How to Convince an Arminian He is Wrong
Jacobus “James” Arminius was wrong. He was censured by the church at the Synod of Dordt in 1619. As a heretical false teacher, Arminius, like many other false teachers, was very popular. His band of followers, the Remonstrants, were very zealous to promote Arminius’ ideas of theology. Arminius did not deviate much from the condemned heretic, Pelagius, who preceded Arminius by more than a millennium.
The reason Arminius’ false teaching is so popular in the church, then and now, is because it appeals to man’s sinful flesh. In short, Arminian teaching resembles the Serpent’s teaching in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3). Education (yes, the devil is a very public educator) that denies God also aspires to deify man. This is why another name for Arminianism is “man-centered theology.”
Theology is the study of God. It is reasonable to muse that God would be the subject at the center of theology. As the name suggests, man-centered theology has man as the subject despite the obvious theme of theology…God. The adherents of Arminianism have no problem with themselves and their belief system and practices being the topic of theological discussion. Instead of discussing who Jesus is and what Jesus has done, the Arminian is all too happy to tell you what he himself has done.
The focus on oneself, as opposed to Jesus Christ, is key to Arminian argumentation. This is easily detected by those who have ears-to-hear such theological statements as, “I have decided to follow Jesus…” or “I asked Jesus into my heart…” or “I have accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior.” Satan’s deception with Adam and Eve was designed to entice them to take control of their own education and destiny. In this way, they would demonstrate qualities of deity. In other words, by taking charge of their own future, including eternity, they would be like God/gods (Gen 3:5).
In denying total depravity, as the plight of humanity, the Arminian believes that anyone and everyone can take hold of any preferred future one desires. A better future is simply one’s choice to improve himself, especially as it pertains to sin, salvation, and the Savior.
In denying God’s sovereign will and sovereign choice in eternal election, the Arminian strips Almighty God of those authoritative decisions. Instead, Arminians teach that man uses his own sovereign will and sovereign choice to permit Jesus Christ to effectually save him and others who allow God to do that work.
In denying Jesus Christ’s redemptive death and substitutionary atonement on the cross for His beloved church, the Arminian insists Jesus had to die for everyone, everywhere — otherwise the Arminian judges God for not being loving. Exclusive love, as one man has for one woman, his beloved wife, is bunk with Arminians. Jesus cannot just love His church; therefore, the meaning of the death of Christ, to the Arminian, is mere universalism. In their view, Jesus died for everyone, everywhere, and at all times, but He did not save those He died for…unless they permit God to do so. Do you see how the whole of Arminianism is centered on man controlling Jesus/God?
In denying God’s grace to successfully draw exactly whom God intends to save, the Arminian insists that God’s grace can only be released, by God, upon man’s permissive will. In other words, God is once again constrained by the decision of men to do His divine will. If the Arminian were to permit irresistible grace to occur, by God, God would be an awful despot because clearly not everyone is drawn to God in order to be saved. In their view, grace only comes to man when man releases it upon himself by his self-generated faith in Jesus Christ.
Because man decides to have faith in Christ, he obviously does not lose that sovereign free will and ability to choose after he has chosen to permit Jesus to save him. Thus, in denying the preservation of the saints, the Arminian can choose to deny faith in Jesus Christ at a later date (e. g. Joshua Harris, Rob Bell, etc.).
In addressing how to convince an Arminian he is wrong, it is comforting to know that no man has the power, reason, wisdom, or ability to successfully accomplish such a high and noble task. No, for an Arminian to see the error of his ways takes nothing less than a salvific act of Almighty God. This only makes logical sense in the case presented here.
Salvation belongs to God (Ps 3:8; Jon 2:9; Rev 19:1)…not man. The Arminian believes God is his co-worker in saving himself. The Arminian joins the Roman Catholic in saying, “Salvation is a work of man and God.” Do not be fooled when the Arminian chimes, “But man is responsible. God made him to be responsible.” Yes, dear Arminian friend, God made us all responsible for sins. The only sovereign Savior, however, has never made anyone else responsible for a man’s salvation. Salvation is God’s exclusive work, so that only God receives the glory for His good work of saving His chosen people from their sins (Mt 1:21; 1 Pet 2:9).
Christian do not fret over the heart and mind of the multitude of man-centered theologians in churches everywhere. Remember, the Lord knows those who are His (2 Tim 2:19). He saved us (Titus 3:5). Our Lord Jesus Christ will lose none of His own (Jn 10:28–29). God is mighty to save and does not fail as the only God and Savior (Titus 1:4; 2:13; 3:4–6; Rom 8:35–39). If God wants an Arminian to believe the exclusive sovereign works of God in salvation, then rest assured…God will make him believe it.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
January 5, 2022
