - That "fantastic" summer had a big September hangover. Since when is it it a good idea to encourage more consumer debt AND destroy perfectly good cars?

Double Digit Unemployment Award- How's that hopey changey thing workin' out for ya? Maybe Obama will try and graciously share this one with Bush, but unemployment was only 6.5% at the time of Obama's election.

Bill Ayers Writing Ribbon- Since Obama is always willing to share and give credit where credit is due.

Two Cy Young Awards - One for each league, based on the lefty's 58 foot lob to open the 2009 All Star game. It's 60 feet to home plate, but don't let that phase you, just change the rules. 60 feet is obviously a legacy of the failed Bush era.

An Oscar- Best actor award, for impersonating a president (HT: Rick Wiese)

The Caldecott Medal- Barack Obama- Son of Promise, Child of Hope. Illustrated children's book.

Lowest Common Denominator Award- Remember the eighty-twenty rule? It's not fair. So lets's split everything fifty-fifty - with Uncle Sam. He knows how to spend my money better than I do.

Careful Accounting Award- For doing such a good job of keeping track of where the bailout and stimulus money has gone.

Teleprompter Award- No explanation necessary.

Olympic Gold Medal - based on the results of Obama's fruitful Chicago Olympic bid. With the devalued dollar, he will need to take over more cases of cash next time.

The Government Can Award- Because who knows how to manage things better than the government?

Bomb the Moon Medal- Bush forgot to, but Obama fixed that oversight.

Global Cooling Ice Sculpture- based on low temperatures and the fact that the Rockies/Phillies game was snowed out.

Open Government Award- Thanks for posting all bills online and allowing open debate.

Payday Loan Medallion- Borrow all you want and don't worry. It's our kid's problem. Medallion made in China.

DMV Style Medal- Health Care DMV style? Sign me up!

Club Gitmo T-Shirt- Since Obama has done such a fine job keeping his promise to shut down Guantanamo. Free award from a lovable fuzzball.

The Levy is Dry Award- Based on zero visits to Louisiana. It almost makes you think that he doesn't care about red states.

Beer Summit Award- Cheers to a post-racial America! Beer covers a multitude of sins. This must have been a Biden suggestion.

Change You Can Believe In Award- For what's left in America's pocket.

So Long and Thanks for all the Fish Award- To be presented by Harry Reid and a few other congress members in 2010.

Youtube health care videos

2009-10-07T20:49:00.001-07:00

Here are a couple of my favorite health care videos. :)

Funny Fix Pictures

2009-06-30T21:17:00.006-07:00

Poor Man's Hot Water Heater

Windshield Defroster

Spare Tire

More on this Site: ThereIFixedIt.com

JibJab Barak Obama Video

2009-06-21T13:32:00.003-07:00

Very funny and over the top. :)

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Chain Rxn High Score Tricks

2009-06-19T19:55:00.014-07:00

Chain Rxn is an addictive flash game that can be found on Facebook. Here's are some strategies and tips for getting a high score:

Trick #1
Don't waste time on the early levels. You won't start making big points until level 5 or so.

Trick #2
You score more from a staggered chain explosion than from one where multiple balls hit the same source. In the following example four balls are exploded each time. But the first method results in 10,000 points [100 + 800 + 2700 + 6400], the second only scores 2,500 points [100 + 800 + 800 + 800]. You can extrapolate this out and see how this will make a huge difference, particularly in the later levels.

Trick #3
Keeping trick #2 in mind, it is always good to start in a corner. You have a better chance of getting a stringed chain explosion when starting from the corner, as the balls can initially hit it from only one direction.

Trick #4
Track the balls for a while, and plan the initial explosion for when you can see several balls coming in a steady stream from the same direction (like shown in the first "good" example).

Trick #5
There are no penalties for failed attempts. Take your time and be patient. By starting in the corner it will take more attempts before you finally clear a level. But when you do clear it, your score will on average be much higher.

By utilizing these tips you can easily score 40 million or more. Have fun!

Town Hall for Hope Video - Dave Ramsey

2009-06-11T17:11:00.005-07:00

If you haven't already seen it, here's the free online broadcast of Dave Ramsey's Town Hall for Hope. As usual, Dave gives sound financial advice, and presents it in an interesting and funny way.

How to Get Traffic to Your Blog

2009-04-20T12:52:00.004-07:00

I've noticed that the links that get the most traffic to my blog(s) often happen to be things that I've written about that I've had trouble finding elsewhere. This works as follows:

1) I search for something on Google, and can't find it easily
2) I do a blog entry on said topic
3) The hits come

The cool thing about this approach to blogging is that in addition to getting hits, I end up blogging about things that interest me and (perhaps most importantly) I learn about the topic in question in the process.

If you build it they will come. :)

Our New House

2009-03-20T08:07:00.005-07:00

Here is a picture of our new house:

It is an "ABC" house. During WWII (and shortly after) the government built a large number of houses in Richland, WA - in order to provide housing for those who were involved in the Manhattan project. Each floor plan had a designated letter. Our particular plan is called an "R" house. A total of 146 "R" houses were built. "R" houses were commonly occupied by army officers with family. Our house was built in 1948.

Obamablock

2009-01-23T21:20:00.023-08:00

Getting tired of hearing about a certain new leader? Try the following to improve your surfing experience.

1) Get Firefox

2) Install Adblock, add the following filter:

3) Install Fo xFilter, add the following filters:

Happy surfing!
(By the way, it's probably not a good idea to really do this)

How Obama Got Elected

2009-01-10T19:42:00.001-08:00

This is an insightful video.

New Year's Resolutions

2009-01-01T20:39:00.004-08:00

Here are my new year's resolutions:

1) To finish reading through the Bible (~70% left)
2) To finish memorizing the book of James.
3) To lose 20 pounds by June 1. I have some money riding on this one.
4) To buy a house. It is time.
5) To spend more time with my family. Speaking of which, it's time to go. :)

Happy new year everyone!

Happy Birthday Jesus

2008-12-25T15:57:00.001-08:00

Heidi Jackson sings "Happy Birthday Jesus" Christmas 2008 at G'ma and G'pa Elliott's house.

Media Definitions

2008-11-15T16:17:00.007-08:00

What's the difference between 52.2% and 52.7%?

One is a "slim majority".
One is a "mandate for change".

This guy gets it.

2008-10-29T15:03:00.002-07:00

This needs to be on TV, instead of the Obama infomercial.

Spreading the Wealth

2008-10-27T10:09:00.002-07:00

Someone forwarded me this. I thought it was great:

Creative - imagine the possibilities

Today on my way to lunch I passed a homeless guy with a sign that read “Vote Obama, I need the money.” I laughed.

Once in the restaurant my server had on a “Obama 08″ tie, again I laughed as he had given away his political preference — just imagine the coincidence.

When the bill came I decided not to tip the server and explained to him that I was exploring the Obama redistribution of wealth concept. He stood there in disbelief while I told him that I was going to redistribute his tip to someone who I deemed more in need - the homeless guy outside. The server angrily stormed from my sight.

I went outside, gave the homeless guy $10 and told him to thank the server inside as I’ve decided he could use the money more. The homeless guy was grateful.

At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment I realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn even though the actual recipient deserved money more.

I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in concept than in practical application.

Dobson's October Newsletter

2008-10-22T17:24:00.003-07:00

Here is a link to James Dobson's October newsletter. He lists why he's supporting McCain / Palin, and what's up for stake in the 2008 presidential election. I agree with him for the most part, and I will be voting for the Republican ticket.

Major Points:

Obama's record is the most liberal of any person in the Senate, Biden his running mate is #3
Obama promotes abortion. He actually voted three times against the "Born Alive Act" in Illinois, which protected babies who are born alive after an abortion attempt.
McCain and Palin have both demonstrated a commitment to protecting the unborn.
The Democrats are promoting a homosexual activist agenda.
If the Democrats control the House/Senate/President, there will be a lot of legislation promoted that is blatantly hostile to Christians.

My new blog: Wesleyan Arminian

2008-09-14T14:19:00.015-07:00

WesleyanArminian.blogspot.com

I have decided to divide my blogging into two separate sites:

1) Wesleyan Arminian
This blog will focus on theology from a Wesleyan-Arminian perspective. If you follow Seekadoo because of an interest in Arminian Theology, please update your links to the new blog. All future theology posts will go there. I have imported all relevant posts and comments from Seekadoo into the new blog.

2) Seekadoo (My current blog)
I like to post on topics other than theology. However, this can be a distraction for readers. Seekadoo will be devoted to everything but theology. I will also keep all old theology posts on Seekadoo (in case they're referenced somewhere else).

Thanks! -Kevin (Pizza Man)

Book Review: The Shack

2008-09-08T04:00:00.004-07:00

What would you do if you were invited to spend a weekend with God? What questions would you ask him? Maybe why evil exists? Why is there pain? That is the background for the book "The Shack" (Author: William P. Young).

The Shack has become a phenomenon. As of today (9-8-08) it is ranked #6 in sales on Amazon.com, and has over 1,200 reviews.

There is a dual reaction to the book in Christian circles. People either love it or despise it. I fall into the former category, with a reservation. I enjoyed the story. It brought me to tears a number of times. As the father of two girls, I empathized with the main character, "Mack".

The Shack is about the problem of evil. Why does God allow for terrible things to happen? Mack's youngest daughter Missy is brutally raped and murdered. This causes a rift in his relationship with God. Mack cannot trust a God who would allow such a terrible act. In the story God invites Mack to come to meet him at the site of the murder. Mack goes to meet God, and so the story continues.

The Trinity is represented by three persons: Papa (who is a black woman), Jesus (as himself), and Sarayu (an Asian woman). Some people have been bothered that the Father and the Spirit were represented by women. However, in the storyline it is made clear that they are not really female, they are simply an anthropomorphism of God - much like "Aslan" represents God in the Narnia books.

What I liked about the book was how well the author illustrated the loving nature of God. This aspect of God' s character shined through. God deeply loves Mack. He desires to heal Mack, to be in relationship with him, and to set him free. God loves all of us that way, the author makes it clear. A phrase that is repeated is that God is especially fond of you (each of us).

In the story God does not desire evil, it is not ordained by him. Yet God is able to accomplish his purposes through the way he responds to evil - with his unconditional love.

One concern I have about the book is that it seems to imply universalism - the idea that everyone will be saved in the end. This concept is not explicitly stated, but I can see readers arriving at such a conclusion.

The outright hostile reviews of the book are unwarranted. They seem to primarily come from Calvinists who have an ax to grind with the (Arminian) theology of the author. This is unfortunate.

In conclusion, I recommend this book. However, it should not be taken as "gospel". It should not be read in place of scripture. In the end it is simply a story - but a very moving one at that.

Some other reviews:
Greg Boyd (positive)
Tim Challies (negative)

General Atonement

2008-09-07T20:28:00.004-07:00

Truehope over at Thru Faith has a new post entitled: Atonement for All. He gives a great overview of General Atonement, and how it is biblical. Be sure to check it out.

Audio Links: SBC Today

2008-08-28T19:55:00.011-07:00

SBC Today has several audio links dealing with the issue of Calvinism in the Southern Baptist Convention. SBC Today is a blog run by several pastors. According to the website: SBC Today exists to restore unity in the convention around biblical discipleship and our historic Baptist distinctives.

Audio Links:
1) Dr. David Allen (Dean at SWBTS) gives a convincing argument that Luke is the author of Hebrews. Calvinism completely aside, this is an interesting presentation. Relating to Calvinism, he makes a strong case for General Atonement, preaching from Hebrews 2:9 "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." (70 minutes)

2) Dr Jerry Vines (Former SBC President) is interviewed. During the course of the conversation he speaks on how Calvinism is impacting the SBC. (23 Minutes)

3) Dr. Ergun Caner (President of LBTS) is interviewed. He gives an autobiography, and speaks on Calvinism along with other issues. (17 minutes)

Full Video of the Saddleback Debate Interviews

2008-08-20T22:33:00.007-07:00

A must watch for Christians. I will keep my opinions to myself. :)

Warren Interviews Obama (49 minutes)

Warren Interviews McCain (44 minutes)

Questions asked:
Who are three wise people who you would rely on in your administration?
What has been your greatest moral failure? What has been America greatest moral failure?
Give an example where you went against party interest for the good of the country.
Give an example where you went against your own interests for the good of the country.
What is a position you held 10 years ago that you do not hold today?
What's the most gut wrenching decision you ever had to make?
What does it mean to you to be a Christian? How does your faith live out?
At what point is a baby (fetus) entitled to human rights?
Define marriage.
Do you support a constitutional amendment to define marriage?
Do you favor or oppose embryonic stem cell research?
Does evil exist? If so, what should we do about it?
Which existing supreme justice would you not have nominated?
Should faith based organizations who receive federal funds have the right to hire people of like minded belief?
Do you support merit pay for public school teachers?
Define rich. Give me a number.
What do you do when the the right to privacy and national security interests collide?
What's worth dying for?
What is the criteria for committing American troops to war?
Would you consider a government plan to help orphans worldwide?
What should we do to end religious persecution worldwide?
What should we do to prevent human trafficking (slavery)?
Tell me in a minute why you want to be president.
What do you say to people who oppose me asking you these questions in a church?
What would you tell the American public if you knew there would be no repercussions?

Book Review: Passion for the Heart of God

2008-08-19T19:56:00.005-07:00

Passion for the Heart of God, by John Zumwalt

Zumwalt makes the case that the reason the church exists is to fulfill the great commission. God loves people. It breaks his heart that there are so many who have never heard his name. He yearns to be in relationship with the unreached people of the world. What grieves God ought to grieve us too.

Zumwalt argues that much of the problem with the Western church is that we have lost focus on what matters to God, and instead focus on ourselves. He argues that the Christian walk is not meant to be easy. Blessings that we receive aren't meant for us to be used selfishly, but are given so that God's name will be known among the nations. The same is true of the nation of Israel. Israel was chosen not just to be blessed, but instead to be used by God as part of his plan to reconcile every nation to him.

This is a challenging book. It is easy to understand, but it is not so easy to apply.

Reformation Era Scholars who Moved Away from Limited Atonement

2008-08-15T10:06:00.017-07:00

I thought some others might find this interesting:

The Appendix of The Life of John Goodwin (Thomas Jackson, 1872) has a list of some scholars (Reformation Era to the mid 1800s) who moved away from Limited Atonement to "enlarged views of Divine Philanthropy". The author includes himself in the list, as well as Luther, Calvin (?!), and others. Very interestingly, a number of those listed were involved with the proceedings in Dort. (Goad, Davenport, Tilenus, Hales of Eton).

APPENDIX.

It is a fact, which is highly worthy of attention, that several of the greatest divines, who have adorned the different Protestant churches by their learning, talents, and virtue, were, in the early part of their lives, "straitened in their bowels" respecting the extent of CHRIST'S REDEMPTION, and as they advanced in years and knowledge, they entertained enlarged views of the Divine Philanthropy. The following are some of the examples of this kind which may be specified:

MELANCTHON

Luther's friend and coadjutor, was at first Luther's scholar, and drew from him his earliest religious opinions. But being a learned and dispassionate man, pursuing truth, he saw his errors and abandoned them; and espoused sentiments concerning the respectiveness of God's decrees, widely different from those he had formerly held. [A circumstance which is very conveniently passed over in silence by Dr. Cox, his late English biographer.] — Pierce's Divine Philanthropy Defended, p. 14, Edit. 1657.

LUTHER

Also went on long as he at first set out, with so little disguise, that whereas all parties had always pretended that they asserted the freedom of the will, he plainly spoke out, and said the will was not free, but enslaved. Yet, before he died, he is reported to have changed his mind on this and other kindred subjects : for though ho never owned that, yet Melancthon, who had been of the same opinions, did ; for which he was never blame by Luther. — Burnet on the Seventeenth Article.

ARMINIUS

Himself was education at Geneva, and in the early part of his life embraced those doctrines concerning predestination, which Calvin and Beza had taught in that city. Afterwards, however, when actually engaged in vindication of those doctrines, he was convinced that they were indefensible; and embraced the principles of those whose religious system extends the Divine benevolence and the merits of Jesus Christ to all mankind.— Mosheim's Eccles. Hist. Vol. V. p. 440, Edit. 1806.

DANIEL TILENUS

Professor of Divinity at Sedan, a man not less acute in judgment, than versed in all kinds of learning, distinguished himself by decided hostility to the sentiments of Arminius. Convinced at length by the arguments of his opponents, he changed sides; and proved the genuineness of his conversion by submitting to share with the Remonstrants in those severe persecutions which were inflicted upon them by the Dutch Calvinists. — Brandt's History of the Reformation, Vol. II. p. 137, Edit. 1721.

DR. THOMAS JACKSON

President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, is thus characterized by the noted Prynne : "Dr. Jackson is a man of great abilities, and of a plausible, affable, courteous deportment. — Of late he hath been transported beyond himself with metaphysical contemplations. The University of Oxford grieves for his defection" [from the doctrine of absolute predestination] . — Anti-Arminianism, p. 270, Edit. 1630.

BISHOP ANDREWS

Is generally allowed to have been one of the most learned and pious men of the age in which he lived. Concerning him, Dr. Pierce observes, "That that inestimable bishop, in his most mature and ripest years, was very severe to those doctrines which are commonly called Calvinistical, is a thing so known, that I cannot think it will be denied." — Divine Purity Defended, p. 125, Edit. 1657.

DR. CHRISTOPHER POTTER

Provost of Queen's College, Oxford, who was esteemed by all who knew him, as a divine of an amiable disposition, and of great probity, industry, and learning, has given a pleasing account of his conversion from Calvinism to the Armiman tenets; and the piety and meekness of temper displayed in the narrative add weight to his judgment, and are honourable to the cause for which he pleads. — Collection of Tracts on Predestination, p. 225, Cambridge, 1719.

DR. THOMAS PIERCE

One of the ablest opponents of Calvinism that system has ever had, states concerning himself: "I was, in my childhood, of the opinions [concerning Election, Reprobation, &c.] Mr. Barlee doth now contend for. But, through the infinite mercy of God, I have obtained conversion: and being converted from the practice, as well as from the opinion, which I was of, I will, to my poor utmost, endeavour to confirm or convert my brethren." — Divine Philanthropy Defended, p. 15.

THE EVER-MEMOBARLE HALES, OF ETON

Who was a Calvinist in his younger days, used frequently to say, that when he heard Episcopius argue in favour of General Redemption at the Synod of Dort, he "bade John Calvin good night." — Hales's Golden Remains, Preface.

MR. SAMUEL HOARD

Author of a very able work entitled, " God's Love to Mankind Manifested," — a work which produced a considerable effect among the national clergy, in the early part of the seventeenth century, — says, " I have sent you here my reasons which have moved me to change my opinion in some controversies, of late debated between the Remonstrants and their Opponents." — See the tract itself, p. 1, Edit. 1G38. W1tiston's Memoirs, Vol. I. p. 10, Edit. 1749.

DR. THOMAS GOAD

Was a person every way eminent, having the repute of a great and general scholar, exact critic and historian, a poet, orator, schoolman, and divine. He was a member of the Synod of Dort, and acquitted himself there with great applause, in opposition to the opinions of the Remonstrants. He at length saw cause to alter his judgment ; and, in defence of those principles ho had formerly opposed, wrote a very able work entitled, "A Disputation concerning the Necessity and Contingency of Events."— Echard's History of England, Vol. II. p. 122, Edit, 1718. Collection of Tracts on Predestination, Preface.

ARCHBISHOP USSHER

Who is generally acknowledged to have been one of the most learned men in Europe, in the early part of his life held the doctrines of strict Calvinism; but as he advanced in years, avowed his belief of General Redemption; and is said, before his death, to have expressed his dislike of the whole doctrine of Geneva. — Pierce's Christian's Rescue from the Grand Error of the Heathen, Appendix, Edit. 1G58. — Bird's Fate and Destiny Inconsistent with Christianity, p. 74, Edit. 1726. — Parr's Life of Ussher, Appendix, p. 61, Edit. 1G86. — Wordsworth's Ecclesiastical Biography, Vol. V. p. 504, Edit. 1810.

DR. ROBERT SANDERSON

Professor of Divinity in the University of Oxford, and afterwards Bishop of Lincoln, has given an interesting account of the progress of his mind, from the sublapsarian scheme, to the mild sentiments of Melancthon and Arminius. — Hammond's Pacific Discourse concerning God's Grace and Decrees, p. 8, 1660.

MR. RICHARD BAXTER

At the commencement of his theological career, was eager in his attachment to the peculiar doctrines of Calvin. But when his judgment was more matured, though he still maintained the absolute Election of some men to Life Eternal, he contended strenuously for General Redemption, and for Universal Grace. — Baxter's Catholick Theologie, Preface.

BISHOP DAVENANT

Appears to have undergone a change of sentiment similar to that of Baxter. For Archbishop Ussher "freely declared himself for the doctrine of General Redemption, and owned that he was the person who brought both Bishop Davenant and Dr. Preston to acknowledge it." — Calamy's Abridgment of Baxter's Life and Times, p. 405, Edit. 1713.

DR. DANIEL WHITBY

Says, "They who have known my education, may remember that I was bred up seven years in the University, under men of the Calvinistical persuasion; and had once firmly entertained all their doctrines." The zeal with which he afterwards opposed those doctrine's, in his Commentary on the New Testament and in his Discourse concerning the Five Points, is universally known. — Whitby on the Five Points, Preface.

CALVIN

Himself, according to Dr. Watts, is entitled to a place among those divines whose attachment to the doctrines of limited mercy and partial redemption abated as they advanced in years. After noticing the difference between his sentiments as expressed in his Institutions and in his Commentaries, the Doctor says, " It may be proper to observe, that the most rigid and narrow limitations of grace to men are to be found chiefly in his Institutions, which were written in his youth. But his Comments on Scripture were the labour of his riper years, and maturer judgment."— Works, Vol. III. p. 472, Edit. 1800.

An Apealing Aspect of Calvinism

2008-08-13T18:35:00.020-07:00

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. - Acts 1:8

In this post I want to focus on the primary aspect of Calvinism that I find appealing. By the way, this is personal reflection. My reason might be motivation for some who have become Calvinists, but I'm not implying that it necessarily is.

It boils down to this: For me Calvinism would provide a release from the guilt for the reason why others are lost. Instead of it being my fault, it is God's plan.

You see, I have largely been a failure in preaching the good news of Jesus. It grieves me greatly that some will go to hell because I have not cared enough to share that Jesus loves them and desires a relationship with them. My brothers will spend eternity in darkness because I was too selfish to share the light of Jesus.

On the other hand, Calvinism teaches that the lost are lost because God has foreordained it. The reprobate are in fact lost because Jesus does not love them, and has not made a provision for them. The Westminster confession (Chapter III) states that:

"God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass..."

"By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death."

"These angels and men, thus predestinated, and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished."

"As God has appointed the elect unto glory, so has He, by the eternal and most free purpose of His will, foreordained all the means thereunto."

So Calvinism says people go to hell because God has ordained it, NOT because I have kept the light of Jesus under a bushel. It further states that the number of people going to hell can't be increased or diminished. Additionally it states that God has already foreordained the means for the elect to be saved. The elect are good to go, without my obedience. The reprobate are certainly lost, without regards to my witness (or lack thereof).

Essentially Calvinism states that all my failures are designed by God's plan. Now that would be a relief to know. But...I don't believe this. My failures are not ordained by God. He certainly forgives them, and can account for them ahead of time, but they are not preferred by him.

An argument that I frequently hear from Calvinists is that Arminian theology comes from a rebellious desire to promote free will at the expense of God's (deterministic) sovereignty. Personally, I find the opposite to be true. I would jump at the chance to attribute my failures to divine providence. But my conscience will not allow it.

Accuracy of Time Magazine's "Antichrist" Article?

2008-08-09T00:35:00.013-07:00

Time Magazine has a new article entitled "An Antichrist Obama in McCain Ad?", where they speculate that McCain's recent commercial "The One" is an attempt by the GOP to scare evangelicals into voting against Obama.

Here is a quote from the article that does not appear to be accurate:

A Google search for "Obama" and "Antichrist" turns up more than 700,000 hits, including at least one blog dedicated solely to the topic. A more obscure search for "Obama" and "Nicolae Carpathia" yields a surprising 200,000 references.

Okay, let's find out if that is true. First, let's search for "Obama" and "Antichrist" and see if we get more than 700,000 hits.

Yup, good so far. 700k plus. Now, how about "Obama" and "Nicolae Carpathia". According to Time, this should produce 200,000 hits:

No where near 200,000. There are only 3670 hits, and that's without quotes. Time Mag is off by 196,000, or 98%. Maybe it's Google's "safe search" protecting us from all those fundamentalist sites, let's try this with safe search off:

We picked up another 10 sites, still not within spitting distance of 200k. Maybe no one knows how to spell "Nicolae", let's cut that from the search.

Still only 10,300 hits.

Either a large number of links have just disappeared, or Time Mag needs to check their facts better. But hey, who wants to let facts get in the way of a good story?

For the record, Obama is NOT the Antichrist. The real AC will be much more impressive, and will fool more than 45% of us.

Sola Paul (satire)

2008-08-06T19:25:00.056-07:00

In this post I would like to look at the extent of the atonement. By using proper exegesis of scripture it can be proven with certainty that Jesus died to effectually secure salvation for Paul of Tarsus. And for Paul alone.

First, let's take a look at Galatians 2:20. This is the most important verse in the Bible, because it explicitly states the extent of the atonement (bold mine):

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

This verse is key. It indisputably proves that Jesus loved and gave himself only for Paul.

It's worth noting that some theologians have used other passages in a vain attempt to apply the atonement to others for whom it was not intended. These heretics fail to make an important distinction. Ambiguous verses should always be interpreted in the light of more explicit verses. Galatians 2:20 very clearly limits the scope of the atonement to Paul, and Paul alone. Other less clear passages should be interpreted accordingly.

If Galatians 2:20 was the only verse that dealt with the extent of the atonement, the heretics might have a point. Fortunately it is not. Let's take a look at some other clear passages:

In Matthew 18:12 we learn that the shepherd only wanted to save one sheep. In fact he abandoned 99 sheep to save the one (bold mine):

"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?"

This passage is so clear. It proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that the shepherd found and saved only one sheep (Paul). The shepherd left the 99 other sheep on the hills. By doing this the shepherd maximized his glory. Moreover, he increased the appreciation and adoration of Paul, whom was effectually retrieved. If other sheep could have been retrieved, it would have diluted the value of the shepherd's act.

The same parable is presented in Luke 15:4-6 (bold mine):

"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'"

One again, we see the shepherd saving only one sheep. He leaves the reprobate sheep in open country, puts the one sheep on his shoulders, and goes home.

Theologian James White gives additional insight on the use of the word sheep (bold mine):

"The good Shepherd lays down His life in behalf of the sheep. Are all men the sheep of Christ? Certainly not..."

Before commenting on this quote, it is necessary to exegete White's use of the term "sheep". To the non-educated it may appear that he is using the word "sheep" to refer to more than one person. This is not the case. In English the word "sheep" can be singular or it can be plural. Here are some examples:

Singular example: Look! there is one sheep over there!
Plural example: Look! There are a boat load of sheep over there! We must be in New Zealand!

Non-English scholars do not often note this subtle distinction in the usage of the word "sheep". Nor do the misguided plural atonement heretics who resort to man centered thinking instead of exegesis. White's context is plain. When he uses the phrases "the sheep" and "the sheep of Christ", he is referring to only one sheep. Never once does White say "boat load of sheep", nor does he refer to New Zealand. He says only "the sheep" (which of course we know is Paul).

Now let's get back to God's word. Another important passage to look at is Acts 9:3-7 (The Damascus Road story). In it we see with crystal clarity that Jesus chose only Paul: (bold mine)

Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"....the men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

This passage indicates that only Paul heard Jesus' voice and saw a light from heaven. The men with Paul heard the voice but did not see the light. The light was not for them, it was only for Paul. This proves that Paul's fellow travelers were reprobate. Of course they would be, they were not Paul.

Philosophical Arguments on the Atonement for Paul:
There are only three philosophical arguments to be considered.
1) The atonement was for everyone
2) The atonement was for no one.
3) The atonement was for Paul.

We know that 1 is false, that is universalism. We know that 2 is false because Paul was saved. Option 3 is all we have left. The atonement was for Paul.

Common objections to Atonement for Paul:

Q: What about the many passages that speak about "the world"? Isn't the world more than Paul?

A: In light of the explicit context of Galatians 2:20, it is clear that the ambiguous passages that refer to "world" are more accurately translated as "the world of the one elect person whose name is Paul". Remember, ambiguous passages should always be interpreted in the context of explicit ones.

Q: But doesn't Romans 1:16 state salvation is for both Greek and Jew? How can this be the one person Paul?

A: Quit imposing your own biased interpretation on the word. Read scripture and let it speak for itself. Paul easily answers this objection in 1 Corinthians 9:20-21 "To the Jews I became like a Jew...To those not having the law I became like one not having the law..." You see, Paul is both Jew and Greek. Romans 1:16 refers only to Paul.

Q: What about Mary, Jesus mother? She wasn't Paul and yet the Bible says she was blessed.

A: What are you, some kind of closet Catholic? Your line of thinking always leads back to Rome.

Q: This whole system is not fair. If only Paul is saved, what about everyone else who perishes? This is a bum deal for everyone except Paul.

A: Paul anticipates your objection and addresses it in Romans 9:20 "Who are you oh man to talk back to God?." In other words this may seem unfair from your fallen human view, but it is God's sovereign choice to individually and effectually save Paul and Paul alone. This gives God more glory, and makes Paul's salvation more valuable. Don't talk back to God.

Q: I'm not talking back to God, I'm saying that your system distorts the character of God.

A: You have an odd concept of fairness. Only one person usually wins the lottery too, but you don't complain about that do you? Sometimes no one wins the lottery and this makes the jackpot even bigger. If everyone won the lottery it wouldn't do anyone any good. For example if the jackpot was $1 million and 10 billion people won it, they would each only get 0.01 cents. What a ripoff! The same concept applies to salvation for Paul. He hit the jackpot.

Q: But wasn't it a waste of Jesus blood to apply it only to Paul when it could have covered more?

A: Not at all, this was planned by divine decree before the creation of the world. Jesus blood was only intended for Paul, and it effectually secured Paul's salvation. The atonement did not make salvation merely possible for Paul, it secured it.

Q: I don't find this doctrine very motivating to preach the Gospel.

A: That is a straw man. Paul believed this and was very motivated. Besides, scripture commands us to preach the Gospel.

In conclusion, the extent of the atonement is very clear. Jesus death was for Paul, and Paul alone. We all need to throw aside our traditional biases and read scripture in the context that it was intended. Case closed.

Romans 9 Exegesis

2008-08-05T12:45:00.007-07:00

The Society of Evangelical Arminians is currently highlighting an Arminian Exegesis of Romans 9. This is a fantastic series. Keith Schooley gives a great contextual presentation of this frequently misunderstood passage. Be sure to check it out. The original posts are also available on Keith's blog.

SEA: Link
Schooley Files: Link

Audio Links: Asbury Theological Seminary

2008-08-04T22:25:00.000-07:00

Asbury Theological Seminary has audio of their chapel services. Asbury is a multi-denominational seminary in the Wesleyan-Arminian tradition.

There are presentations from well known speakers like as N.T. Wright (New Perspectives on Paul) and Bill Dembski (Intelligent Design), and well as from Arminians such as Jerry Walls and Joe Dongell.

Link here: ATS Chapel

If you're looking for scholarly presentations from a Arminian perspective, you can't go wrong here!

Armini.us

2008-07-28T21:05:00.006-07:00

Here is another new Arminian web site: armini.us

It is a little sparse on content, but they seem to steadily be adding to the site. It has a very nice layout. They seem to be from more of the Wesleyan perspective than the Classical Arminian view.

Anyway, it's great to see another good resource coming on line!

Can Salvation be Lost?

2008-07-21T21:13:00.010-07:00

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:22-23

In this post I want to look at some of the different views on the possibility of losing salvation. Before looking at each view it's important to ask two questions:

1) How is Salvation "gained"? By works, by faith, or by decree?
2) How is Salvation "kept"?, By works, by faith, or by decree?

I'm going to propose 5 views, that come about through the way we answer these two questions.

View #1) Salvation is gained by works, it is kept by works. Net result: Salvation can be easily lost.
This view says salvation is dependent on what we do. If we do enough good and avoid enough bad then God gives us get a ticket to heaven. This view is popular among nominal Catholics and Protestants. It is also popular among some heterodox groups like the LDS.

The main problem with this view is that it makes Jesus' death unnecessary. If we can make it on our own why did he need to die? And a practical concern with this view is that one never knows how much work to do to obtain salvation. As a result there is no security. Scriptural support for this view is essentially zero.

View #2) Salvation is gained by faith in Jesus, it is kept by good works. Net result: Salvation can be easily lost.
One can become a true Christian, but if he sins once he loses his salvation and must repent again to get it back. One must be in a "state of grace" to get to heaven. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. This view is common among Catholics and also some Arminians.

The problem with this view is there is no security for the believer. One accidental sin can cause you to forfeit your salvation. In its more extreme forms this view also leads back to a "works" view of gaining salvation. It envisions a "Santa Claus" type God, who's making a list and checking it twice. This view leaves us open to deception from the enemy who is eager to convince us that we're no longer saved. It can also actually encourage sin. Just confess it after the fact and you're good to go again (Romans 6:1-2)

View #3) Salvation is gained by faith in Jesus, It is kept by faith in Jesus. Net result: Salvation can not be "lost", but it can be forfeited.
In this view losing Salvation is a possibility, but it only comes about by a deliberate choice and doesn't happen by accident. It must be walked away from. This is the view of many Arminians.

Problems: this view must be reconciled with passages which seem to imply that salvation can not be forfeited (like John 10:28). And like view #2 it also potentially leaves us open to deception from the enemy who is eager to convince us that we have lost faith and committed the unpardonable sin.

View #4) Salvation is gained by faith in Jesus, It is kept by decree of God. Net result: Salvation can not be lost one we have believed.
In this view we must believe to be saved, but once we have believed we are "sealed" by God, and there is no longer a possibility that salvation can be lost. This view is popular among some Arminians, Southern Baptists, and some other groups groups like Calvary Chapel.

The strength of this view is that the believer has both full assurance and security in Christ. The weakness is that it discounts the many warning passages in scripture. It can also result in believers thinking they have a license to sin.

View #5) Salvation is gained by decree of God, It is kept by decree of God. Net result: Salvation can not be lost.
Faith in Jesus is an inevitable result of God's eternal decrees. It does not come from anything in the believer. Those whom Jesus died for will certainly be saved. This view is often called "monergism" and is popular among Calvinists.

Problems with this view: First, it has the same weaknesses of view #4 (discounts the warning passages, gives a license to sin). Secondly it denies assurance. Those whom God decrees will certainly be saved, but no one knows what God has decreed. This view can cause us to doubt the good character of God, and can easily lead to a fatalistic attitude.

Works, Faith, and Decree
It's important to note that while there are at least 5 views on the possibility of losing salvation, there are really only 3 views on how salvation is given to us by God, and only three views on how salvation is kept. In each case it is by works, by faith in Jesus, or by unconditional decree.

The Arminian distinctive - We all agree on question #1: Salvation is given by God through faith in Jesus.
For Arminians, we all agree that salvation comes through faith in Jesus, however, there is disagreement on how is salvation kept. It has often been assumed by Calvinists (and others) that all Arminians believe salvation can be easily be lost. This is an unfortunate misunderstanding. The heart of Arminianism is that salvation comes by faith in Jesus. However, there is diversity on the second question: How is salvation kept? As a result, out of the 5 views described, Arminians can logically hold to view #2, #3, and #4.

It has been my observation that some Christians (Southern Baptists in particular) don't want to be labeled Arminian because they strongly disagree with view #2. This aversion to the Arminian label is unnecessary. One can hold to view #4 and still be Arminian. The root issue for Arminians is that salvation is genuinely offered by God to all, and the means he has ordained for us to be saved is through our faith in Jesus Christ.

My point here is not that this issue of losing salvation is unimportant or irrelevant to Arminians. It clearly is very important, but there is disagreement on the issue because of the way we answer the second question, not the first one. As Arminians we need to allow room for differences of opinion on the matter, and we need to teach others that not all Arminians hold to view #2 or even view #3.

Conclusion:
There are several scripturally reasonable positions that can be taken on this issue. And to be fair, none of the views are without difficulty. No matter what our understanding, may we show love to those believers who disagree with us.

Arminian Articles on SEA

2008-07-21T21:11:00.003-07:00

Here are some great Arminian resources available on the SEA website (Society for Evangelical Arminians). Thanks to Ben Henshaw for putting together this list.

A DISCOURSE ON THE FREEDOM OF THE WILL

Arminius, James. “ANALYSIS OF THE NINTH CHAPTER OF THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS”

Arminius, The Scapegoat of Calvinism Part 1 (Arminian Magazine)

Arminius, The Scapegoat of Calvinism Part 2 (Arminian Magazine)

Arminius, The Scapegoat of Calvinism Part 3 (Arminian Magazine)

Arminius- Hero or Heretic?

Calvinism — Ten Little Caveats (Bob Moore)

Corporate Election

Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Arminian (Olson)

Edgar, Thomas R. “THE MEANING OF PROGINWSKW (”FOREKNOWLEDGE”)”

Election in Romans Chapter Nine (Hamilton)

Extent of the Atonement (Ware)

For All, For All My Savior Died (Marshall)

Foreknowledge, Freedom, and the Future (Picirilli)

Is God’s knowledge the cause of all things?

John Fletcher: “REPLY TO THE PRINCIPAL CALVINIST AND FATALIST ARGUMENTS FOR THE DOCTRINE OF ABSOLUTE NECESSITY”

John Wesley as a Theologian of Grace

Moral Agency and Accountability

Objections To Calvinism As It Is

On Predestination (Wesley)

Paul’s Use of Kalein: A Proposal

Post-Calvinism (McKnight)

Predestination Calmly Considered (Wesley)

Romans 9 (Adam Clarke)

S. M. BAUGH AND THE MEANING OF FOREKNOWLEDGE: ANOTHER LOOK

Salvation by Faith, Applied (Picirilli)

Sovereignty and Free Will (Cottrell)

The Extant of the Atonement (Ryrie)

The Extent of the Atonement (Picirilli)

The False Antithesis Between Monergism and Synergism: A Lesson from Historical Theology

The Five Points of Calvinism: “Weighed and Found Wanting”

The Possibility of Apostasy (Picirilli)

The Problem of Apostasy in NT Theology (Marshall)

The Question, ‘What Is an Arminian?’ Answered by a Lover of Free Grace

The Theology of the Atonement (Marshall)

The Warning Passages In Hebrews (McKnight)

Oh Horrible Decree

2008-07-19T21:51:00.007-07:00

By Charles Wesley

Ah! Gentle, gracious Dove,
And art thou grieved in me,
That sinners should restrain thy love,
And say, “It is not free:
It is not free for all:
The most, thou passest by,
And mockest with a fruitless call
Whom thou hast doomed to die.”

They think thee not sincere
In giving each his day,
“ Thou only draw’st the sinner near
To cast him quite away,
To aggravate his sin,
His sure damnation seal:
Thou show’st him heaven, and say’st, go in
And thrusts him into hell.”

O HORRIBLE DECREE
Worthy of whence it came!
Forgive their hellish blasphemy
Who charge it on the Lamb:
Whose pity him inclined
To leave his throne above,
The friend, and Saviour of mankind,
The God of grace, and love.

O gracious, loving Lord,
I feel thy bowels yearn;
For those who slight the gospel word
I share in thy concern:
How art thou grieved to be
By ransomed worms withstood!
How dost thou bleed afresh to see
Them trample on thy blood!

To limit thee they dare,
Blaspheme thee to thy face,
Deny their fellow-worms a share
In thy redeeming grace:
All for their own they take,
Thy righteousness engross,
Of none effect to most they make
The merits of thy cross.

Sinners, abhor the fiend:
His other gospel hear—
“The God of truth did not intend
The thing his words declare,
He offers grace to all,
Which most cannot embrace,
Mocked with an ineffectual call
And insufficient grace.

“The righteous God consigned
Them over to their doom,
And sent the Saviour of mankind
To damn them from the womb;
To damn for falling short,
“Of what they could not do,
For not believing the report
Of that which was not true.

“The God of love passed by
The most of those that fell,
Ordained poor reprobates to die,
And forced them into hell.”
“He did not do the deed”
(Some have more mildly raved)
“He did not damn them—but decreed
They never should be saved.

“He did not them bereave
Of life, or stop their breath,
His grace he only would not give,
And starved their souls to death.”
Satanic sophistry!
But still, all-gracious God,
They charge the sinner’s death on thee,
Who bought’st him with thy blood.

They think with shrieks and cries
To please the Lord of hosts,
And offer thee, in sacrifice
Millions of slaughtered ghosts:
With newborn babes they fill
The dire infernal shade,
“For such,” they say, “was thy great will,
Before the world was made.”

How long, O God, how long
Shall Satan’s rage proceed!
Wilt thou not soon avenge the wrong,
And crush the serpent’s head?
Surely thou shalt at last
Bruise him beneath our feet:
The devil and his doctrine cast
Into the burning pit.

Arise, O God, arise,
Thy glorious truth maintain,
Hold forth the bloody sacrifice,
For every sinner slain!
Defend thy mercy’s cause,
Thy grace divinely free,
Lift up the standard of thy cross,
Draw all men unto thee.

O vindicate thy grace,
Which every soul may prove,
Us in thy arms of love embrace,
Of everlasting love.
Give the pure gospel word,
Thy preachers multiply,
Let all confess their common Lord,
And dare for him to die.

My life I here present,
My heart’s last drop of blood,
O let it all be freely spent
In proof that thou art good,
Art good to all that breathe,
Who all may pardon have:
Thou willest not the sinner’s death,
But all the world wouldst save.

O take me at my word,
But arm me with thy power,
Then call me forth to suffer, Lord,
To meet the fiery hour:
In death will I proclaim
That all may hear thy call,
And clap my hands amidst the flame,
And shout,—HE DIED FOR ALL

Audio Links: George Bryson

2008-07-09T23:52:00.010-07:00

George Bryson has a three part audio series on the problems with Calvinism. Link here. This is a great series. Unfortunately the format is Real Audio, so it can't be downloaded to a portable audio player. If anyone knows of an mp3 link let me know. :)

Bryson is affiliated with Calvary Chapel. He considers himself a Non-Calvinist, but not an Arminian. He has also written two books critical of Calvinism:

"The Five Points of Calvinism: Weighed and Found Wanting"
"The Dark Side of Calvinism: The Calvinist Caste System"

The "Five Points" book is a great primer for anyone who is looking into the Arminian/Calvinist debate for the first time, and wants a simple overview of the issues at hand. It is available online for free: here (web page) and here (pdf format).

Anyone Speak Portugese?

2008-07-01T14:14:00.009-07:00

Here's an Arminian resource if you speak Portugese. I ran the page through Babel Fish, it looks like a great site. :)

www.arminianismo.com

Interesting side note: Babel Fish translates "Deus" as "God", while Google sometimes translates the term as "Allah".

(Personal Post) Family is moved!

2008-06-23T10:20:00.010-07:00

Our family has now moved. Yippe! We went from Nampa, ID to Richland, WA (The Tri-Cities). I changed jobs in October of last year, which made this necessary.

Good:
- I get to see my wife and kids every day!
- We're closer to extended family.
- No more 300 mile commute to Idaho every weekend, this will save us big in fuel costs.
- We found a cheap rental, only 1 mile from where I work.
- There are now two more conservatives in
Washington. This lefty state needs us. :)

Bad:
-Our house is still for sale in Idaho. The real estate market is terrible there right now. We're looking at renting it out and listing it again when the market improves.
-In the mean time, I am going to have to get a part time job to pay both mortgage and rent. Maybe I get to be a Pizza Man again? :)

James White / Calvinist Dictionary

2008-06-19T16:24:00.005-07:00

A portion of the Calvinist Dictionary has found its way to James White. :)

Link here: http://aomin.org/aoblog/index.php?itemid=2724

Thanks to Nick Norelli for pointing this out.

The Arminian Web Presence

2008-06-17T21:48:00.016-07:00

As an Arminian, one frustration I have is with the dominance of the Calvinist view on the internet. In this post I want to do a little musing on why this is the case. Why is the Calvinist web presence so dominant?

Reasons for the Calvinist dominance on the internet:
1) Calvinists are writers and authors. They love studying doctrine. They are articulate. Arminians are too busy "changing the world" to spend time writing. Unfortunatly these differences in approaches have resulted in a disproportionate Calvinist presence on the web.

2) Calvinists have lots of big names: Piper, MacArthur, Sproul, White, etc. These big names have big web sites, with lots of free resources. There are no really big Arminian names out there.

3) Monergism.com: This is an excellent resource that I use myself. All free. All Reformed.

4) The young Calvinist resurgence: Let's face it, there are lots of young Calvinists. If they were all new believers that would be wonderful. Unfortunately many come from nominally Arminian backgrounds. Anyway, all that to point out that younger people are much more active on the web, and these young Calvinists are busy busy busy online.

5) Lots of Non-Calvinists do not consider themselves Arminian, and this limits the effectiveness of the Arminian web presence. Over and over I hear people say that they are neither Calvinist or Arminian. However, if you question them on their doctrine you find in most cases that they're nominally Arminian. Talk to your average Joe Baptist, and there's a good change that he believes in the P in TULIP, but is Arminian in other respects. However, if you ask him what Arminianism is you're likely to get a blank stare, or perhaps a lecture on how a believer can't lose his salvation. :)

6) Arminians seem to be more siloed than Calvinists. We're too busy in our various denominations to be troubled with Calvinists or even with other Arminians that have slightly differing views. This is very true of my own denomination.

7) Calvinism is easier to define than Arminianism. 5 Points. Tulip. Arminianism is more a rejection of Calvinism than a movement all on its own. As a result Arminian Theology is not a nice little package. We know Jesus died for everyone. That's about it for a starting point.

This disproportionate Calvinist web presence is a problem. Average Christians are not getting a fair representation of what Armininaism is really is all about: the Goodness of God. If a Christian has been unaware of the A/C debate and then begins to look into it on the web, he will find the Calvinist view well represented, but not so the Arminian view. More than likely he will find only Calvinist resources that give a caricaturization of the Arminian view. This disproportionate web presence and dishonest caricaturization I think is in large part the cause of the young Calvinist resurgence. Good Arminian resources are hard to find. Fortunately, this is starting to change.

Signs of the growing Arminian Web presence:
1) An Explosion in Arminian Blogs: A year ago Arminian blogs were few and far between. Roy Ingle's Arminian Today was the first one I ever remember running across, and it took me a while to find that one. Now there are so many Arminian blogs I can't keep up with them all. This is a fantastic development. For example, check out this list of blogs and resources that Billy from Classical Arminianism has come up with. A year ago I would have done a cartwheel for the list like that.

2) Networking: Arminians are starting to find each other, and outside of our respective denominational "silos". Some of this is due to the blogging I mentioned above. Some it is also unfortunately due to excessively negative interactions with Calvinists. We have had to learn to defend ourselves. (May we be graceful in the process.)

3) A dedicated Arminian resource site: Evangelical Arminians. This site is beginning to make an impact. I hope that over time it will become the monergism.com for Arminians.

4) The slumbering Non-Calvinist "silent majority" is starting to awake: This seems particularly evident in the Southern Baptist denomination, with the Building Bridges conference, and now the upcoming John 3:16 Conference. Limited Atonement is not an easy thing to get Bible believers to buy into (for obvious reasons). As insulated Christians become aware of this terrible doctrine, they will have a strong reaction against it. This awakening is starting to take place.

I would be curious for other's thoughts on this topic as well. Comments? :)

Audio Links: William Lane Craig

2008-06-12T13:07:00.005-07:00

Theologian William Lane Craig has audio available online here: Reasonable Faith.

He has dealt with a number of theological topics of interest.

Dr. Craig's is a Research Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, California. He is an advocate of Middle Knowledge (Molinism) which is a bit of a hybrid between Arminianism and Calvinism. Read more about Molinism: HERE

Islamification of American Evangelicalism

2008-06-03T22:44:00.005-07:00

Keith Drury wrote an interesting post a while back entitled: Islamification of American Evangelicalism.

He muses about 6 things we might see if Christians were take pointers from Islam:
1) Elevation of the Father over the other members of the Trinity
2) The glory of God is all that matters.
3) Elevation of males and subordination of women
4) Destiny
5) Nationalizing religious values
6) Holy war

He doesn't mention or even allude to Calvinism in the post, but I definitely see points 1-4 as applicable to the Calvinist system.

Drury is a professor/pastor at Indiana Wesleyan University. If you haven't checked out his site, give it a look. There's lots of good stuff there. He is opinionated, yet also has a knack for addressing serious topics in a disarming manner. (note: use IE on his site, firefox doesn't seem to render pages correctly)

Audio Link: Palmer Lectures in Wesleyan Studies

2008-06-01T23:09:00.007-07:00

Seattle Pacific University has a series of audio links from a Wesleyan view, entitled: The Palmer Lectures in Wesleyan Studies. SPU is affiliated with the Free Methodist denomination.

Link here: Palmer Lectures

The series is described as follows: An annual event at Seattle Pacific since 1978, the Alfred S. Palmer Lecture seeks to bring the best minds and hearts in Wesleyan theology and Biblical studies to campus to discuss the Christian faith from a Wesleyan perspective. The lectureship is held in the honor of Alfred Palmer, a minister and ministry leader in Western Washington for more than 50 years.

There are a number of well-known speakers:

Wayne McCown (Free Methodist Theologian)
Dennis Kinlaw (Former president of Asbury)
William Willimon (Methodist preacher)
Theodore Runyon (author, has written much on Wesley)
Thomas Oden (Theologian, author of "The Transforming Power of Grace")
Greg Jones (Dean from Duke Divinity School)
Richard Hayes (Duke Divinity School, New Perspectives on Paul)
Robert Wall (Theology Professor, SPU)
Clark Pinnock (well known Open Theist)
Rebekah Miles (Theology Professor, SMU)
Ellen Charry (Theology Professor, Princeton Theological Seminary)
Timothy Ware (Orthodox Theologian)

Audio Links: The Berean Call

2008-05-26T00:15:00.000-07:00

A fellow named Jesse Larsen has put together a bunch of mp3 links from The Berean Call (a Christian radio show) when they have addressed the issue of Calvinism. There are a number of topics, most fairly short in length (under 10 minutes or so) He also has a link to a sermon by Bob Hoekstra entitled "The Sovereignty Of God And The Responsibility Of Man". Good stuff.

The Berean Call is a radio show hosted by Dave Hunt and T.A. McMahon. They are non-Calvinists who hold to eternal security. Bob Hoekstra is a pastor with Calvary Chapel, and is also involved in prison ministries.

Here is the link to the audio resources: Resources on Calvinism

Jesse's main website is here: Jesse Larsen

Calvinist Dictionary

2008-05-23T00:44:00.004-07:00

A dictionary to help Arminians better understand Calvinist terminology.
(Don't take this too seriously, this is meant in good fun)

All: The elect

Altar Call: An insult to God

Arminianism: Man centered theology

Assurance: hoping that you're elect

Augustine: The first church father.

Calvinism: The gospel

Call (effectual): to be irresistibly dragged

Call (general): God's justification to condemn the reprobate.

Catholicism: What Arminianism leads to.

Compatiblism: We are free to do whatever the Potter decrees us to do.

Contradiction: a mystery

Doctrines of Grace: Term that helps illustrate how God has given us Calvinists superior insight. Usage example: "I was an Arminian before being illuminated by the Doctrines of Grace."

Doris Day: Singer of truth

To Draw: To drag

Easy believism: The false idea that you can believe in Jesus Christ and be saved. Can a rotten corpse believe? Nope, neither can you.

Eisegesis: Any Arminian interpretation of a difficult passage (thanks Ben)

Emergent: Synonymous with "heretic", unless your name happens to be Mark Driscoll.

Esau: Someone God hated, not for any reason though.

Everyone: The elect

Exegesis: Any interpretation by James White, after all he's a Greek scholar.

faith (1): Something that the elect are zapped with after regeneration.

faith (2): A work that gives pride to Arminians.

Fatalism: Nothing to see here, move along.

Faux Pas: Coming to church with a Bible translation other than the ESV.

Finney, Charles: Wicked man who ravaged the evangelical movement. (Really)

To Foreknow: To decree or to love, absolutely nothing to do with knowing before.

Four Point Calvinist: An Arminian

Frankenstein: Cool story about a dead monster that got zapped with lightning and then became alive. Great parallel to the way we are regenerated.

Free Will: Something that can't exist because it would make God helpless if true.

Glory: Praise we give to God for anything wicked that has ever happened (except for the birth of Charles Finney).

God's secret will: To save a few and reprobate the rest (secret to Arminians but not to us)

God's revealed will: a mystery

Gospel of John: anything by John Piper

Hebrews: Skip this book and read the Gospel of John instead.

Hyper-Calvinists: Calvinists who care more about consistency than looking good.

Infralapsarianism: See "Four Point Calvinist".

Infant damnation: Something that brings God glory.

James: Book that Luther wanted thrown out of the canon.

Jesus Loves Me, This I Know: Misleading children's song.

Jesus Loves the Little Children: Another terrible song, obviously written by someone who didn't take the time to do a proper exegesis of scripture.

John 3:16: Enigmatic verse. One must be a scholar to properly understand this passage. James White's unbiased insights are recommended.

Kosmos: Greek word that means "elect".

The Living Bible: I hope you're joking.

Missions: A complete waste of time, see "altar call" for more info.

Mystery: The way God decrees sin but is not responsible for it.

NIV: Word for thought translation is heresy.

Paul: Author of Romans 9

Pelagian: Name to call Arminians, extra points if they don't know what it means.

Polemic Atheist: Another name to call Arminians, good diversionary tactic when appealing to John Owen doesn't work.

Preaching the Gospel: Something God commands, but the reason why is a mystery.

Pride: Something that works-based Arminians have in abundance, but we Calvinists don't after being chosen by God.

Regeneration: See "Frankenstein".

Reprobate: Those whom God justly damns to maximize His glory.

Rick Warren: worthless author, read something by John Gill instead.

The Road to Rome: Where synergism always leads to.

Robot: Don't say that word!

Servetus: A heretic who got what he deserved.

Shipwreck: Misleading term, because the "ship" wasn't really floating in the first place.

Sovereignty: meticulous micromanagement

Supralapsarianism: God orchestrated the fall for His glory, the central truth of scripture.

Wesley, John: A false apostle of free will (not kidding)

Whitefield, George: Wesley's superior

Whosoever: The elect

World: The elect

Movie Review: Prince Caspian

2008-05-18T23:19:00.006-07:00

**Spoilers if you haven’t seen the movie**

I’ve been a C.S. Lewis fan since stumbling upon the Narnia series as a child. The stories were exciting, and it was fun to find the “hidden” Christian symbolism. I still enjoy the books today. I also loved the first Narnia movie: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. I thought that they did an excellent job with translating that book to the big screen, and was pleased with how faithful they stayed to the original story.

I had the same high expectations for Prince Caspian. After seeing the film I have mixed feelings. It was enjoyable to watch, and over all I give it a good rating, but I don't think it was done as well as LWW. Much like the Lord of the Rings movies, they took more liberties with the second story as compared to the first one. Not all the changes were bad, some were helpful. But other changes were unnecessary in my opinion.

Likes:
This is a blockbuster movie, and it shows. I appreciate the resources and effort they have put into these movies. The special effects were amazing. The musical score was excellent. They did a great job with the character Reepicheep. The overall attention to detail was good. I appreciated the fact that a number of the lines came almost straight from the book. I also appreciated the extra little nods to fans of the books – like showing the bulgy bear sucking his paws.

They change the flow of the story line in the movie, and that worked well. It made it much easier to follow. In the original book Lewis follows a “flashback” storyline. The movie instead is chronological.

They developed the character Miraz more than he was explained in the book. The same is true of some of his evil cohorts. I thought the extra character development added to the story, and helped to explain why these were bad dudes who needed to be taken out.

There is a scene where they attempt to summon the White Witch. This is implied a bit in the book, but they took it much further in the movie. I liked the scene and thought it flowed well and added to the story.

Dislikes:
The role of Aslan was minimized. He seemed to be almost an afterthought instead of the center of the story. He doesn’t really show up at all until the end. That is a shame.

The goodness of the four Pensive children takes a hit. The way the story line plays out, it would have been better if they had never come back to Narnia, because they’re more of a hindrance than a help. Peter’s character particularly this way. He is more concerned with making himself look good than he is with doing the right thing. He has a lot of unneeded conflicts with Prince Caspian.

Susan is turned into a fighting machine. She reminded me more of Legolas from Lord of the Rings than she did Susan of Narnia. This is not at all consistent with her character. If Lewis were still around, I think this change would bother him. In the books he made a point of keeping the girls out of the heat of battle, but in this movie they are thrown into the middle of it. They added some romance to Susan too, which was a little irritating.

The castle scene was a distraction. There were lots of amazing special effects during that part, but I don’t think it added anything to the story.

Overall review:
On a scale of 1 to 10 I give this movie a 7. Not as good as LWW which I would give maybe a 9. Still, it’s definitely worth seeing. I recommend it, and appreciate the job they did, and the fact that they are putting these on the big screen.

Quiz: Are you an Arminian?

2008-05-13T21:54:00.006-07:00

Somebody has come up with a quiz to test if you are an Arminian or not. It's actually pretty funny...if you have a thick skin. Warning: If you are a Charismatic Calvinist, you could fail this too. :)

Link: Are You an Arminian?

From the quiz: If your total is more than -5, you are either a full scale Arminian, or you are on your way. But it is still not too late for you to be given repentance… pray about it.

I scored a -44!

:)

Audio Link: In Search of Truth

2008-05-12T15:52:00.019-07:00

The website In Search of Truth has a 4 part series by Bob Waldron critiquing Calvinism. Here is the direct audio link: Calvinism Series

Waldron is a pastor/professor/missionary who comes from a Church of Christ background (the acapella guys). This is a good series, although I do have a couple of reservations. Here is an overview on each of the four lessons:

1) God's Sovereignty and Total Depravity - Waldron explains the Calvinist concept of Sovereignty - that God "controls" everything, and how this is not a scriptural view. He addresses Total Depravity and refutes it from what I would call a Semi-Pelagian view.

2) Calvinism and TULIP - Waldron gives a little history on John Calvin, and then goes through the 5 points. He represents Calvinism very fairly and doesn't create straw men. He is easy to understand.

3) Neo Calvinism #1 - Waldron argues that modern Calvinists have modified the system to make it seem not as harsh, and as a result are not as consistent as the old school Calvinists. He goes on a couple of tangents unique to the Church of Christ in this lesson (baptism, and complaints about instruments used in worship).

4) Neo Calvinism #2 - This lesson is on the differences between Imputed Righteousness (Calvinist view) and Imparted Righteousness (View of some Arminians). Waldron argues for the Imparted view, and makes some very good points. Imputed Righteousness advocates say salvation "covers" sin, where as Imparted Righteousness advocates say salvation "cleanses" sin.

Who did Jesus die for?

2008-05-09T00:06:00.017-07:00

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. -John 3:16-17

Who did Jesus die for? Did he die for everyone as Arminians believe (Universal Atomenent), or did he die for the elect as Calvinists believe (Limited Atonement)?

There is overwhelming evidence in scripture that Jesus died for everyone, And there is little to no evidence in the Bible to support the Limited Atonement view. Out of the five points of TULIP, L is the weakest link. It is a point that consistent Calvinists must argue out of philosophical necessity without the affirmation of scripture. This is no doubt why there are many 4-point Calvinists - people who love the logic and elegance of Monergism, but can't bring themselves to advocate a view that is so contradictory to what the Bible teaches about the extent of Jesus' sacrifice for humanity.

The Bible is clear: Jesus died for everyone. It is a simple truth. Scripture is so clear on the universality of the atonement that it amazes me that anyone who reads the whole Bible can attempt to limit the love and sacrifice of Jesus.

There are no verses in the Bible that specifically state that Jesus died only for the elect. Limited Atonement proponents instead refer to passages that speak of Jesus dying for "His sheep" (John 10:27) or for "His Church" (Eph 5:25). Calvinists argue that if Jesus died for a specific group, that precludes the possibility that He died for everyone. This is a weak argument because it comes from the necessity of the Calvinist system, and ignores the many passages that clearly do state that Jesus died for everyone. The Bible is full of verses that say Jesus died for all (John 1:29, John 3:16, John 4:42, Romans 5:15-18, Col 1:19-20, 1 Tim 2:5-6, 1 Tim. 4:10, Heb. 2:9, 2 Pet 2:1, 1 John 2:2, 1 John 4:14).

We need to look at scripture in context, without imposing an unsupported philosophical system upon it. If we look at the big picture, it becomes absurd to attempt to limit Jesus sacrifice based on the misreading of a verse that mentions a specific entity for whom Jesus died. For an example let's apply the Calvinist's limiting logic to Galatians 2:20 (bold mine):

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

If we look at the small picture here in this passage, Paul says specifically that "[Jesus] loved me and gave himself for me." Without referring to the overall context of the Bible, one might legitimately argue that Jesus only gave himself to Paul. However, when we look at the big picture we know that this is a false limitation imposed on the verse. Jesus died for more than just Paul, because other verses say he did.

This same truth applies to any verse that states Jesus died for a specific entity. It is necessary to look at the big picture to fully appreciate the sacrifice that Jesus made. It is not adequate to look at one passage that says Jesus died for "Paul" or for "sheep", when other passages clarify and enlarge the context, and clearly state that Jesus did indeed die for all.

We know that Jesus died for the whole world, because the Bible says so. That is an assurance we can build on.

Prayer for a friend

2008-05-05T21:58:00.006-07:00

My friend in Christ, Orval Halley, needs the healing hand of God. He's very sick with pancreatic cancer, and will not live much longer unless God heals him.

Halley was my pastor for about 12 years. He has been a blessing to me and my family. He "retired" from his pastorate about 4 years ago to pursue full time missions in the 10-40 window. Pastor Halley is a man who is sold out for the kingdom. He has a commitment to God that I have seen in few other people.

If God places it on your heart, please pray for him and his wife Roberta, and for their extended family. I believe that God has more for him to do in this life.

[update: Pastor Orv went to be with his Father on 5-9-08]

The Hermeneutics Quiz

2008-05-04T21:35:00.004-07:00

Here's an interesting quiz that measures how you interpret and apply Scripture.

The Hermeneutics Quiz
by Scot McKnight

Here's my results:
47
"You scored between 20 and 52, meaning you're a conservative on The Hermeneutic Scale."

"The conservative hermeneutic group scores 52 or lower. The strength of this view is its emphasis on the authority, ongoing and normative authority, of all of Scripture. It tends to operate with the line many of us learned in Sunday school: "If the Bible says it, that settles it." Such persons let the Bible challenge them with full force. Literal readings lead to rather literal applications. Most of the time."

Foreknowledge

2008-04-22T23:25:00.006-07:00

Foreknowledge means to have knowledge of something before it happens. In scripture there are are references to God's foreknowledge of those who will believe in Jesus. Those whom God foreknows, he also elects to be saved.

The Greek word - proginosko
Proginosko is the word used in the New Testament that today we translate as "to foreknow". It literally means "to know before". The word breaks down like this: Pro (before) ginosko (to know).

We are familiar with this word in English. For example: a doctor will give a prognosis. And someone who makes predictions is called a prognosticator.

The word in its noun or verb form is used several times in the New Testament to explain the foreknowledge of God or of individuals. Here are some passages where the word is used:
Acts 2:23
Acts 26:4-5
Romans 8:29
1 Peter 1:1-2
1 Peter 1:20
2 Peter 3:17

Arminians believe that foreknowledge works like this: God has exhaustive knowledge of the future, thus He "prognosticates" it perfectly. God knows who will believe in Jesus. Those who believe are elected. Election is corporate in scripture (those who believe) as opposed to individual election. The Arminian understanding of foreknowledge is apparent in passages like Romans 8:29 and 1 Peter 1:2

(Bold mine - represents the Greek word for foreknowledge)

Romans 8:28-29: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (NKJV)

1 Peter 1:1-2 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. (NKJV)

Calvinists err in their understanding of foreknowledge, confusing foreknowledge with predestination. They believe that God decrees whatever happens, so foreknowledge is only a byproduct of His decree. In Calvinist thought, foreknowledge is a synonym of election. But Romans 8:29 and 1 Peter 1:2 show instead that God's election is a result of His foreknowledge, not the cause of it.

Another Calvinists interpretation of foreknowledge is "to forelove" instead of "to foreknow". However, there is no justification for this interpretation in the context of the passages in the New Testament.

God is working for the good of those who love Him! He sees everything, he always knows what will happen, and He is always working on the behalf of those who He knows will believe. He is for us!

Audio Link: Apologetics for Christians

2008-04-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

Apologetics for Christians has lots of good audio discussion on Arminianism and Calvinism. They have a five part series on Arminianism (mostly dealing with the topic of if it's possible to lose salvation or not - he says no), and a 10 part series on Calvinism.

The site is run by Kelly and Theresa Powers from Winnipeg, Manitoba. They come from a Calvary Chapel and Christian Missionary Alliance background. Kelly describes himself as a "Calminian" who's closer to Arminianism than Calvinism. After listening to him I would describe him as a 4-point Arminian who's perhaps not comfortable with the title. :) I haven't listened to all of his stuff yet, but he seems to have a good theological grasp, and a kind heart. He does like to make fun of James White - but that's perhaps understandable. :)

Anyway, Kelly has an internet broadcast where people talk to him and ask questions. If you have lots of time to listen, he has good stuff to say, but the show does run pretty long.

Audio links located here: Audio Link

Libertarian Free Will

2008-04-11T12:07:00.018-07:00

Libertarian free will is the concept that men and angels have the ability to make real choices that have not been pre-determined by God. Arminians believe in free will, while Calvinists generally do not.

The Arminian belief in free will is rooted in our understanding of the goodness of God. We believe in free will not because we are interested in usurping God's authority, but instead because we want to protect God's character. We also recognize that free will comes directly from the hand of God. Man has free will because he is made in the image of God. To the extent that man can make any decision on his own, it's only because God has given man that ability, because it pleases Him to do so.

Calvinists instead believe in determinism (or compatiblism) - that from the beginning God has decreed everything that happens. The problem with determinism is that if God has decreed everything that happens, that would logically make Him responsible for evil. Scripture is very clear that God is not responsible for evil. Evil is a result of the disobedience of men and angels. Logically, if there were no free will, there would be no evil. Calvinists are against the concept of free will because they want to protect the sovereignty of God. They argue that if God is truly sovereign then man can't have the final say. They believe that free will makes man independent of God, and if man is independent of God, then God is not sovereign.

It is helpful to recognize that this issue of free will is a secondary concern for both Arminians and Calvinists, and flows from our understanding of who God is. Disagreement over the issue originates from honorable intentions in both theological systems. Each side wishes to protect an aspect of God's character, and each side believes that the other side's understanding does damage to the character of God. Arminians believe that the goodness of God requires that man have free will in order to explain evil. Calvinists believe that the sovereignty of God requires that there can be no such thing as true free will, or else God is not really in control. Given that backdrop it is important to understand the motivation of Arminians, and that we do affirm the sovereignty of God. However, we define sovereignty in a slightly different way. This enables us to affirm both free will and sovereignty.

A simple definition of sovereignty is: God does what He pleases. Arminians believe that true sovereignty is based on two things: power and authority. God has both, so He is sovereign. Calvinists instead believe that sovereignty is based on three things: power, authority, and intervention. Calvinists believe that if God does not ordain the actions of individuals in every aspect, then He is not sovereign. Arminians believe that since God created man in His image, it does not please Him to micromanage the affairs of man. It instead pleases God to give free will to man, to see if we will obey Him. God still has the ability to intervene when He desires to, and scripture indicates that He often does intervene. Arminians recognize that regardless of His level of intervention, God still has complete power and authority. He gets the last word. Man has the freedom to break God's law, but man does not have the capability of avoiding the consequences of breaking God's law. Thus God is sovereign.

So the key to understanding sovereignty is knowing that God does what He pleases.

It pleases God to give free will to man.

Audio link: Roger Olson discusses Arminian Theology

2008-04-10T21:24:00.006-07:00

Reclaiming the Mind Ministries has a number of interviews with different Biblical scholars. One link is an interview with Roger Olson about Arminianism. The broadcast 78 minutes long. Olson gives an easy to understand overview of Arminian Theology.

Link here: Reclaiming the Mind: online live theology

Audio Link: Steve Gregg - Verse by Verse Bible Lectures

2008-04-10T12:17:00.008-07:00

A while back I posted a link to Steve Gregg's 9 part series on Calvinism. I have found his work to be fair, humble, and from the heart of a teacher. A reader pointed out that Steve has also done a verse by verse exposition of Romans 9. Here is the link for that series (and much more):

Steve Gregg Verse by Verse Bible Lectures

New Arminian Web Site: Society of Evangelical Arminians

2008-04-08T20:43:00.010-07:00

A group of Arminian scholars and laymen have created a new website: www.evangelicalarminians.org.

From the Site:

Welcome to the online home of the Society of Evangelical Arminians (SEA). Our society exists to glorify God by edifying his people, protecting them from error, and fostering the proper representation of our magnificent God to the world by lovingly and respectfully promoting and advancing sound, biblical doctrine and theology in the area of soteriology (the doctrine of salvation). That means teaching and defending Arminianism, the system of theology that we believe most accurately reflects the teaching of the Bible, the very word of God. It also means refuting Calvinism, a system of theology that lies within the pale of basic Christian orthodoxy, but that is at odds with Arminianism on many key points and that we believe seriously errs in its understanding of God, salvation, and the Bible. While we generally accept Calvinists as our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, our passion for the glory, truth, and love of God compels us to stand against what we regard to be their faulty theology. In all of this we desire to conduct ourselves with love and respect for all, including those with whom we disagree.

Our hope is that this website will eventually become a comprehensive guide and resource for Arminianism and the topic of soteriology. Towards that end we will be adding resources in the form of links, articles, and other types of information on an ongoing basis. At the same time, we will be running a blog that will regularly provide thoughts, reflections, and commentary about biblical truth from an Arminian perspective. In line with our goal to provide an abundance of Arminian resources, please remember that the resources provided here, including blog entries, do not necessarily represent SEA's official position on any given issue. That is contained in our statement of faith, to which all members must ascribe.

We hope that you will benefit from this site, and we pray that the Lord will guide you into his truth.

To God be the glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever! Amen!

I'm very excited about this new Arminian resource coming online. There is a definite need for an Arminian presence on the internet - to help those who want to understand what Arminianism's proponents actually teach. It is my belief that Arminian theology best expresses what scripture clearly teaches - God loves the world!

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world , but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:16-17

Audio Link: Steve Gregg / James White debate

2008-04-07T20:05:00.005-07:00

Gregg and White are doing a 5 day simulcast debate on the issue of Calvinism. I haven't listened to any of the series yet. I don't particularly care for White's "strawman" style of debating, but the series should be interesting anyway. If nothing else, it's good to see Gregg get a little more exposure.

Dates of the debate are April 3,4,7,8,9 2008. The audio is available on both of their web sites:

Steve Gregg: The Narrow Path
James White: Alpha and Omega Ministries

Theology and the Slave Trade

2008-03-28T17:42:00.026-07:00

I was recently reading the blog Ancient Christian Defender. The author Jnorm888 had a provocative post entitled Was Jonathan Edwards a racist?

It is a well known fact that Edwards was a proponent of slavery, and owned slaves himself. Unlike many contemporary slave owners, Edwards did not will freedom to his slaves upon his death. Due to Edward's position on slavery, there is some division in the African American community today on whether or not he is a person worthy of being honored.

Jnorm's post triggered some questions in my mind: Did the Calvinistic assumptions of Edward's theology contribute to his support of slavery? How did prominent Calvinists of the era approach the issue slavery, and how did prominent Arminians address the issue? Was there a difference in their approaches?

I think a difference can be demonstrated. In short, Calvinists of the era were more likely to support the institution slavery, and Arminians of the era were more likely to support abolitionism. For example (Calvinists) Edwards and Whitfield both supported slavery, while (non-Calvinists) Wesley, Asbury, Wilberforce, and Finney all advocated abolishing slavery.

There were some notable exceptions to the examples above - John Newton (author of "Amazing Grace") was a Calvinist and also an abolitionist. And over time many Calvinists joined the abolitionist movement. In fact Jonathan Edwards Jr fought against slavery. However, it is noteworthy that many of "trail blazing" abolitionists were from Non-Calvinist backgrounds, and argued against slavery using Arminian theological concepts.

When one looks at the two theological systems, this makes sense. Calvinists focus on the sovereignty of God. Part of that focus is a belief that the world is the way it is because God wants it that way. Thus on the issue of slavery a Calvinist might reasonably argue that slavery is ordained by God and gives Him glory.

Arminians focus on the love of God for all. God cares about each and every person. Each person is of great value, because he is created in the image of God. Thus on the issue of slavery one would expect an Arminian to advocate for the freedom of all, because every person is valuable, and every person is loved by God.

We see this Arminian heart in the abolitionist writings of John Wesley. Notice how he used Arminian concepts of God to advocate on behalf of the slave (bold mine):

O thou God of love, thou who art loving to every man, and- whose mercy is over all thy works; thou who art the Father of the spirits of all flesh, and who art rich in mercy unto all; thou who hast mingled of one blood all the nations upon earth; have compassion upon these outcasts of men, who are trodden down as dung upon the earth! Arise, and help these that have no helper, whose blood is spilt upon the ground like water! Are not these also the work of thine own hands, the purchase of thy Son's blood? Stir them up to cry unto thee in the land of their captivity; and let their complaint come up before thee; let it enter into thy ears! Make even those that lead them away captive to pity them, and turn their captivity as the rivers in the south. O burst thou all their chains in sunder; more especially the chains of their sins! Thou Saviour of all, make them free, that they may be free indeed!
(Thoughts upon slavery, 1774)

Notice how Wesley's arguments against slavery flow directly from his Arminian understanding of God:

God is love
God has mercy on all
Jesus "purchased" slaves with his blood
Jesus is Savior of all
Jesus wants us to be free

Arminian Theology is more friendly to the cause of the downtrodden, and Wesley demonstrates why here. God loves us. We all have value because we are made in the image of God. Jesus died for all. We ought to be free. These assumptions impact how we treat others.

This Arminian friendliness to the downtrodden seems to apply to other issues as well. We can see differing approaches in Calvinist/Arminian theology regarding:

the value of women
compassion for the poor
love for the homosexual
the death penalty
prison reform
reasons for going to war
the treatment of "heretics"
race issues

There is even a recent example on the issue of race: Apartheid. Apartheid in South Africa is a clear example where Calvinist theology was used as a method to promote racial division. Between 1652 to 1835 a large number of European Calvinists settled in South Africa. They became known as "Afrikaners" or "Boers". They imposed Apartheid upon South Africa, and used their Calvinist theology to justify it. Apartheid was not dismantled until 1994, and then only after great pressure from the international community.

It is my firm belief that Arminian Theology is more friendly to the state of the lost and downtrodden.

May God continue to give us compassion for all. Let us be the salt of the earth. May the world see in our lives the light of Jesus, and praise our Father in heaven. May our understanding of God be a help and hope to the world, instead of a hindrance.

Links of interest:

Informative post on Emerging and Emergent Church

2008-03-27T23:59:00.005-07:00

C. Michael Patton of "Reclaiming The Mind Ministries" has a very interesting series on the Parchment and Pen blog entitled Would the Real Emerger Please Stand Up?. He explains the difference between Emerging and Emergent. Lots of good info, and he has cool charts like this:

Audio Link: Ergun Caner - Why I Am Predestined Not to Be A Hyper Calvinist

2008-03-24T21:03:00.006-07:00

Dr Ergun Caner, president of Liberty Theological Seminary (a Southern Baptist Seminary) speaks on the topic of "Hyper Calvinism", and why he's not a hyper Calvinist. The passage he preaches from is 1 Timothy 2:1-8. Caner defines a hyper-calvinist as one who believes in reprobation, infant damnation, has an apathy towards missions, and is against public invitations to accept Christ.

I'm guessing that Caner is probably a 2 or 3 point Calvinist himself, so he would not consider himself an Arminian. His main beef with Calvinism is no doubt -L- limited atonement.

Dr. Caner is a great speaker, he gets fired up. He has a heart to preach to the lost. If you believe Jesus died for everyone, you will LOVE his message. :)

Audio Link: Thomas Road Baptist Church April 9, 2006

The Minister's Daughter

2008-03-16T22:22:00.004-07:00

by John Greenleaf Whittier

In the minister's morning sermon
He had told of the primal fall,
And how thenceforth the wrath of God
Rested on each and all.

And how of His will and pleasure,
All souls, save a chosen few,
Were doomed to the quenchless burning,
And held in the way thereto.

Yet never by faith's unreason
A saintlier soul was tried,
And never the harsh old lesson
A tenderer heart belied.

And, after the painful service
On that pleasant Sabbath day,
He walked with his little daughter
Through the apple-bloom of May.

Sweet in the fresh green meadows
Sparrow and blackbird sung;
Above him their tinted petals
The blossoming orchards hung.

Around on the wonderful glory
The minister looked and smiled;
"How good is the Lord who gives us
These gifts from His hand, my child.

"Behold in the bloom of apples
And the violets in the sward
A hint of the old, lost beauty
Of the Garden of the Lord!"

Then up spake the little maiden,
Treading on snow and pink
"O father! these pretty blossoms
Are very wicked, I think.

"Had there been no Garden of Eden
There never had been a fall;
And if never a tree had blossomed
God would have loved us all."

"Hush, child!" the father answered,
"By His decree man fell;
His ways are in clouds and darkness,
But He doeth all things well.

"And whether by His ordaining
To us cometh good or ill,
Joy or pain, or light or shadow,
We must fear and love Him still."

"Oh, I fear Him!" said the daughter,
"And I try to love Him, too;
But I wish He was good and gentle,
Kind and loving as you."

The minister groaned in spirit
As the tremulous lips of pain
And wide, wet eyes uplifted
Questioned his own in vain.

Bowing his head he pondered
The words of the little one;
Had he erred in his life-long teaching?
Had he wrong to his Master done?

To what grim and dreadful idol
Had he lent the holiest name?
Did his own heart, loving and human,
The God of his worship shame?

And lo! from the bloom and greenness,
From the tender skies above,
And the face of his little daughter,
He read a lesson of love.

No more as the cloudy terror
Of Sinai's mount of law,
But as Christ in the Syrian lilies
The vision of God he saw.

And, as when, in the clefts of Horeb,
Of old was His presence known,
The dread Ineffable Glory
Was Infinite Goodness alone.

Thereafter his hearers noted
In his prayers a tenderer strain,
And never the gospel of hatred
Burned on his lips again.

And the scoffing tongue was prayerful,
And the blinded eyes found sight,
And hearts, as flint aforetime,
Grew soft in his warmth and light.

John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892)
American Christian and Abolitionist

The best football game ever

2008-03-13T22:33:00.005-07:00

The best football game ever. And now online for free. HULU rocks.

Audio Links: Dr. Norman Geisler

2008-03-11T12:58:00.011-07:00

Here is a sermon from Dr. Norman Geisler (author of the book Chosen but Free) where he explains why his is not a Calvinist. Geisler is enjoyable to listen to, and he explains the problems with Calvinism in terms that are easily understood by the layman. He gives a number of good analogies.

Geisler take a "moderate" position, so he would likely not describe himself as either a Calvinist or an Arminian. However, he is sympathetic with Arminians on all points except Perseverance of the Saints.

Here is the link: Why I Am Not A 5 Point Calvanist.

Unfortunately the link is in Real Player format, so you can't download it to a portable player.

(Update: Here is an mp3 link on the firefighters.org site.)

Audio Links: Iron Sharpens Iron debate

2008-03-07T13:48:00.003-08:00

Iron Sharpens Iron (a Calvinist leaning radio show) is running a five day debate entitled: "The DOCTRINES of SOVEREIGN GRACE: Biblical Truths or Dangerous Fallacies". There are mp3 links available on the site.

Opposing Calvinism is DR. F. LaGARD SMITH author of Troubling Questions For Calvinists .

Defending Calvinism is DR. LAWRENCE W. CARRINO, founding and Senior Pastor of Grace Gospel Church.

No Security in Calvinism

2008-03-06T15:37:00.006-08:00

Upon first glance one of the appealing aspects of Calvinism is the doctrine of Eternal Security, or the "P" in TULIP -- "Perseverance of the Saints". This is the concept that if you are one of the elect, you cannot lose your salvation. You will certainly be saved. This concept seems great on the surface, but there are some underlying problems with it.

First, Calvinism discourages the unsaved from seeking God, because Calvinism classifies individuals into one of two categories - the elect, and the non-elect (reprobated). If you believe that you are one of the reprobate you will never seek God's mercy. Why put your trust in a God who has determined to damn you? This error prevents people from trusting in God, because it distorts God's character. If you are one of the reprobate, you are without help and without hope, you CANNOT be saved. Or so says Calvinism.

A second concern: you may think you are saved, but actually be damed. You may have the "false hope" spoken of by Edwards, Calvin, and others. It may seem to you that you are saved, and God may even indicate this to your spirit. But God by his inscrutable council has the right to give you false hope and damn you in the end.

A third concern: This doctrine takes away the joy of the believer - a flip side of the "false hope" doctrine. A believer may actually be saved, but think that he is not. This poor believer spends his life in terror of God's judgment, even though he is covered by the blood of Jesus. The enemy of our souls is more than happy to tell us the lie that God doesn't accept us. Calvinism lends itself to the lies of the enemy, because we all fail God in some way. If we fail God, Calvinism says we must not have ever been a believer in the first place.

Thus in the Calvinist system there is no security. No one can ever really know if he is saved or not.

Calvin says there are two types of call: The general call (which goes to all) and the special call (which goes for the most part to the elect). According to Calvin even those who have received the "special call" might not be saved in the end. Calvin says that it may well be that God is only giving them temporary illumination, and will justly forsake them at a later point because of their ungratefulness (bold mine):

There are two kinds of call. There is the general call, by which God invites all equally to himself through the outward preaching of the word-even those to whom he holds it out as a savor of death, and as the occasion for severer condemnation. The other kind of call is special, which he deigns for the most part to give to the believers alone, while by the inward illumination of his Spirit he causes the preached Word to dwell in their hearts. Yet sometimes he also causes those whom he illumines only for a time to partake of it; then he justly forsakes them on account of their ungratefulness and strikes them with even greater blindness.

So the general call is worthless. It doesn't save save anyone. It only provides the "occasion for severer condemnation". And even the special call provides no security, because God can "justly forsake" those who have received the special call.

Contrast the view of Calvin with what scripture says: The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are Gods children (Romans 8:16). And: if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. (Romans 10:9-10) Scripture teaches that we can be secure. If we believe, we will be saved. And the Holy Spirit testifies to us that this is true.

We can have faith in Jesus, trust that He is good, and trust that He has no hidden agenda. But Calvin says no, you can't trust God. God -could- just be messing with you and will justly forsake you at a later time.

The end result is that the Calvinist has no security because he cannot trust the heart of God, and cannot discern the council of God. The Calvinist can't trust the heart of God because God has a secret agenda. The Calvinist can't discern the council of God, because God might not intend for him to be saved in the end. In fact God may be temporarily illuminating the Calvinist now as "the occasion for severer condemnation" down the road. And this "severer condemnation" is the right of God (so says Calvin).

In conclusion, this Calvinistic doctrine takes away the joy of the Christian, and it takes away the hope of the non-Christian. This system lends itself to the lies of the enemy who wants all to believe that they have no hope, and contradicts scripture which clearly states that God desires all to be saved.

Audio Links: Steve Gregg

2008-03-01T16:39:00.010-08:00

I found another excellent site with mp3 audio from a "Non Calvinist" perspective. It's managed by a fellow named Steve Gregg. I had never heard of Gregg until a few weeks ago. Ironically I ran across his name while looking through James White's site. :) Apparently White and Gregg were going to have a debate on Calvinism, but it fell through. Anyway, Gregg is a Christian radio host who broadcasts a show called "The Narrow Path". The show is on a few radio stations in the Oregon/NoCal area. His stuff is very good - scriptural and detailed. If I had a complaint it would be that he is perhaps too thorough. :) He does not call himself an Arminian, but instead a Non-Calvinist. He has a nine part audio series on the problems with Calvinism.

Here is his website: The Narrow Path

Be sure to check out some of his audio links. I have enjoyed them while on my long commute.

Dutch Chocolate, and two ways to read the Bible

2008-02-02T14:02:00.003-08:00

There are (at least) two ways to read the Bible. The first way is a typical "Western" way of learning. The Bible is read in a systematically analytical method. The second way is to read it with personal reflection - with the heart, and then prayerfully ask God to speak through his word. Both ways, I believe, are needed. I think though that I overemphasize the first method, and then don't allow God to speak to me through his word.

Here is a neat example of the second method, as taught by Corrie ten Boom (account found online):

The story is told of the time Corrie Ten Boom was to speak to a group of theologians after the war. She first passed out Dutch chocolate to each person there - a real treat in those days. After they had eaten it she said, "No one said anything about the chocolate." Someone protested that they had indeed thanked her for it. She replied, "I meant that none of you asked me how much sugar was in it. Or what kind of chocolate it was. Or the order in which the ingredients were added together. Or the temperature of the mix. Or where it was made. You just took it and ate it." Someone in the audience replied, "And it was excellent." Corrie Ten Boom then continued holding up her Bible, "And in the same way you should read this! Stop analyzing it or you will never be nourished. Pick it up and read the Word of God!

More Corrie ten Boom links:

Common Sense not needed.

Audio from a few of her chats (SermonIndex.net)

The handle: Pizza Man

2008-01-19T15:26:00.002-08:00

In case anyone is wondering why I go by the handle "Pizza Man" - I worked for Domino's pizza from 1993-1996. That corresponds to the time I first started going online - mostly BBS stuff back then. So "Pizza Man" seemed appropriate at the time, and it's too late to change it now. :)

Some thoughts on pizza delivery: it is an EXCELLENT part time job for a season. If you are in college and want a job in the evening with flexible hours and pretty good income then pizza delivery is the way to go. Tips are very nice, and you get cash to take home every night. I used to average around $10 an hour (including tips and hourly wage), which wasn't too bad 15 years ago. I'm sure the drivers do even better now (although gas prices aren't what they were). Pizza delivery is also an excellent supplemental job for someone who needs a little extra cash. Dave Ramsey recommends pizza delivery as one of the best ways to jump start getting out of debt, and I agree.

Having said that, the full time pizza business is not so great for a career path or for someone with a family. For a career, you can't really make a living with pizza unless you own a restaurant. The shift managers make less than the delivery drivers (no tips). They have to work evenings and many hours to make a go at it, which is hard on the family.

I have a buddy who started working for Domino's the same time I did. He now is the head manager of his own restaurant. He makes good money, but puts in about 60 hours a week. He has to work evenings and every weekend. Not for me. I'm glad I moved on with my career goals and went instead into IT.

Arminian Audio Links: Free MP3 sermons from an Arminian view

2008-01-15T22:15:00.009-08:00

Here's an Arminian site with a few free mp3 files: http://www.imarc.cc/audio/audiodex.html

There is an excellent audio critique of Calvinism by Dr. Jerry Walls (co-author of Why I'm not a Calvinist). There are several sermons by Dr. Vic Reasoner, who helps produce The Arminian Magazine. In addition, there are 4 John Wesley sermons that have been narrated by Rev. D. Crossman.

Review of Roger Olson's Book: Arminian Theology: Myths And Realities

2007-12-28T10:35:00.002-08:00

Review of Roger Olson's Book: Arminian Theology: Myths And Realities

The Calvinist/Arminian debate is often conducted in a way that is hurtful and lacks grace. If you are looking for a book that explains the Arminian view and at the same time treats the Calvinist view with respect, then this is for you.

This book is not a rejection of Calvinism, but instead is an explanation of why Arminians believe the way they do. Olson does not set out to disprove Calvinism.

I appreciated that Olson is not afraid to tackle those from his tradition if he believes that their theology is flawed in any way. For example he points out some of the shortcomings of the later Remonstrants (like Limborch) and he also points out some of the weaknesses of John Wesley.

The book was not an easy read. It was written at a level where I had to struggle at times to fully comprehend. The chapter on the theories of atonement was the most difficult.

Subtle bias at Yahoo

2007-12-28T09:38:00.001-08:00

Look at this political ad from yahoo, do you see the bias?

1) Hillary is listed first, biggest smile
2) All Democrats are smiling, all Republicans are frowning.
3) Democrats are on top, Republicans on bottom
4) Where's Huck?

God's Regrets

2007-11-22T20:04:00.003-08:00

Ben over at Arminian Perspectives has an interesting post on struggling with regrets.

Regretting is part of the human experience. However, it's interesting to note that God also has regrets. For example in Gen 6:6 God regrets creating man, and in 1 Samuel 15:10,35 he regrets that he made Saul king.

I am curious how the Calvinist would address the issue of God's regrets? The Calvinist believes that everything that takes place is exactly how God intended it. How could God possibly regret anything under that system?

This idea of God regretting also presents an interesting dilemma for the Arminian view of God. Open Theists point to regret as evidence that God does not have exhaustive foreknowledge.

I think that God's regrets are not due to a limitation of foreknowledge, but instead are a natural result of his consistent character. For God, the ends do not justify the means. He does not turn stones into bread for his convenience. He does what is most consistent with his character, even if it's not easy, and even if he knows it that it will not work out down the road. This is particularly evident in the case of King Saul.

New Job!

2007-10-13T15:42:00.002-07:00

I've recently been seeking employment due to uncertainty with my current employer (details in this post). I have been offered a new position with another company - doing exactly what I do now. I'll be working for HAPO Community Credit Union, based in Richland, Washington

The drawback is that the family has to move, and in the middle of the school year. It will be hard to move away from our church and friends. It will be particularly hard for my oldest daughter Maggie.

The good news is that we'll be much closer to family! My folks and sister's family both live within a 30 minute drive. An added benefit is that this position should have more stability (I've never heard of big layoffs occurring at credit unions) :)

So...we have much to do. The most daunting task is to sell the house. It must be put on the market, and sold during a market downturn. God's providence has been very apparent to us in throughout this process. I'm confident that he will bring us the right buyers in His time. He has been opening doors, and this move is in His hands.

Calvinism Distorts God's Character

2007-10-13T15:32:00.004-07:00

Roger Olson (Author of Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities) has written an editorial about the recent bridge collapse in MN, and how it presents problems for Calvinists. It's an excellent read, and Olson is less irenic than ususal:

The God of Calvinism scares me; I'm not sure how to distinguish him from the devil. If you've come under the influence of Calvinism, think about its ramifications for the character of God. God is great but also good. In light of all the evil and innocent suffering in the world, he must have limited himself.

[updated spelling of Olson 6-3-08, oops]
Calvinist view of bridge collapse distorts God's character

In Defense of the Invitation / Altar Call

2007-09-07T20:26:00.002-07:00

I've read a number of Christian blogs where the tradition of the "invitation" or "altar call" has been criticized. The typical arguments are that this is a new practice, that it is not supported by scripture, and that the tradition is abused by evangelistic preachers - causing them to guilt non-believers into making a non-genuine decision for Christ.

History: Invitations to accept Christ are not new, but the specific form of invitation known as an "altar call" is a relatively new practice. It started with the evangelist Charles Finney, back in the 1830's. Other well known evangelists who have popularized the practice include D.L Moody, Billy Sunday, Corrie ten Boom, and Billy Graham.

Should we discontinue the practice of the altar call because it is new? No! Innovations in worship are often helpful, and should be welcomed if they conform to scripture. In fact Isaiah 43 says to not dwell on the past, because God is doing a new thing. To reject something simply because it is new is legalistic. Church today should not be identical to the way it was in 1829. In 1829 no church had electric lighting or indoor plumbing, but you don't hear Christians complaining about those innovations!

Altar calls are really a new type of liturgy – something instituted as a tradition in some evangelical circles. Liturgies in and of themselves are neutral. They can be used by the Spirit, or they can be empty. It depends how we use the liturgy.

Scriptural Support: Another complaint about the altar call is that the practice is not mentioned in scripture. While altar calls are not specifically mentioned, public invitations to accept Christ were frequently made by many of the disciples including Peter and Paul. That's what an altar call is, a public invitation to accept Christ. The altar call is used in a manner that strongly affirms scripture.

Altar calls are used to proclaim the good news of Jesus. In Mark 16:15 Jesus said to "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."

Altar calls are used by preachers to exhort repentance. In Acts 17 Paul makes a public invitation to the Athenians to accept Christ. In Acts 17:30 Paul said that "...(God) commands all people everywhere to repent."

Altar calls are used by new believers to publicly acknowledge God. Jesus called for his disciples to follow him publicly. Matthew 10:32-33 states that "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven."

Altar calls are used for confession. An altar is a place where we can confess our sins. 1 John 1:9 states that "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

Altars calls are used for the laying on of hands, for healing, for anointing by the elders of the church, and for the forgiveness of sins. James 5:13-16 states: "Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Altars are a place where the non-believer can be overwhelmed, convicted of sin, and worship God. 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 states that: "...if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!"

Even though altar calls are not specifically mentioned in scripture, invitations are, and altar calls are a type of invitation. They are clearly used in a way that is at the heart of scripture.

Decisional Regeneration: Does God "save" someone who makes a trip to the altar? He certainly desires to, but justification is dependent first on the grace of God and then on the heart of person at the altar. In Luke 18:9-15 Jesus describes two types of people who went to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and one was a tax collector. The Pharisee prayed “thanks that I’m not like this tax collector.” The tax collector prayed “God have mercy on me a sinner.” Jesus said that the tax collector was the one who went home justified. So it is with going to the altar. Some will be justified, some will not be. It depends if the person has the heart of a Pharisee or a tax collector.

Abusive Practice? Can evangelists and preachers abuse the practice of altar calls? Certainly they can. Altar calls can be coercive, they can appeal to emotion instead of scripture, they can be overused. I have been to such services and revivals. But many church practices can be abused - including tithing, exorcism, baptism, confession, and others. Abuse in and of itself is not a legitimate reason to discard a practice. We should instead use altar calls only in ways that affirm scripture.

The bottom line is that there is a need for the good news of Jesus to be preached. Altar calls are used for that purpose.

Conclusion: By their fruit you will recognize them. Who can deny that God has used men such as Billy Graham to preach the gospel and call men to repentance? The altar call has definitely been used by the Spirit. It has been used by men of God in Godly ways. It has been used in ways that conform to scripture. Many of those who have gone to the altar have become believers, and lives have been changed.

Losing my job to outsourcing?

2007-08-02T19:31:00.001-07:00

I've been working at the same company (Micron Technology) for 11 years, but that may soon be coming to an end. Management has made it clear that their goal is to reduce the workforce, and to replace it with cheaper outsourced (foreign?) labor. Over the last month my company has laid off about 1,000 people in the local area, and it's my understanding that there is more to come.

I have been involved in setting up a facility in China over the last year. As we were setting up the Chinese plant, we were told that it was an expansion of capacity, and that the USA jobs would not be going away. It looks like in reality I may have helped to work myself out of a job.

It's my goal to do the best for my employer, no matter what the circumstances. It's my prayer that I'm able to keep my job if that's within God's will for my life. But if not, that's okay too. I'm trusting that if God closes this chapter in my life, he has another more exciting one to open up.

(Terra-Cotta Warriors - Xi'an, China)

Greek Poetry and the Emerging Church

2007-07-17T16:05:00.001-07:00

From ZEUS let us begin.
Him do we mortals never leave unnamed:
full of Zeus are all the streets
and all the market-places of men
full is the sea and the havens thereof.
Always we all have need of Zeus
for we are also his offspring
and he in his kindness unto men
gives favorable signs
and wakens people to work.
-- Aratus (270 BC),

The goal of the Emerging Church is to reach the post modern generation. The movement has attempted to do this by making Christianity relevant to the culture - that is by preaching and teaching truth in a way that is native to the understanding of the new generation.

Some traditional Christians have criticized this movement as misguided, unscriptural, and of man. I believe, however, that the goals and methods of the movement are both legitimate and scriptural.

When Paul preached in Athens (Acts 17:22-31) he modeled how to preach to pagans. He did it by being relevant - by finding common ground and understanding with his audience. Paul presented Christ in a way that was familiar to the culture of the Greeks.

Acts 17:22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious."

Paul went to the Areopagus (their center of learning in Athens), and engaged the Greeks in their environment. He didn't demand that they go learn about God in the synagogue (and there was one in Athens). He didn't complain that they ignored Jewish law. He didn't insult their religion.

23: For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.

Paul understood his audience. He took an aspect of their pagan culture (the unknown god), and used it as a way to proclaim Jesus Christ to them.

24-27: The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

Wham! Now that the ground was laid, Paul hit them with 100% Gospel. The truth was not watered down. He explained who God is. He explained how God is real, and how God is not honored with idols made by human hands.

28:For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'

Look at that little phrase "We are his offspring." It's easy to overlook, but it is SO important to understand the context of how Paul preached to the Athenians. This quote was NOT from the Bible. It was Greek poetry, and it in fact referred to Zeus. Paul taught the Greeks about Jesus by quoting a pagan poem about Zeus!

29-31: Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.

Now Paul shows how the nugget of truth contained in their poetry ("We are God's offspring.") differs from what they are actually practicing (worshiping man made images). After showing them their error, he tells them that they must repent. And he explains that they will be held accountable before God.

Every culture (including ours) has nuggets of God 's truth in it, just like Greek culture did. These nuggets can be surrounded by paganism but they can still point to the real God of the Bible. We must find these aspects of our culture that make God understandable. If the Church is losing ground in our culture (and it seems to be), maybe part of the reason why is that we are not making the Gospel real. We are not connecting.

It is the goal of the Emerging church to close this cultural understanding gap, and to make a connection.

Does the movement have weaknesses it must confront? Certainly it does. Its theology is weak. The movement must learn to not ever water down or compromise the truth. We dare not compromise God's truth. But we must learn present timeless truth in a way that can be understood by the culture in which we live.

It's time to break out the Greek poetry.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow II

2007-07-04T15:21:00.002-07:00

Alex (age two) has been listening to his sister sing, and learning on his own. Here I catch him singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". He gives it a pretty good try. :)

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

2007-07-02T19:45:00.002-07:00

My daughter Heidi (age six) sings "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". She will sing this in her music recital this weekend. She has EXCELLENT pitch for a six-year old. Or at least her proud papa thinks so. :-)

Seekadoo (Explained)

2007-06-22T15:23:00.001-07:00

When our middle child Heidi was just learning to talk (age 2 or so) she kept asking for "seekadoo". We had no idea what she wanted at first. But it seemed by the way she was asking that she wanted something to drink. After a bit of trial and error we finally figured out that she was asking for a carbonated beverage (soda, pop, cola). We have no idea why she was calling pop seekadoo, as the words aren't even close to similar. But that's what she wanted.

I have liked to make up silly nonsense words since I was a child, and this new word sounded cool. So I picked up the term and began using it as well. Everyone else in the family caught on, so now seekdoo is the word we use for pop. Most of our friends and family know what we're talking about as well when referring to seekadoo. Of course we've gotten some strange looks from servers at restaurants, but for the most part it's all fun.

Spelling - the cool thing about creating nonsense words is that you can spell them however you want. I personally like the spelling 'sicadoo', but it seems like spelling it that way would more likely result in a mispronunciation by people who are unfamiliar with the word. So seekadoo it is.

I'm thirsty. Time to have a seekadoo.

Love Your Enemy

2007-06-19T07:02:00.001-07:00

Matthew 5:43-48: You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

One outstanding story of loving your enemy was told by Corrie Ten Boom. During WWII she and her sister Betsy had been sent to a German prison camp, because of the activity of helping Jews in Holland. Betsy died in the camp. Corrie lived, and after the war began to preach of God's forgiveness for everyone. Shortly after the war God called Corrie to preach in Germany. Corrie told the people of the love, forgiveness and healing that God wanted to bring to Germany.

During one meeting a former Nazi prison officer approached Corrie. He had been one of the guards who had abused her and her sister in prison. He did not recognize her, but she recognized him. He had become a Christian, and now asked Corrie if she could forgive him. At first Corrie resisted, but then with the strength God gave her, she was able to hold her hand out to the man, and forgive him. After being obedient she felt a surge of the Holy spirit, and felt only great love for her former enemy.

What a powerful story of forgiveness, and the love only God can give!

Jesus calls us to a high standard. We are to love everyone, even our enemies. This is not something that we can do on our own. It is only something that we trust God will enable us to do. Why are we to love our enemies? Because God does, and we are his sons. Our heavenly Father is perfect in every way. His love is perfect, he gives grace to our enemies, causing the sun to shine on both the evil and good. We are to follow his example.

I've led a relatively sheltered life. I've never been through anything like the struggles of Corrie Ten Boom. But I have experienced consistently in my life that when I love others and treat them with respect, it changes my relationship with them for the better. And even if "my enemy" doesn't change, God still changes me.

Quality Time

2007-06-12T09:28:00.001-07:00

About six months ago my wife and I decided to try and set aside some specific one-on-one time with each of our children. What we do is once a month each parent goes on an outing with one of the children. The child gets to choose what the outing is (within reason). With three kids and two parents this means that each child gets two outings in three months, one with each parent.

We decided that these outings would be a good way to spend quality time with the kids. Quality time is important for everyone, However, I believe it is particularly important in the parent-child relationship. It helps the child to know that she is loved. It gives her a chance to talk one on one, and to tell what's on her heart. And when she is grown, she will be able to look back and have specific and (hopefully) fond memories of time spent with mom and dad.

For the most part our outings are simple and inexpensive - maybe a morning hike, an afternoon drive, or an ice cream at DQ. They generally last for one or two hours. Last month (May) was my turn to do something with Heidi, our middle child. Heidi wanted to go to the Marsing pond. We've gone there several other times for family outings.

So on this Sunday afternoon we drove to the Marsing pond. We couldn't have asked for a nicer day. The weather was sunny and calm, temperature in the mid 70's. Heidi and I walked around a bit, and then sat down next to the pond, and had a little chat.

While we were there a mother and her teenage daughter stopped by. The mother asked if her daughter could take some candid pictures of us. I said, 'sure'. So Heidi and I continued our chat while the teen took our picture. Afterwards they gave us their email address, and said to email them for free copies.

I set out with the goal of giving Heidi a fond memory, but now I have a fond memory as well, and some nice pictures as well! :)

Strawberry Mystery Solved!

2007-06-10T15:07:00.001-07:00

The last three years my strawberries have been having problems. Every spring they would start to grow, but then the leaves would turn yellow, and the plants would begin to die. I tried varying the amount of water, and different types of all purpose fertilizer, but neither seemed to have an effect. I verified that the pH balance of the soil was acceptable. It checked in at between 6.5 and 7 which is good. I considered that it might be some sort of blight, but wasn't convinced because the nearby grapes seemed to have a similar (but less severe) condition. I doubted that a blight would impact two different plant species in the same way. In the end I found the answer on a Utah State web page. It was iron deficiency.

To fix the issue they recommended applying liquid chelated iron fertilizer. Regular iron fertilizer won't work, because the plants are unable to absorb it. Chelated fertilizer comes from organic sources, and is easier for the plants to absorb. After 3 applications of fertilizer over the last six weeks, I have seen a definite improvement in both the strawberries and grapes.

So finally I'm getting a few strawberries to eat this year. Unfortunately, the new problem is that the birds are beating me to most of them. Next year I'm going to have to set up something to keep 'em out of the patch.

Generation Gap

2007-06-08T07:03:00.001-07:00

This picture from Lucianne gave me a chuckle.

Debt Free!

2007-06-07T08:46:00.001-07:00

My wife and I have been following the Dave Ramsey plan now for about 2 years. We have recently completed the "debt snowball" aka baby step #2, and are now debt free except for the house! No more student loans, no more credit card payments, no more car payments!

We now have our finances in enough order that my wife can stay at home and we can still live comfortably. And we're planning a Florida vacation this fall for which we will pay CASH for. As Dave would say...very cool.

Corporal Punishment

2007-06-06T13:06:00.001-07:00

Some people think corporal punishment is always bad. I think it can be appropriate if used sparingly and within certain guidlines.

The first thing to consider is: What is the motivation for discipline? The primary motivation for discipline should be for the betterment of the child. Discipline is NOT be used for the convenience of the parent. For example the parent shouldn't spank the kid because he/she (parent) is too lazy to use a more appropriate punishment that takes more work to put into place.

Another consideration: Never punish for an accident. Don't spank the kid for spilling his milk when he didn't mean to.

How hard to spank? Corporal punishment should never leave a bruise or mark.

How often? Corporal punishment should be rare. If the parent uses it all the time, or for trivial reasons, it loses its effectiveness.

How old? There is a certain age window when corporal punishment is most appropriate. Age 3 to 10 is what I've decided on. It doesn't do any good to spank a baby, because he/she doesn't understand what's going on. And pre-teens are getting too old. There are other punishments that can be more appropriate and effective for pre-teens (grounding, loss of privilege, etc).

Corporal punishment should never be done in a way that embarrasses the child. It should be done in private in a manner that is respectful to the personhood of the child. Fathers disciplining their daughters should take special precaution here.

Never spank when angry. The parent must take time to evaluate the situation and think through what punishment is most appropriate.

When? Punishment needs to be at the “right” time so the child associates the punishment with the bad behavior. It should be fairly close to the time of the event. For example you wouldn’t punish a three year old for something they did a week ago. Their sense of time has not developed to the point where they can still associate the punishment with the act.

Who? In most cases parents are the only ones who should spank. Teachers and relatives should not be using it. In cases of blended families it should be done by the parent, not the step-parent.

Why? It helps the child to associate pain with an inappropriate behavior. Just like skinning the knee when careless, or touching the stove when it's hot. Pain is a powerful motivator.

My pizza dough recipe

2006-04-19T07:52:00.003-07:00

My pizza dough recipe:
(this will give you enough for a 14-16 inch pizza)

3 cups flour
1 and 1/3 cup COLD water
2 tables spoons olive oil
1 table spoon grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 packet dry yeast

Mix and then knead dough for about 5 minutes. If dough sticks to the hands, lightly sprinkle more flour as needed. Form nice round patty of dough. Place in covered container.

For quick dough, allow to rise at room temperature for about 5 hours. Or place in fridge for 12-18 hours to rise overnight. I find that slow rising (in the fridge) dough has better flavor. If you have lots of time (like 24 hours) you can cut down the amount of yeast used.

Tossed dough: you will find that tossed dough has much better flavor than rolled dough. When you roll dough, it pops the little pockets of air from the yeast. Dough with no air pockets is like soda pop with no fizz. You know all those homemade pizzas you've had that taste like crap? Flat dough is why.

How to toss pizza dough: The trick is to knead around the edge of the dough first, and to stretch it out a bit with your hands, then toss it back and forth between your hands, always avoiding slapping the middle as much as possible (slapping in the middle thins the dough out too much). There is really no need to spin it in the air like you see them do at some restaurants. Throwing into the air is done for show, and won't improve the quality. To really learn how to toss dough, nothing beats the experience of working at a pizza joint. They're always looking for workers. And since they're busy in the evening you won't have to quit your day job. You'll have a useful skill to last a lifetime.

The pan: A well seasoned cooking stone work well. Or a pizza screen. Lightly lay dough on pan so that it doesn't stick.

Sauce: Regular tomato sauce work fine. Take it easy on the sause. Otherwise it overwhelms the other flavors. 4-6 oz is plenty. Spread evenly on dough, and leave about a half an inch on the edge.

Cheese: about 1/2 a pound of grated mozzarella for a 14 to 16 inch pizza.

If you're doing a 1 or 2 topping pizza (like pepperoni or Hawaiian), dump all the cheese on first, and put the topping on top. If you're doing multiple toppings (like a combination), sprinkle about half the cheese on at first, then the toppings, then the rest of the cheese.

Toppings I've tried: pepperoni, Canadian bacon, pineapple, onions, green peppers, jalapeños, sausage, mushrooms, chicken, hamburger, olives, asparagus (steamed ahead of time).

One of my favorites is BBQ chicken pizza. Add about 50% BBQ to your sauce mixture, and then add a generous portion of pre-cooked chicken, onions and green peppers.

Baking: Pre-heat oven to 450, bake for 10-15 minutes, or until done. Watch early on for dough bubbles, and pop 'em if needed.