I hope for this to be
a useful resource for any Arminian needing good
scriptural texts that display his or her view.
It should be cautioned that proof texting is far
too easy for anyone to do, and with any of these
verses the context should be considered. Far too
often, context is ignored and erroneous
interpretations are formed. So, use these
verses, but corroborate their contexts.
We strove to
carefully consider the contexts and, in our
minds, these verses and explanations faithfully
represent the author’s intent, showing
Arminianism to have strong Biblical support.
Also, if you see any
verses that you think should be added, comment
on the post and let me know.
Verses that
show election is conditional:
Matthew 11:28-30 -
Salvation is an invitation to those who will
come. John 3:16 John 4:42 John 6:40 John 6:51 - Must eat
of the bread of life to receive benefit. Acts 13:39 Romans 1:16-17 Romans 5:1-2 - It is
through faith that we are made a part of Christ. Romans 9:30 Ephesians 1:13 1 Timothy 4:10 -
Jesus died for all, but there is a specific
subset that receives the benefits, namely those
who believe. 1 Peter 1:1-2 -
Election is according to God’s foreknowing who
shall believe.
Verses that
show the atonement is available for all:
Isaiah 53:6 - The
iniquity of us all was put on Christ. Matthew 11:28-30 -
Any who some to Christ are welcome. Matthew 18:14 - The
Father does not wish that any should perish
(anti predestined-reprobation). John 1:7 - Jesus
intended for all, wants all to believe. John 1:29 John 3:16-17 John 6:33, 51 John 12:47 Romans 3:23-24 - All
have sinned and all have access to justification
in Christ Jesus. Romans 5:6 - Christ
died for the ungodly. Since all are ungodly,
Christ died for all. Romans 5:15 - Since
sin spread to all, Christ’s atonement is meant
for all. Romans 10:13 -
Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be
saved. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
- All died, yet Christ died for all. 1 Timothy 2:3-6 - God
desires all men to be saved, and gave Himself
for all 1 Timothy 4:10 Titus 2:11 - God’s
necessary grace that leads to repentance appears
to all. Hebrews 2:9 - Jesus
tasted death for everyone. Hebrews 10:10 -
Christ offered once for all. 2 Peter 3:8-9 1 John 4:14 1 John 2:2 - Jesus is
the propitiation, not just for believers, but
for the whole world. Revelation 22:17
Verses that
show grace is resistible:
Jeremiah 7:24 Luke 7:30 Acts 13:48 Matthew 11:28 Matthew 23:37 Joshua 24:15 Acts 2:40 John 1:12 John 1:9-13 John 5:40 John 3:19 John 7:17 Titus 2:11 Revelation 22:17 Acts 7:51 - Blatant
resistance of the Holy Spirit. It is proper to
infer that if they didn’t resist, they would
have been led to repentance. Romans 10:16 - Not
all who hear will believe. 2 Corinthians 6:1 -
One can receive God’s grace, yet not appropriate
it in their lives.
Verses that
show we must remain in Christ to be secure:
Romans 11:17-24 1 Corinthians 15:2 Ephesians 5:3-7 Colossians 1:21-23 2 Peter 1:10 2 Peter 2:20-22 Hebrews 6:4-6 Hebrews 10:26 James 1:12; 5:19-20
Isaiah 1:19-20 - Can
choose to be obedient or rebel. Ezekiel 33:11 - Have
the ability to choose from different options. Luke 7:30 - Pharisees
rejected what God wanted for them. John 7:17 - A person
must want to do what God is giving them the
grace to do. This verse shows that God allows
things He doesn’t want to happen. 1 Corinthians 7:37 -
Power over you're own will-not forced-that’s the
definition of Libertarian Free Will. 1 Corinthians 10:13 Matt 13:1-23 (The
parable of the sower)
Verses
demonstrating God’s enabling grace through the
power of the Holy Spirit.
Jeremiah 31:3 John 16:7-11 John 16:1-33 The Holy
Spirit enables us to live for Christ. Romans 2:4 - It is
God’s grace that leads us to repentance. Romans 10:14-17 - One
must hear God’s word to come to faith. Titus 2:11 - God’s
grace leads to repentance.
Verses
showing sin is not from God
Jeremiah 7:24 James 1:13-15 1 John 2:16
The Corporate
View of Election Election. God’s
choice of those who believe in Christ is an
important teaching of the apostle Paul (See: Rom 8:29-33; 9:6-26; 11:5-28; Col 3:12; 1 Th 1:4; 2 Th 2:13; Titus 1:1). Election (Gk eklego) refers
to God choosing in Christ a people whom he
destines to be holy and blameless in his sight
(cf. 2 Th 2:13). Paul sees this election as
expressing God’s initiative as the God of
infinite love in giving us as finite creation
every spiritual blessing through the redemptive
work of his Son (Ephesians 1:3-5). Paul’s
teaching about election involves the following
truths:
(1) Election
is Christocentric, i.e., election of
humans occurs only in union with Jesus Christ.
“He chose us in him” (Eph 1:4). Jesus himself is
first of all the elect of God. Concerning Jesus,
God states, “Here is my servant whom I have
chosen” (Mat 12:18; Isa 42:1-6; 1 Pet 2:4).
Christ, as the elect, is the foundation of our
election. Only in union with Christ do we become
members of the elect (Eph 1:4-13). No one is
elect apart from union with Christ through
faith.
(2) Election
is “in him…through his blood” (Eph 1:7). God purposed before creation (Eph. 1:4) to
form a people through Christ’s redemptive death
on the cross. Thus election is grounded on
Christ’s sacrificial death to save us from our
sins (Rom 3:24-26; Acts 20:28).
(3) Election
in Christ is primarily corporate, i.e.,
an election of a people (Eph 1:4-9). The elect
are called “the body of Christ” (Eph 4:12), “my
church” (Mat 16:18), “a people belonging to God”
(1 Pet 2:9), and the “bride” of Christ (Rev 19:7). Therefore, election is corporate and
embraces individual persons only as they
identify and associate themselves with the body
of Christ, the true church (Eph 1:22-23; see
Robert Shank, Elect in the Son, [Minneapolis:
Bethany House Publishers]). This was true
already of Israel in the OT (see Dt 29:18-21; 2Ki 21:14).
(4) The
election to salvation and holiness of the body
of Christ is always certain. But the
certainty of election for individuals remains
conditional on their personal living faith in
Jesus Christ and perseverance in union with him.
Paul demonstrates this as follows. (a) God’s
eternal purpose for the church is that we should
“be holy and blameless in his sight” (Eph 1:4).
This refers both to forgiveness of sins (Eph 1:7) and to the church’s purity as the bride of
Christ. God’s elect people are being led by the
Holy Spirit toward sanctification and holiness
(see Rom 8:14; Gal. 5:16-25). The apostle
repeatedly emphasizes this paramount purpose of
God (see Eph 2:10; 3:14-19; Eph. 4:1-3; Eph. 4:13-24; 5:1-18). (b) Fulfillment of this purpose
for the corporate church is certain: Christ will
“present her to himself as a radiant church…holy
and blameless” (Eph 5:27). (c) Fulfillment of
this purpose for individuals in the church is
conditional. Christ will present us “holy and
blameless in his sight” (Eph 1:4) only if we
continue in the faith. Paul states this clearly:
Christ will “present you holy in his sight
without blemish…if you continue in your faith,
established and firm, not moved from the hope
held out in the gospel” (Col 1:22-23).
(5) Election
to salvation in Christ is offered to all
(Jn 3:16-17; 1Ti 2:4-6; Tit 2:11; Heb 2:9) but becomes actual for particular persons
contingent on their repentance and faith as they
accept God’s gift of salvation in Christ (Eph 2:8; 3:17; cf. Acts 20:21; Rom 1:16; 4:16). At
the point of faith, the believer is incorporated
into Christ’s elect body (the church) by the
Holy Spirit (1 Co 12:13), thereby becoming one
of the elect. Thus, there is both God’s
initiative and our response in election (see Rom 8:29; 2 Pet 1:1-11).
Predestination. Predestination (Gk prooizo)
means “to decide beforehand” and applies to
God’s purposes comprehended in election.
Election is God’s choice “in Christ” of a people
(the true church) for himself. Predestination
comprehends what will happen to God’s people
(all genuine believers in Christ). (1) God
predestines his elect to be: (a) called (Rom 8:30); (b) justified (Rom 3:24; 8:30); (c)
glorified (Rom 8:30); (d) conformed to the
likeness of his Son (Rom 8:29); (e) holy and
blameless (Eph 1:4); (f) adopted as God’s
children (Eph 1:5); (g) redeemed (Eph 1:7); (h)
recipients of an inheritance (Eph 1:14); (i) for
the praise of his glory (Eph 1:2; 1 Pet 2:9);
(j) recipients of the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13; Gal 3:14); and (k) created to do good works (Eph 2:10).
(2)
Predestination, like election, refers to the
corporate body of Christ (i.e., the
true spiritual church), and comprehends
individuals only in association with that body
through a living faith in Jesus Christ (Eph 1:5, 7, 13; cf. Acts 2:38-41; 16:31).
Summary.
Concerning election and predestination, we might
use the analogy of a great ship on its way to
heaven. The ship (the church) is chosen by God
to be his very own vessel. Christ is the Captain
and Pilot of this ship. All who desire to be a
part of this elect ship and its Captain can do
so through a living faith in Christ, by which
they come on board the ship. As long as they are
on the ship, in company with the ship’s Captain,
they are among the elect. If they choose to
abandon the ship and Captain, they cease to be
part of the elect. Election is always only in
union with the Captain and his ship.
Predestination tells
us about the ship’s destination and what God has
prepared for those remaining on it. God invites
everyone to come aboard the elect ship through
faith in Jesus Christ. [Life in the Spirit Study
Bible, pp. 1854-1855]
