Arminianism is a prevalent interpretation of Christianity today.  It had its origins in the early seventeenth century in Holland when Jacob Harmenszoon (Arminius), a theology professor at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, stated objections to the doctrines of the Reformed Church of Holland in regard to the extent of human depravity, the basis of God’s election, the extent of Christ’s atonement, and the effectiveness of God’s call on the human heart.

Arminius was actually reiterating some of the ideas put forth in the fourth century by John Cassian who agreed with Augustine that Pelagius was wrong when he denied original sin, the absolute need of grace for redemption, and that God ever commands that which man cannot do, but believed that God preserved an island of righteousness in the human heart that enabled fallen man to choose Christ.  Cassian’s movement came to be known as “Semi-Pelagianism,” and became the actual theological base of the Roman Catholic Church.

During the Reformation, scholars such as Martin Luther, Martin Bucer, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin and others insisted that Augustinian theology was correct and  returned to the Augustinian position that only an act of divine grace that changed (regenerated) the human heart would enable one to come to Christ.  As Jesus said clearly, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him” (John 6:44), and “that is why I said to you that no one can come to me unless the Father enable him” (John 6:65).

Arminius did not deny the fall, but felt that the effect of Adam’s sin on humanity was not so great but that man could still choose to come to Christ.  He did believe in predestination, but adopted the prescient view that God looked down the stream of time, like previewing a movie, and saw who would choose Christ, and then He retroactively predestinated these people to eternal life.  Arminius also claimed that Jesus’ death was for all humanity, which would mean that Jesus died to make salvation a possibility for all men rather than a certainty for some.  He came to believe that man could resist the call of God’s grace on his heart, and although he did not want to abandon the doctrine of eternal security, his followers insisted that for the sake of consistency, he would need to do so.

His disciples thus later developed five points in which they remonstrated against the Reformed Church of Holland.  They became known as the Remonstrants, and were condemned by the Synod of Dordrecht in 1618-1619.  The synod’s affirmation of traditional Reformed positions on these five issues became known as The Five Points of Calvinism, usually represented by the acronym TULIP (Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, and Perseverance of the saints).  Although Reformed theologians today use other terms, the fundamental concepts remain the same.

John Wesley accepted Arminianism as the theological position of his Methodist movement, although other Methodists like his brother Charles and George Whitefield were Reformed.  Arminianism has been embraced by many new denominations such as the Pentecostal movements, and some Baptists have changed from Reformed to a semi-Arminian position, such as the “Four Point Calvinists” who accept all the distinctives but definite atonement.

Though no competent scholar questions that Arminians cannot embrace Christ in true faith, Reformed theologians point out the obvious inconsistencies in the system that would undermine the entire integrity of Christianity.  For instance, how can God truly be sovereign if people He calls can reject His purposes?  And what would be the point of predestining someone who is going to choose Christ and really doesn’t need predestining?  If Jesus died to pay for the sins of all men, and yet not all are saved, then how can it be that people for whom payment and satisfaction is made to the Father are then condemned?  Where is the Biblical evidence for this preserved island of righteousness?  How can one be saved by grace alone if at the end of the day he is saved because of something he has done (a choice he has made)?  Why is that not works salvation?   If salvation is conditioned on man, then what has happened to the sovereign purpose and promises of God?  And if salvation rests with man, and the devil is far stronger than all men, what would prevent the devil from destroying any Christian or anyone who would think of coming to Christ?  And the inconsistencies continue.

When compared with the teaching of Scripture, as the Synod of Dordrecht did, Arminianism is shown to be a perversion of Christianity based on unscriptural assumptions that rob God of his sovereignty in order to create “free will” in man.  Man’s autonomy is defended against God’s sovereignty.  In the end, man, not God, receives the glory for salvation, and such a conclusion cannot be.  Logically, when one’s premises lead to a false conclusion, then those premises need careful re-examination!

(For further study on this topic we recommend ordering The Doctrines of Grace and/or The Sovereignty of God by Danny Hale from Engedi Ministries.)