We have a choice!

I have been doing a lot of studying on the Wesley-Arminian vs Calvin debate. For those who do not know the details of this debate, I am glad you don't know. It makes my head spin. I was watching a video about it last night, and at the end of this video, debating the topic was a statement I truly could embrace. 

"Evangelism is more important than arguing with people in the kingdom. This is 'inside baseball.' This is fun and important for us (Christians). But it is not worth destroying relationships over." (Dr. Braxton Hunter)[1]

The overly simplified debate is whether God decides who will be saved before he even created us or if we have a part to play in making a decision to accept Jesus. There are other aspects that are also hotly debated. As I said, this is a grossly overly simplistic view of the debate. The Calvinists have their forty verses they say point to their viewpoint. The Wesley camp has forty verses that support their conclusions. But in the end, in my humble opinion, it is all a debate over semantics. We ALL agree our job, assigned by Jesus, is to go and proclaim the gospel to the lost, help them see the saving grace of Jesus, and through the power of the Holy Spirit alone, they will be saved. I do not understand how it all works. I do not fully understand election, predestination, prevenient grace, how secure we are in our faith, or a countless list of theological topics. What I do know... I love the Lord. He is so good to me when I absolutely do not deserve it. His mercy and his grace are sufficient because of his death on the cross to wipe away my sins. I know I will be with him in glory for eternity, and the joy that fills my heart because I am His is something eternally more important than a debate!

God gives us a choice. Just like the verse in Joshua states:

"So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshipped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua, 24:14-15)

I love the stories in the Bible that show people saved by the grace of God. As I was reading about King Manasseh today, I saw a changed man. He followed detestable practices. He built the statue of a pagan god in the Temple. He sacrificed his own sons in the fire to an idol! You can't get more lost than this King. He completely went against everything that represented God. At his lowest point, King Manasseh was taken prisoner by the Assyrian army:

"But while in deep distress, Manasseh sought the Lord his God and sincerely humbled himself before the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed, the Lord listened to him and was moved by his request. So the Lord brought Manasseh back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh finally realized that the Lord alone is God." (2 Chronicles 33:12-13)

Manasseh was transformed, and he reversed all the evil he had done. 

God does the same thing to us right now. You do not need to know all the spiritual details. You don't need to make a decision on conditional or unconditional election. You don't need to know the nuances of limited vs unlimited atonement or irresistible vs resistible grace. You simply need to make the choice. Who will you follow today? Will you continue to reject the Lord or will you repent of your sins and come to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Every Calvinist and Wesleyan theologian can agree THAT is the choice before you!

[1] “The Best Argument against Calvinism w/ Dr. Braxton Hunter.” YouTube, March 30, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJWIWv69D_0.