Questions Used Against Calvinists That Apply To Arminians
Arguments used against Calvinist Theology that could just as easily be used against Arminian Theology and be answered in very similiar ways.
Q. Why would God create people He was going to send to hell if Calvinism is true?
A. This issue is not merely an issue for the Calvinist, but for the Arminian also. If God knows all things then He knows that He is creating certain people who will reject Him and end up in hell. Wouldn't it just be better for God to refrain from creating those people? Of course, the Arminian would believe that God had a purpose in creating those who were going to end up in hell.
The same answer then applies for the Calvinist. God had a purpose in doing things the way He did.
Q. Why should the Calvinist waste valuable time in praying for the lost if God has elected some and passed over others?
A. The issue of prayer is also an issue for the Arminian, although in a slightly different way. Arminians believe that God loves people infinitely more than we could. They also believe that God is giving everyone an equal opportunity to be saved. They do not believe that God will violate man's free will in order to save them. If all of this is true, then why pray for the lost? Isn't God already doing everything He can, barring the violation of their free wills, to save them? Well, the Arminian believes that God wants us to partake in His goodness and to be conformed more into the image of Christ. Part of being conformed into the image of Christ, and the means thereof, is prayer.
The same answer then applies for the Calvinist. God wants us to partake in Him and be conformed more into the image of Christ. God also ordains the means as well as the ends. Of course, what can be more valuable than communion with God?
Q. Since God is love, then why doesn't the Calvinist believe God shows mercy all the time since it is in accordance with His nature?
A. This can also be an issue for the Arminian. Since, according to the Arminian, God has partially layed aside His sovereign workings to give some leave to the free will of man knowing that man would abuse the gift of free will and end up in hell. Unless one is a universalist, both sides must acknowledge that God does send people to hell and this is because there is more to God's nature, character, and attributes than an all-forgiving, blink-at-sin, forgetful love. God is holy, righteous, just, and good, as well as loving, compassionate, graceful, and merciful.
Q. Doesn't God have to show love, mercy, and grace all the time since He is love?
A. It is interesting that the Arminian in arguing that man has a libertarian free will, he would turn around and deny that God has the same type of free will. They say that God must do according to His nature, and so, God is a free agent. This is what Calvinists believe that God has given man: free agency. It is that man does that which is in accordance with his nature. Furthermore, they believe that free will is necessary in order to genuinely love. Love must be a choice unhindered by any necessity of nature, they claim. The logic behind why God had to give man a free will is that the person would be a slave or robot which would be incapable of loving God and others in return. Since God wants people to love and experience love he gave them free wills. Yet, when it comes to God, He has no choice in the matter but must of necessity love. And whose love is more genuine than God's?
So to ask such a question is to contradict the essential arguments made about their view of genuine love and free will.
This page was last updated: 2/3/2017
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