There are two belief systems within Christianity around which most Christians congregate, and these systems are named for the most notable people who championed them: Arminianism and Calvinism. Arminianism is named after Jacobus Arminius and Calvinism after John Calvin. These men didn't invent these belief systems, but only came to represent them. Calvinists
believe that no one is able to choose God, and that God must elect people to be believers. Arminians don't believe that, but rather that salvation is "up for grabs" and depends on a person's willingness to choose God. There are some things that are right about both these views, but both views have one giant, hairy, heinous mistake in common.
Dear Fellow Believers,
The Calvinists are correct in that only God can save a human. Their chief mistake lies in the
assumption that God only chooses a limited amount of people for salvation. The Arminians are correct in that salvation is for all. Their chief mistake lies in the assumption that humans are able to respond to the gospel freely, without influence from God. The giant, hairy, heinous mistake of both positions—the mistake that breeds all other error—is the belief in eternal torment.
The Arminian God damns people to hell because the people were too stupid or lazy to believe.
The Calvinist God damns them because it simply delights Him to watch innocent people be tortured for eternity. The Arminian God is weak; the Calvinist God is cruel. As far as saving human beings goes, the Arminian God wants to but can't; the Calvinist God is able to, but won't.
Take away eternal torment from these viewpoints, put their best points together, and you arrive at the truth: God wants to save all and WILL save all. The Calvinists are right concerning election but
wrong about the purpose of it. They think God elects a few and damns the rest. The truth is that God elects a few NOW in order to save the rest LATER. The Arminians are right concerning the universality of the cross, but wrong about God's inability to enact His universal desires. The truth is that nothing God intends to do can be thwarted. Thus, GOD WANTS TO SAVE ALL AND WILL SAVE ALL, BUT EVERY HUMAN IN HIS OWN ORDER (1 Corinthians 15:22). FIRST THE ELECT, AND THEN THE REST.
We tackled these monumental issues on this Grace Cafe broadcast, a live radio show featuring myself and four other believers. This miracle occurred in June of 1999. WCCD serves the greater Cleveland area—but now reaches a worldwide audience thanks to Rodney Paris.
Every live, two-hour Grace Cafe broadcast (there were twenty-five of them in all) was recorded on cassette tape. These tapes have languished in a Canton, Ohio storage unit for over
twenty years, but now they have been digitized by our friend and fellow-believer Rodney Paris, who made it his personal mission to get these valuable messages to you. Rodney receives no compensation for this monumental effort (and it really is monumental) except for the joy it brings him to serve the saints, and the fact that he is pleasing His Lord and Savior. (And just between you and me, Rodney is going to receive a big-ass reward for his work at the Dais of Christ. I can't wait to witness
that.)
Thanks to all of you who have supported and continue to support my work in heralding the truth of God via every avenue possible, by every means, whether radio, print, electronic, or otherwise, whether network broadcast, conference, newsletter, podcast, or video. This work is done because of your desire to see it continue. Ours is a beautiful grassroots operation, spiritually organic from start to finish. I still have the passion, and so do you. We're not going to stop
now with the finish line in view, when we're on the last lap of the most important relay race in history, one that began with the apostle Paul. So thank you from the bottom of my heart (and all the rest of it) for your desire and generosity.
I am remaining, as always, your servant in the Lord and brother in Christ,
Martin