Is God Calvinist or Arminian?
The Closing Argument
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There are three principles this book will use as the basis to uphold what God has done with His creation and why He has done it the way He has. It will eliminate any uncertainty about the doctrines related to the salvation of mankind. It will, without a doubt, prove God’s desire for all mankind to be with Him for eternity in the heavenly places.
The Triune Principles
One—God’s purpose. This is the single most important aspect of God’s creation we must understand. It is at the very heart of all the questions we have about mankind and our relationship to God. When we begin to answer this question and understand His plan for us then we can understand why the world is the way it is—and we can understand His plan for salvation. God did not create the entire universe and all of mankind without purpose.
We can never truly understand God. We do not have the intellectual capacity to even come close. There are, however, many things He has revealed, because He wants us to know why He created us and what His plan is. The Bible is very clear about God’s plan for mankind, and any discussion about eternal salvation should not be shrouded in secrets or mysteries. Jesus was very clear in His teaching about salvation. Too many have taken the simplicity of Christ and complicated it to the point that many Christians don’t know what to believe. How could this be pleasing to God?
God speaks of the people of the world as those “whom I have created for My glory” (Is 43:7). “All things were created through Him and for Him” (Col 1:16). “For thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Rv 4:11 KJV). The purpose for God’s creation is His glory. When we speak of glory we are pointing to the greatness of God’s entire nature: His goodness, His holiness, His righteousness, and all His characteristics. Nothing is worthier of praise and honor than God. God will do everything He can to bring the greatest glory to Himself. This is the reason for the entire creation, and God is not going to do anything less than His perfect best. God, for no other reason, created mankind for His own glory! Knowing and using this knowledge as the basis for understanding God’s will for mankind makes the doctrine of the Christian faith simple and orderly.
Two—God’s wisdom. “He has made the world by His power, He has established the world by His wisdom” (Jer 10:12). God’s wisdom means God will always choose the best possible way to achieve His purpose. God, through His omniscience, knows every possible outcome of every possible choice He could make and He will always choose the one that achieves the greatest results for His purpose. Mankind was created for God’s glory, and He will choose the perfect way to achieve that purpose to the greatest extent possible. God alone is wise (Rm 16:27). God has created all things in His wisdom (Ps 104:24).
Three—God will always do His best. “As for God, His way is perfect” (Ps 18:30). God can do no less than His best. When He created the heavens and the earth, He declared His creation was “indeed very good” (Gn 1:31). God’s perfect, omnipotent will effectuates the perfect plan for the salvation of mankind and will yield Him the greatest glory possible.
These are three principles every Christian theologian will agree are true: God created mankind for His own glory, He chose the perfect plan to achieve that purpose, and He did the very best He could do. These three principles will guide us to an understanding of God’s perfect and eternal plan for mankind.
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About the Book
Imagine a Creator designing every intricacy of the universe and creating His crowning jewel, mankind, in His image! Now, imagine that same Creator with such a passionate, unquenchable love for them that when they introduced sin into the world, He came as a man to die an excruciating death for them. Ask yourself these questions. Did that Creator give His life for all mankind or just some? Did that creator give all mankind an opportunity for salvation? Does He love some more than others? The author explores these questions and many more in this inspiring work, Is God Calvinist or Arminian?
I highly recommend every layman as well as every Pastor include this book in their library.
—Dr. Randal Helms Senior Pastor, Forestbrook Baptist Church
Bob has a knack for taking the profoundly complex issues of soteriology and making them incredibly simple for anyone to understand. Is God Calvinist or Arminian? is an honest evaluation of some of the more troubling aspects of reformed soteriology, presented in a non-threatening manner and laced with down-to-earth language. This brief volume serves as a suitable entry point for any individual looking to further their understanding of soteriology and the practical response to it.
—Samuel L. Schmidt, Ed.D Pastor, Edgewood Baptist Church
President, The Samuel Ministry
There are three principles that establish the basis for our understanding of God’s will for mankind: His purpose for creation, His omniscient wisdom to choose the best way to achieve His purpose, and the power of His omnipotent will to perfectly execute His plan. Applying these principles to the teachings of Calvinism and Arminianism, Bob Raymond has shown that God created a plan for the salvation of mankind that is simple and orderly.
About the Author
Bob Raymond retired as a Chief Information Officer in the field of Information Technology. He accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at the age of 58. As a new Christian, Bob is on fire for the Lord and has had many questions about God, His character, and His creation. He has a passion for the study of God’s word, and a burning desire to understand more about God and His plan for mankind. God has laid many theological questions on Bob’s heart that have led him on an amazing path of spiritual discovery.
Bob lives in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with his wife, Mary. His free time is spent studying theology, traveling, and spending time with their five children and fourteen grandchildren.