Gil W Vanorder Jr

Can You Trust in Jesus? Gil W Vanorder Jr

Calvinists believe God predestines who will be saved before they are even born. Calvinists also believe we cannot know why He chooses some and not others, but His decisions are not based on His foreknowledge of the people He saves. Arminians, on the other hand, believe God has given humans the ability to freely accept or reject the Gospel. Arminians also believe that God has revealed why He saves some and not others. He saves on the basis of His foreknowledge of human hearts. So, which theology is correct? For over fifty years, I have tried to find a thorough and compelling argument in the debate between Calvinism and Arminianism. I have read hundreds of books and articles presenting biblical reasons to believe one position or the other but have found all of them lacking. On Calvinism, I've read works by all the famous Johns including John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, John Piper, and John MacArthur. I have also looked at writings by R. C. Sproul, Arthur Pink, Lorraine Boettner, James Montgomery Boice, and G. C. Berkower. Obviously, I have read Augustine, Luther, and The Westminster Confession of Faith. Regarding Arminianism, I have read most of the early Church Fathers including Ignatius, Irenaeus, Justin Maryr, Clement, Archelaus, and Methodius. I have also read A. W. Tozer, R. A. Torrey, Oswald Chambers, Roger E. Olson, and Jack Cottrell. Obviously, I have studied writings by Jacob Arminius, John Wesley, and Billy Graham. As great as the writings are by all these authors, not one convincingly demonstrated to me the soundness of their Arminian or Reformed theology. After fruitlessly searching for a thorough exposition of one of the two views, I finally decided to write one myself. Thus, this book is my attempt to show the many reasons Christians believe in Calvinism while simultaneously demonstrating why they shouldn't.