Arminianism - The Five Articles (2-5)

Universal Atonement

The Creeds of Christendom, with a History and Critical Notes, Volume III: The Evangelical Protestant Creeds, with Translations Art. II

That, agreeably thereto, Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, died for all men and for every man, so that he has obtained for them all, by his death on the cross, redemption and the forgiveness of sins; yet that no one actually enjoys this forgiveness of sins except the believer, according to the word of the Gospel of John 3:16: ‘God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ And in the First Epistle of John 2:2: ‘And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.’

The key wording here is found in the first sentence with the phrase “died for all men and for every man”

John 3:16 NASB95

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

1 John 2:2 NASB95

2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

This assertion was never made by me, either in public or private, except when it was accompanied by such an explanation as the controversies which are excited on this subject have rendered necessary.

[Jacobus Arminius, The Works of Arminius, Vol. II, pg. 9]

John 1:29 NASB95

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

John 6:51 NASB95

51 “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”

2 Peter 2:1–3 NASB95

1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

Arminius then quotes Prospect of Aquitaine who was himself a disciple of Augustine to support his view that the atonement was basically sufficient to save all but efficacious to save those who have faith in Christ.

Total Depravity

The Creeds of Christendom, with a History and Critical Notes, Volume III: The Evangelical Protestant Creeds, with Translations Art. III

That man has not saving grace of himself, nor of the energy of his free will, inasmuch as he, in the state of apostasy and sin, can of and by himself neither think, will, nor do any thing that is truly good (such as saving Faith eminently is); but that it is needful that he be born again of God in Christ, through his Holy Spirit, and renewed in understanding, inclination, or will, and all his powers, in order that he may rightly understand, think, will, and effect what is truly good, according to the Word of Christ, John 15:5: ‘Without me ye can do nothing.’

The Creeds of Christendom, with a History and Critical Notes, Volume III: The Evangelical Protestant Creeds, with Translations Art. III

That man has not saving grace of himself, nor of the energy of his free will, inasmuch as he, in the state of apostasy and sin, can of and by himself neither think, will, nor do any thing that is truly good (such as saving Faith eminently is); but that it is needful that he be born again of God in Christ, through his Holy Spirit, and renewed in understanding, inclination, or will, and all his powers, in order that he may rightly understand, think, will, and effect what is truly good, according to the Word of Christ, John 15:5: ‘Without me ye can do nothing.’

ART. IV

ART. IV

Man does not possess saving grace of himself nor does his will

The Remonstrants are essentially affirming the doctrine of total depravity.

Most modern Arminians reject the third article of the remonstrants.

John 15:5 NASB95

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

But in his lapsed and sinful state, man is not capable, of and by himself, either to think, to will, or to do that which is really good; but it is necessary for him to be regenerated and renewed in his intellect, affections or will, and in all his powers, by God in Christ through the Holy Spirit, that he may be qualified rightly to understand, esteem, consider, will, and perform whatever is truly good.

[Jacobus Arminius, The Works of Arminius, Vol I, pgs 659-660

Conclusion: early Arminianism affirmed without qualification, the doctrine of total depravity.

It would be unfair to accuse Arminianism of holding to universalism even though it affirms a type of universal atonement. Clearly, Arminius and ancient Arminianism denied universalism.

Conclusion #2: early Arminianism was in essential agreement with the reformed churches on the doctrine of total depravity.

It is unfair to offer up the general criticism that Arminianism rejects the doctrine of total depravity. Some Arminians, or even most modern Arminians may indeed reject the reformed formulation of total depravity. But the earliest Arminians wholeheartedly affirmed this doctrine.

Resistible Grace

The Creeds of Christendom, with a History and Critical Notes, Volume III: The Evangelical Protestant Creeds, with Translations Art. IV

That this grace of God is the beginning, continuance, and accomplishment of all good, even to this extent, that the regenerate man himself, without prevenient or assisting, awakening, following and co-operative grace, can neither think, will, nor do good, nor withstand any temptations to evil; so that all good deeds or movements, that can be conceived, must be ascribed to the grace of God in Christ. But as respects the mode of the operation of this grace, it is not irresistible, inasmuch as it is written concerning many, that they have resisted the Holy Ghost. Acts 7, and elsewhere in many places.

Clearly, Arminianism rejects the idea that God’s saving grace is irresistible.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 7

51 “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.

The Jewish leaders have a long history of continually opposing the work of God. Israel and Judah had 43 kings over the course of the theocracy before the captivities. Only 7 did what was right in the sight of the Lord.

The question that we will ask when we shift to a critical analysis of Arminianism is whether or not grace is properly understood and whether or not saving grace is what is actually being resisted in this particular text and others like it.

Perseverance of the Saints

The Creeds of Christendom, with a History and Critical Notes, Volume III: The Evangelical Protestant Creeds, with Translations Art. V

That those who are incorporated into Christ by a true faith, and have thereby become partakers of his life-giving Spirit, have thereby full power to strive against Satan, sin, the world, and their own flesh, and to win the victory; it being well understood that it is ever through the assisting grace of the Holy Ghost; and that Jesus Christ assists them through his Spirit in all temptations, extends to them his hand, and if only they are ready for the conflict, and desire his help, and are not inactive, keeps them from falling, so that they, by no craft or power of Satan, can be misled nor plucked out of Christ’s hands, according to the Word of Christ, John 10:28: ‘Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.’ But whether they are capable, through negligence, of forsaking again the first beginnings of their life in Christ, of again returning to this present evil world, of turning away from the holy doctrine which was delivered them, of losing a good conscience, of becoming devoid of grace, that must be more particularly determined out of the Holy Scripture, before we ourselves can teach it with the full persuasion of our minds.

Though I here openly and ingenuously affirm, I never taught that a true believer can either totally or finally fall away from the faith and perish; yet I will not conceal, that there are passages of Scripture which seem to me to wear this aspect; and not of such a kind as to approve themselves on all points to my understanding. On the other hand, certain passages of Scripture are produced for the contrary doctrine [of unconditional perseverance] which are worthy of much consideration.

Jacob Aminius, The Works of Arminius, Vol I, 667.