Rethinking Theology

[UPDATE] 4/24/2010

For those of you who might be worrying about where I stand today, don't worry. Due to study, I have found that the Christian will be eternally secure and will never be plucked from the Father's hands. Some of you might be thinking, "Duh, that's easy." If you are like I used to be, ignoring those hard texts and confiding in the security texts, I would encourage you to study those hard texts (hebrews 3,6,10; James 5; etc.) so that you are able to give an answer to those who might challenge you and your theology. I will attempt to provide my readers helpful insights but I'm sure you will find much better insights by searching up Reformed writers. Blessings!

------------------------------------

As of right now I'm in a lot of mental turmoil. As a calvinist, I have felt pretty sure of my theological beliefs and have never questioned them. If a question would come up challenging my calvinistic beliefs I, like any other calvinist, would just think I know what the scriptures teach and they affirm everything within T.U.L.I.P.

Lately, I have been wrestling with the fact that we as calvinists tend to ignore those "falling away" passages because we know that we are secure in Christ. Yet careful reading of these texts will reveal that it is not that easy. These texts speak of people who had once repented (Heb 6) and Paul will throw in little "ifs" when discoursing on our benefits as believers in Christ. For example, Romans 8:16-17 says:

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

There are other such pasages in the NT that come from Paul himself. Don't get me wrong, as a calvinist I know the typical explanation for these passages. Such explanations are "Those who have true faith will persevere to the end" or "Such difficult passages are hypothetical or just there to weave out those who never had true faith" or "we need not worry about such passages because we have very strong perseverance passages." But can such serious warnings be thrown away so easily??? This is my dilema. Another thing, in no way am I promoting synergism either. I believe that those whom God has elected will truly persevere to the end and never let them fall away.

And if you are a calvinist reading this and think that I'm just wavering in what I believe, consider Augustine who struggled with this same idea. In his book "On the Predestination of the Saints" in Book 2 which is entitled "On the Gift of Perseverence," he writes that those who fall away from the faith do so of their own accord. In no way was Augustine a synergist either. Augustine, the great predestinarian is baffled by the divine mystery of one falling away. He writes,

"But God has judged it to be better to mingle some who would not persevere with a certain number of His saints, so that those for whom security from temptation in this life is not desirable may not be secure. For that which the apostle says, checks many from mischievous elation: “Wherefore let him who seems to stand take heed lest he fall.” 1 Corinthians 10:12 But he who falls, falls by his own will, and he who stands, stands by God's will. “For God is able to make him stand;” Romans 14:4 therefore he is not able to make himself stand, but God. Nevertheless, it is good not to be high-minded, but to fear." (Chapter 19)

As of right now, this is all I have to say. Will keep updating.