FrozenChosen
Puritan Board Freshman
I have begun to write a series of imaginary conversations in which a Calvinist, Cal, and an Arminian, Amy, begin to discuss the ideas of predestination/Calvinism.
I would appreciate [b:ebb71c495a]any and all[/b:ebb71c495a] forms of feedback on these conversations. They are theological in nature, and I would like for someone else to make sure I'm not making mistakes I might not notice.
I began doing this as kind of a way to help explain the virtues of Calvinism and the errors of Arminianism to my Arminian friends (which outnumber the Calvinists) in a kind of shepherding way.
The conversations (well, now there's only one but more to come) can be found by clicking on the Theology Blog link in my signature.
I will reproduce the first conversation here:
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Conversations, part I
Daniel Pope
Two students sat down in the student union cafeteria for lunch after class. One student was named Cal; the other student's name was Amy. Cal had been recently converted and ended up at a Presbyterian (PCA) church and Amy had grown up in the church as a Methodist.
Cal began to eat his oriental chicken salad, while Amy tore ravenously into her hamburger. Cal sarcastically smirked "Watch out, don't be a glutton!"
"That's OK, Christ died for my sins!" Amy chirped.
"I sure hope so," Cal quipped under his breath.
"What?" Amy asked. "Did I hear you right? I mean, I don't want to get into any kind of discussion, but did you imply that Christ didn't die for all the world's sin?"
"Well, I think you got yourself a discussion if you want to keep talking on the subject. Well, I'll say it. I don't believe that Christ died for all the world's sin."
"How can you say that?" Amy asked, with a hint of indignance.
"Well, I realize the difference that we have in our theology. I'm a Calvinist, while you're an Arminian. But honestly, even under modern day Arminianism, you can't really say that Christ died for the sins of all."
"Are you serious? I mean, everything the Bible says tells us that Christ died for us!" Amy was a little peeved.
"Well, I'd like to see verse references. But there aren't any. The idea sounds good though, and very evangelistic. The only problem is that evangelism depends on the rest of your theology, and the idea that Christ died for everyone is bad theology," Cal responded.
"Well, I don't have my Bible hear but I'm sure it says it" Amy huffed.
"Heh, well OK. If Christ died for everyone's sin, then everyone is going to heaven, right?" Cal asked.
"Well, no, a whole sixth of what Jesus talked about was hell." Amy responded.
"That's correct, awesome. But why do they go to hell if they are forgiven?" Cal asked.
Amy, seeing that Cal wasn't trying to be threatening, responded with confidence "Because they don't believe. By not believing they reject Christ's forgiveness."
"Hold up a second," Cal said. "Is unbelief, or this rejection, a sin?"
"I'm not sure where you're going with this...I guess I'd say yes," Amy responded. There seemed to be a little shake in her voice.
"Then did Christ die for all sin?" Cal asked.
"Well," said Amy, seeing the logical fallacy, "I guess unbelief isn't a sin." She was looking for a quick out.
"Then why do people go to hell? If unbelief isn't a sin, then why is it being punished?" Cal asked.
"I guess I'll have to think on that one," Amy responded. "I need to get to class."
Amy picked up her books and left, hamburger half uneaten. Cal began to work on his salad again, but also picked at the untouched fries.
[Edited on 6-17-2004 by FrozenChosen]
I would appreciate [b:ebb71c495a]any and all[/b:ebb71c495a] forms of feedback on these conversations. They are theological in nature, and I would like for someone else to make sure I'm not making mistakes I might not notice.
I began doing this as kind of a way to help explain the virtues of Calvinism and the errors of Arminianism to my Arminian friends (which outnumber the Calvinists) in a kind of shepherding way.
The conversations (well, now there's only one but more to come) can be found by clicking on the Theology Blog link in my signature.
I will reproduce the first conversation here:
======
Conversations, part I
Daniel Pope
Two students sat down in the student union cafeteria for lunch after class. One student was named Cal; the other student's name was Amy. Cal had been recently converted and ended up at a Presbyterian (PCA) church and Amy had grown up in the church as a Methodist.
Cal began to eat his oriental chicken salad, while Amy tore ravenously into her hamburger. Cal sarcastically smirked "Watch out, don't be a glutton!"
"That's OK, Christ died for my sins!" Amy chirped.
"I sure hope so," Cal quipped under his breath.
"What?" Amy asked. "Did I hear you right? I mean, I don't want to get into any kind of discussion, but did you imply that Christ didn't die for all the world's sin?"
"Well, I think you got yourself a discussion if you want to keep talking on the subject. Well, I'll say it. I don't believe that Christ died for all the world's sin."
"How can you say that?" Amy asked, with a hint of indignance.
"Well, I realize the difference that we have in our theology. I'm a Calvinist, while you're an Arminian. But honestly, even under modern day Arminianism, you can't really say that Christ died for the sins of all."
"Are you serious? I mean, everything the Bible says tells us that Christ died for us!" Amy was a little peeved.
"Well, I'd like to see verse references. But there aren't any. The idea sounds good though, and very evangelistic. The only problem is that evangelism depends on the rest of your theology, and the idea that Christ died for everyone is bad theology," Cal responded.
"Well, I don't have my Bible hear but I'm sure it says it" Amy huffed.
"Heh, well OK. If Christ died for everyone's sin, then everyone is going to heaven, right?" Cal asked.
"Well, no, a whole sixth of what Jesus talked about was hell." Amy responded.
"That's correct, awesome. But why do they go to hell if they are forgiven?" Cal asked.
Amy, seeing that Cal wasn't trying to be threatening, responded with confidence "Because they don't believe. By not believing they reject Christ's forgiveness."
"Hold up a second," Cal said. "Is unbelief, or this rejection, a sin?"
"I'm not sure where you're going with this...I guess I'd say yes," Amy responded. There seemed to be a little shake in her voice.
"Then did Christ die for all sin?" Cal asked.
"Well," said Amy, seeing the logical fallacy, "I guess unbelief isn't a sin." She was looking for a quick out.
"Then why do people go to hell? If unbelief isn't a sin, then why is it being punished?" Cal asked.
"I guess I'll have to think on that one," Amy responded. "I need to get to class."
Amy picked up her books and left, hamburger half uneaten. Cal began to work on his salad again, but also picked at the untouched fries.
[Edited on 6-17-2004 by FrozenChosen]