- May 26, 2005
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As we all know, Calvinists believe that everyone is predestined, while Arminians believe that everyone have free will. I propose a theory when "some" are predestined and "some" have free will. So lets put it this way:
Arminianism: There is one group of people, mankind as a whole, all have free will. Jesus atoned for all the mankind (total atonement).
Calvinism: There are two groups of people: 1) people that are predestined for salvation 2) people that are predestined for damnation. Jesus attoned for group 1 but not group 2 (partial atonement)
My view: There are three groups of people: 1) people that are predestined for salvation 2) people that are predestined for damnation 3) people that have free will. Jesus attoned for groups 1 and 3. So it is also partial attonement but a different kind. It is partial because it didn't include group 2. But it is not irresistable because group 3 is free to either accept it or reject it. At the same time, it is irresistable for group 1. I would further say that groups 1 and 2 can only be limitted to select few (such as biblical figures and politicians) while group 3 can be the majority of the mankind. Examples of people in group 1 would be apostles and prophets. Examples of people in group 2 would be Pharaoh, Judas Escariot, first century Jews, antichrist, some goverment figures. Examples of people in group 3 are ordinary people like you and me. Incidentally, I think Cain was in group 3, because God told Cain "if you do well, will you not be accepted?"
The way my view makes sense in terms of Romans 9 is that this chapter talks about specific people and specific groups of people: namely, the Pharaoh and also the Jewish people (except for the remnant) in church's age. In particular, the question was posed about Jewish people, as in God might not be fair towards them by hardening their hearts, and then that question was answered by saying that God did the same with Pharaoh. So it never said that it applies to everyone who ever goes to hell. It only said it applies to those specific people. And yes, even if it applies to only a minority of people, one can still be bothered by it. So one can still ask questions such as the ones Romans 9 was trying to answer.
One interesting thing about Romans 9 is that it used an analogy of a potter and a clay. Now, when a potter makes stuff, it usually has a purpose: to teach people a lesson. But what is the point of teaching a lesson if nobody has free will? On the other hand, the point becomes apparent if only some people (namely, the characters of that story) don't have free will, while other people (the readers of the story) do. So maybe God used a clay to make Groups 1 and 2, who don't have a free will, in order to teach some lessons to Group 3, who has free will, and who is watching them?
As far as the verse "who is resisted His will?" that verse is still true: Group 3 didn't resist God's will, since God's will was to give that group free will. So God didn't will for group 3 to either go to heaven or hell, hence it didn't resist its will. On the other hand, God "did" will heaven for group 1 and hell for group 2, and those two groups didn't resist His will either.
As far as "who are you to reply against God", that has to do with people that feel bad for group 2. This doesn't change the fact that group 3 still has free will.
Arminianism: There is one group of people, mankind as a whole, all have free will. Jesus atoned for all the mankind (total atonement).
Calvinism: There are two groups of people: 1) people that are predestined for salvation 2) people that are predestined for damnation. Jesus attoned for group 1 but not group 2 (partial atonement)
My view: There are three groups of people: 1) people that are predestined for salvation 2) people that are predestined for damnation 3) people that have free will. Jesus attoned for groups 1 and 3. So it is also partial attonement but a different kind. It is partial because it didn't include group 2. But it is not irresistable because group 3 is free to either accept it or reject it. At the same time, it is irresistable for group 1. I would further say that groups 1 and 2 can only be limitted to select few (such as biblical figures and politicians) while group 3 can be the majority of the mankind. Examples of people in group 1 would be apostles and prophets. Examples of people in group 2 would be Pharaoh, Judas Escariot, first century Jews, antichrist, some goverment figures. Examples of people in group 3 are ordinary people like you and me. Incidentally, I think Cain was in group 3, because God told Cain "if you do well, will you not be accepted?"
The way my view makes sense in terms of Romans 9 is that this chapter talks about specific people and specific groups of people: namely, the Pharaoh and also the Jewish people (except for the remnant) in church's age. In particular, the question was posed about Jewish people, as in God might not be fair towards them by hardening their hearts, and then that question was answered by saying that God did the same with Pharaoh. So it never said that it applies to everyone who ever goes to hell. It only said it applies to those specific people. And yes, even if it applies to only a minority of people, one can still be bothered by it. So one can still ask questions such as the ones Romans 9 was trying to answer.
One interesting thing about Romans 9 is that it used an analogy of a potter and a clay. Now, when a potter makes stuff, it usually has a purpose: to teach people a lesson. But what is the point of teaching a lesson if nobody has free will? On the other hand, the point becomes apparent if only some people (namely, the characters of that story) don't have free will, while other people (the readers of the story) do. So maybe God used a clay to make Groups 1 and 2, who don't have a free will, in order to teach some lessons to Group 3, who has free will, and who is watching them?
As far as the verse "who is resisted His will?" that verse is still true: Group 3 didn't resist God's will, since God's will was to give that group free will. So God didn't will for group 3 to either go to heaven or hell, hence it didn't resist its will. On the other hand, God "did" will heaven for group 1 and hell for group 2, and those two groups didn't resist His will either.
As far as "who are you to reply against God", that has to do with people that feel bad for group 2. This doesn't change the fact that group 3 still has free will.
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