"The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment is a truly important work-one that should be required reading not only for church leaders, but for all sober-minded laypeople as well."

John MacArthur (From the Foreword)

"If you were more discerning you’d probably buy this book. If you do read this book, you will be! This book on discernment is simple, clear, well-written and well-illustrated...

Mark Dever

Welcome to the online home of Tim Challies, blogger, author and web designer. My first book, "The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment," is now available everywhere.

Read about the book, about the blog or about the author.

Subscribe via RSS | Subscribe via Email
12/23/03
Comments (14)

Arminian Grace

This is a song I found while digging around the Internet and is a pretty funny parody of Arminian theology. Unfortunately I did not record where I found it so can not cite it.

To the tune of Amazing Grace.

Arminian “grace!” How strange the sound,
Salvation hinged on me.
I once was lost then turned around,
Was blind then chose to see.

What “grace” is it that calls for choice,
Made from some good within?
That part that wills to heed God’s voice,
Proved stronger than my sin.

Thru many ardent gospel pleas,
I sat with heart of stone.
But then some hidden good in me,
Propelled me toward my home.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Because of what we’ve done,
We’ve no less days to sing our praise,
Than when we first begun.

(With apologies to John Newton)

Arminian Grace

Comments (14) »

1. Mac Swift
December 24, 2003
11:09 AM

This mockery, not to mention inaccurate reflection of Arminian theology is typical of the Calvinist ignorance of Scripture. But that’s a fight for another day.

Perhaps you should do a rendition of amazing grace for those who haven’t been chosen by God to be saved. I’m sure such a rendition will demonstrate a real appreciation of God’s grace and love given that he decided not to save them. Such a version that would be an instant hit. :-D

2. Tim
December 24, 2003
1:41 PM

It’s supposed to be funny! It’s satire…or sarcasm…or just plain humor. Either way, it is deliberately exaggerated.

3. Mac Swift
December 24, 2003
1:51 PM

I know it is, but it’s still inaccurate. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you can’t use satire (it’s your blog after all!), but it reminds me of another parody where if I recall correctly, the authour is sinking into the sea and God grabs him, and then the authour says he saved himself because he chose to be saved. I can’t remember the exact specifics, but it did indicate a misrepresentation of what Arminian leaning Christians really believe. Calvinists complain all the time about how people sometimes “misrepresent” their beliefs, so it’s a fair point to make that the pendulum swings just as easily the other way as well.

Merry Christmas!

4. Tim
December 24, 2003
3:22 PM

I agree. Calvinists and Arminians do not understand each other’s theology very well. I have done in-depth studies of the differences and believe I have a pretty good handle on it all…enough to know that Arminians don’t really believe that they will spend eternity singing their own praises!

Have a wonderful Christmas!

5. Tim
December 24, 2003
3:30 PM

I find no “mockery” or “inaccurate reflections” here. Those who haven’t been saved have no concept of Amazing Grace, neither are they interested in it. Perhaps…

Amazing Grace Unknown to me. by sin, I’m lost and refuse to see.

What is Grace? I have no clue. I like my sin I’m just like you.

6. Frank H
February 25, 2004
12:41 PM

Do you think the LORD approves of this sort of attitude?

7. Niel MacConnell
February 27, 2004
3:32 AM

It was great to hear some reason with regards to your commentary on the passion. I all most went to see the Movie but after hearing about the RC lean on the movie decided not to. I also felt that the mainline Protestents had divorced there minds and compromised Gods word by giving there whole hearted support towards the movie. I quess this just tells you that feeling is more important than truth and reason these days, Niel

8. Gryphon Hall
February 24, 2006
9:14 AM

It is only common courtesy to actually know what a person means before parodying or satirizing him; better read what James Arminius or John Wesley actually thought about Grace before making it seem they think that they actually believe in salvation by works.

9. --
February 24, 2006
9:32 AM

How about this as the last line?

I don’t think there is any exageration here.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Still by our faith we’ll stand, Then our trust will be as pure and our love as sure, As when we’d first begun.

10. Ross
April 16, 2006
8:17 AM

I agree that the above parod is based on a misrepresentation. The Book by Randy Maddox, “Responsible Grace,” makes the point that Wesleyan and Arminian theology are not about man ‘deciding’ to follow God on his own, but simply responding to His grace and calling. Hence, man is only responsible, because he is respond able.

However, there are many supposed “Arminians” who are theologicaly innacurate and share thier faith in a way that would make this parody valid. They are closer to Pelagius than Arminus or Wesley.

But is this any different from a supposed “Calvinist” whose misrepresentation of the theology leads to antinomianism?

11. J.C.T.
June 2, 2006
9:59 AM

I have often heard to never dignify ignorant comments with a response, but this is just too easy a target.

  1. Do you have a problem with salvation hinging on us? Someone needs to tell that to Peter before his doctrinal errors spread!

“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall…” 2 Peter 1:10

  1. Chose to see? Isn’t is Christ who brings the word to us? You know, “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17); when Christ calls us, if we hear Him, in spite of our sin and state of spiritual deadness, we will be made alive.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” John 5:25

Hence, spiritual life begins after one hears and heeds the word of God, not before. Oh, I’m sorry, or is it that we’re made spiritually alive so we can hear Christ so we can be made alive again. Does that mean we have to spiritually die again after we hear Christ?

  1. Only God’s grace and Christ’s redemptive power are stronger than our sin. The fact that God chose us from the beginning is no bar to us having the free will to reject it.

“See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape], if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven…” Hebrews 12:25

The author of Hebrews made an unnecessarily burdensome statement, seeing that this matter is out of our hands anyway, because he apparently must have forgotten the vital point of doctrine that receiving God’s word cannot hinge on us.

Equally, the fact that God must open our heart to receive the gospel is no evidence that we cannot harden our own hearts and stop our ears.

“But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.” Zechariah 7:11

And before you even ask, let me use my powers of telepathy: yes, I have read Romans 9; read chapters 1:23 and 28 of the same book to see why God chooses to harden some men’s hearts.

  1. To God be all glory. Doing what is expected of us is nothing meritorious or special. It is not for our good works or deeds of righteousness that we are saved: The fact that God has placed conditions (not merits or price) upon salvation in no sense permits our earning it. Indeed, though necessary conditions which God has set, they cannot serve as even partial payment, for things like faith and love in and of themselves cannot save at all, only God’s grace and mercy can.

“So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” Luke 17:10

Oops, my mistake. Yes, the act of merely hearing and receiving God’s word is SO glorious and impossibly difficult that if it even slightly hinges on us, we must receive the highest of honors and glory throughout eternity! At least that’s what I get from that verse.

J.C. Thibodaux

12. TheIronHare
July 12, 2007
3:06 PM

I was just taking Arminianism to its logical conclusions.

  • Dennis Walter Cochran, writer of “Arminian Grace”

13. TheIronHare
July 12, 2007
3:07 PM

I was just taking Arminianism to its logical conclusions.

  • Dennis Walter Cochran, writer of “Arminian Grace”

14. Robert
July 12, 2007
8:19 PM

JCT, I see that nobody has responded to your comments. I’m arguably the most baby Christian to read this blog but I will comment if you don’t mind:

You said: 1. Do you have a problem with salvation hinging on us? Someone needs to tell that to Peter before his doctrinal errors spread! and then went on to list quite a few verses in support of the idea that we are responsible in some way for our salvation/faith however you’d like to characterize it. Here’s my comment: I fail to see how the verses you chose nullifies the Calvinist position. Either God is sovereign and our faith comes from Him or it is something less; a partnership…I don’t get hung up on percentages…but I fail to see how this changes the validity of the “God is the author of our faith” argument. I think we all know that the bible tells us to be diligent, examine ourselves, etc…all things we should do…but I just don’t see how that nullifies the fact that we don’t have the power to somehow partner in our salvation with God.

However…on the opposite side of the coin…the verses that speak of our salvation being totally God’s choice, and by His power and mercy, are not so ambigious are they? They spell out clearly the details of the “Calvinist” position.

You made a comment about knowing that “Romans 9” was coming…well…it’s there…you can’t ignore it…how does the argument that he lays out harmonize with the idea that we “pots” do, after all, have something to say about it? What he lays out is a very strong argument; Romans 9…very well put together, and hard to miss the intent…he hits us with a sledgehammer….

Being that the verses you sited as supporting the free will position are in the same book…then Paul evidently doesn’t know what he’s writing from one verse to the next, or he forgot. I’m guessing that you would not agree with that last statement…so wouldn’t you say that we have some work to do to see how Chap 1:23 harmonizes with the strong argument of chapter 9?

God bless, bob