“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” — Romans 8:29

This is a hallmark verse for the Calvinist, and it’s fair to see why. If you take a casual reading of this verse, it would suggest that God predestined the salvation for the roster of those he “foreknew”. However, we need to make sure we’re including context, as well as a full understanding of the words Paul is using.

First, context. Romans 8:28–30 sits in a chapter about assurance amid suffering for believers (“those who love God” and “are called according to His purpose”). Paul reassures Roman Christians facing trials that God sovereignly works all things for their ultimate good. Verses 29–30 explain how God does this by outlining His redemptive plan for believers.

Ok, so this chapter is meant to encourage Christians and basically say “don’t worry, God’s anticipated this and God’s got this”.

Now for the words Paul chose and how they should be interpreted:

In the verse above, there are two words that are the crux of this: “foreknew”

… Continue reading Romans 8:29

Hēmas (meaning “us”): this word is far more than a simple debate for amusement amongst Greek scholars. Let’s dig into Ephesians 1:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,  to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

… Continue reading Ephesians 1

Did all of the early church fathers really agree on the idea that man had the ability to choose God? Remarkably — yes. In all of the known writings before Augustine in 411 AD, I have yet to find a single one that believed that God preordained salvation.

Justin Martyr has entire chapters dedicated to this, and he speaks as if he’s speaking on behalf of all of the Christians at the time (“we hold it to be true ,etc”), and doesn’t even consider that his fellow church members might believe in something different: 

Justin Martyr’s Defense of Free Choice

“But lest some suppose, from what has been said by us, that we say that whatever happens, happens by a fatal necessity, because it is foretold as known beforehand… We have learned from the prophets, and we hold it to be true, that punishments, and chastisements, and good rewards, are rendered according to the merit of each man’s actions…. For if it be fated that this man, e.g., be good, and this other evil, neither is the former meritorious nor the latter to be blamed…. For not like other things, as trees and quadrupeds,

… Continue reading Early Church Fathers on Free Will and Predestination

Calvinism is one of the most controversial theologies in the modern Protestant era. Many pastors and theologians don’t even touch it, and those that do often feel very strongly about their side, fueling further division. Another unfortunate aspect, is that Calvinism seems to creep into many seminaries and Christian higher learning, often creating a perceived division amongst Christian authority figures, and the layman. It’s for these reasons that I have felt not just a desire, but a compulsion to write this blog, despite the daunting nature of the task. My hope is that this offers some clarity, peace, and understanding to those who may believe one side or the other, but aren’t sure they know enough about it to feel confident.

In order to stay accessible, I will be splitting up this blog up into several sections, with this overview explaining the top-level arguments, and expanded sub-blogs on the topics that call for more steelmanning or exposition. If any of what I’m writing raises alarm bells or makes you bristle, I encourage you to click on the links and I’ll have much more room in the sub-blogs to flesh out everything I’m saying.

What is Calvinism?

… Continue reading Calvinism

Romans 9 is often used by Calvinists as a kind of cornerstone for their theology. If you read it on its face, it’s understandable how Calvinists came to the conclusion that humankind lacks free will. However, I think there’s a reason why the early church fathers weren’t swayed by this chapter, and a lot of it comes down to translation and context.  

The first several verses don’t raise any controversy. Paul sets the stage by saying he’s torn up at the fact that, while Gentiles were coming to Jesus en masse, his own Jewish people rejected Jesus and were far less open to Christianity:  

“I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh…To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all” — Romans 9:1-5 (abridged)  

For a Jew living in the first century, the fact that the Gentiles would have been the ones to receive the Christ and not the Jews would have caused a lot of pushback. Paul begins to explain how the God always welcomed outsiders to the faith:  

… Continue reading Romans 9