A Comparative Study of Calvinistic and

Arminian Views on Human Free Will

A Term Paper Presented

in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Course
Christology, Anthropology, Soteriology

Submitted by
Uriel Jesferdil Ingod
December 2021
 Introduction

For many centuries and epochs passing, human free will has been a great

dichotomous issue between the forces of John Calvin and Jacobus Arminius. Human free

will has baffled countless Christians in the past and of today. Many denominations

nowadays have championed the teachings of John Calvin, to mention such

denominations, those are Presbyterian Church in America and Association of Reformed

Baptist Churches of America. On the other hand, Arminianism, which is often contrasted

with Calvinism, has been a powerful theological belief system too in Protestant

Christianity for 500 years, while some components of it date back even further. Basically,

denominations that fall under the umbrella of Methodist-Wesleyan tradition are

Arminian, for example, United Methodist Church and Southern Baptist Convention. In

addition, Seventh-day Adventist Church does have Arminian heritage influenced by John

& Charles Wesley, the primary founders of United Methodist Church.

Human free will is a precious gift endowed by God to humanity – a gift that was handed

to our first parents in the beginning. This gift is precious, but many people have been

misled on how to use it, and have been perplexed where to go on their spiritual journey.

This paper objectively aims to address what are the misleading beliefs of free will, and to

emphasize the biblically aligned views on free will.

Statement of the Problem

 What is the understanding of John Calvin on human free will?

 How does Jacobus Arminius apprehend human free will?

 What is the perspective of Seventh-day Adventist Church on human free will?

 III. What is the understanding of John Calvin of human free will?

John Calvin was born on July, 10, 1509 at Noyon, Paris. At his young, many people were

amazed for his blameless life, and religious devotion with God, even when he was just a

child he aspired to become a priest. Later on in his life, his father sent him to University

of Paris to study theology. Unfortunately, for some time later, His father pulled him back

from studying theology, and sent John Calvin to the University of Orleans to study civil

law. Throughout his years, he became a efficacious and staunch protestant against the

schemes of Roman Catholic. He ignited many people to follow him, and they protected

themselves from the veil of errors of the mother church. As a result of his fruitful

ministry, He founded University of Geneva in Switzerland in 1559.

John Calvin has ideated the five key points that define the whole face Calvinism, and it is

acronymized as TULIP:

Total depravity - This belief expounds about the inability of man not to receive God,

because of the reason that man has fallen short against God from the beginning.

Furthermore, since man has fallen short against God, as a result, man no longer have the

desire of noble things above, but only have the dark and temporal desires that Satan

offered. Thus, because of such reason humans are totally unable to love God – it is a total

inability.1
1

McKim, Donald K. (2014-04-21). The Westminster

Dictionary of Theological Terms, Second Edition: Revised and
Expanded (Kindle Locations 14590-14592). Westminster John
Knox Press. Kindle Edition.
Unconditional Election - God elects a person based on what is in God, not on what is in

that person, because there is nothing in a person that would make him worthy of being

selected. God has chosen us because he wanted to show us his love and grace, not

because we are deserving of salvation in and of ourselves.

Unconditional election is God's sovereign act, nothing ever can and nothing ever will

could restrain Him. He already has chosen people whom he would save from the

beginning of time. This election to salvation is not contingent on any individual's

unflagging or good acts. The election is solely based on God's sovereign choice in

accordance with His gracious will. God chose the elect because He chose to give His love

on us (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:4), solely on the basis of his sovereign grace and for his

glory .
2
Limited Atonement - Solely the elect, not everyone who ever lived, were subjected to

Christ's atonement. Although Christ's blood was sufficient for everyone, not all sins were

imputed to him. The blood of Christ is sufficient to cover everyone. However, sufficiency

refers to his divine worth, which is distinct from our legal debt. Sin is a debt (Matthew

6:12; Luke 11:4) because it violates God's Law (1 John 3:4). Calvinists believe that the

number of transgressions that could be imputed to Christ in a legal sense was minimal.

They aren't denying that Christ's blood is sufficient to cover everyone. They instead focus

on the legal aspects of the sin debt. People's sin obligations were transferred to Jesus and

cancelled on the cross (1 Peter 2:24), not when we believe (Col. 2:14). As a result, such

2
McKim, Donald K. (2014-04-21). The Westminster
Dictionary of Theological Terms, Second Edition: Revised and
Expanded (Kindle Locations 14590-14592). Westminster John
Knox Press. Kindle Edition
cancellation of transgressions cannot be used against the sinner in legal terms because

their status as a debt has been canceled by being paid on the cross (John 19:30; Col.

2:14). If a debt is canceled, it is no longer valid and cannot be used against the debtor or

sinner. Thus, even though Christ's blood was sufficient to cover all sins, he only legally

bore the sins of the elect. Consider 1 Sam. 3:14 as well which says: "Therefore I have

sworn to the house of Eli that Eli's wickedness shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or

offering forever," declares 3:14.

Irresistible Grace - Unfortunately, the term connotes a mechanical and coercive force

applied to an unwilling subject. This is not the case at all. Rather, it is God's act that

causes the human to be willing to receive him. This isn't to say that a person cannot

resist God's will. It says that when God moves to save/regenerate a person, the sinner will

be regenerated since he can't stop God. God directs a person's heart in the direction he

desires (Proverbs 21:1). God's mercy and decision are based on God's desire, not man's

capabilities (Romans 9:18).3

Perseverance of the Saints – This belief expounds that we can't stray away from God

because we are so safe in Christ. Jesus will not abandon any of those who have been

given to him by the Father (John 6:38-39); He offers them eternal life so they will never

perish (John 3:16; 10:27-28), and those who abandon the faith whenever they were

believers to begin with (John 3:16; 10:27-28). (1 John 2:19). Furthermore, this belief is

3
McKim, Donald K. (2014-04-21). The Westminster
Dictionary of Theological Terms, Second Edition: Revised and
Expanded (Kindle Locations 14590-14592). Westminster John
Knox Press. Kindle Edition
also known as “once saved always saved”, this phrase connotes that, if God has chosen us

and elected us as one of His saints, we will never have the probability of losing the

salvation that He offered, even if we commit and cling to our darkest and grievous sins.

Sins cannot be the cause of our separation between Christ.

Tulip and the Bible

What Jesus said: John 13:18, “I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen;

but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ˜He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel

against Me.” What Paul said: Eph. 1:4, “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the

world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him.”1 4Tim. 5:21, “I solemnly

charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to

maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.”

II. How does Jacobus Arminius apprehend human free will?

Jacobus Arminius was born in Netherlands, Oudewater. Jacobus belonged to a middle-

class family who had been saddened by his father's death while Jacobus was a child. But

the loss of his mother and siblings during the Spanish massacre of Oudewater in 1575

added a deeper agony of John Calvin’s life. Eventually, Arminius was afterwards raised

by family friends who have seen that he received a prestigious university education. In

4
Woodrow W. (2010,October). Grace, Free Will, and

Judgment. Adventist Review

1575, John Calvin’s higher education journey had commenced at Marburg, Germany and

at University of Leiden, Holland, from 1576 to 1581. As a student, numerous people had
5
been astounded for his outstanding prowess in his field of study, as a result, a plenty of

affluent Amsterdam merchants sponsored him for his future theological specializations

on studying prestigious theological seminaries. Thereafter, He studied at University of

Geneva with his High Calvinist theology professor and a renowned scholar Theodore

Beza (1509-1605), and was prevalently known as staunch “High Calvinist” believer.

After finishing his studies in several universities, he then came back to his alma mater

dear University of Leiden as a theology professor. Jacobus Arminius’ creation of his

teachings has been a great nemesis against the staunch followers Calvin along with their

doctrines and teachings. Many of the Calvinistic teachings have been a great objection to

Jacobus Arminius’ perceptions of his doctrines. In particular, the TULIP five key points:

Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, and

Perseverance of the saints.

In contrast, FACTS theology has become a solid foundation to Arminian on opposing to

Calvinistic teachings. This theology was formulated for the purpose of glorifying God,

protecting people from errors and misconceptions, foster appropriate presentation of our

magnificent God to the world, and also by advancing biblically sound Arminian

teachings that people may digest.

5
Dee P. (2017, Aug). An outline of the FACTS of Arminianism
vs. the TULIP of Calvinism. Society of Evangelical Arminians.
Total Depravity - Humanity was formed in the image of God, good and upright, but

through purposeful disobedience, humanity fell from its original innocent state, leaving

humanity sinful, estranged from God, and under divine condemnation. Total depravity

does not imply 6that humans are as evil as they could be, but rather that sin has infiltrated

every aspect of human life and that people now have a wicked nature with a natural

inclination toward sin, making everyone basically corrupt. As a result, human beings are

incapable of thinking, willing, or doing anything good in and of themselves, including

obtaining God's favor, escaping God's wrath and punishment that we deserve as a result

of our sin, or even believing the gospel. God must take the initiative if anyone is to be

rescued.

Atonement for all - God loves the world and intends for everyone to be saved and come

to know the truth. As a result, God sent his only Son to die for the sins of the entire

world, allowing all people to be forgiven and saved. While Christ's sacrificial and

substitutionary death has brought salvation for all people, the blessings of Christ's

sacrifice are received by grace via faith and are only effective for those who believe.

Freed by Grace - God urges all people everywhere to repent and believe the gospel

because of Total Depravity and Atonement for All (as mentioned above), and generously

enables those who hear the gospel to respond affirmatively in faith. Those who trust in

Christ are regenerated by God (faith logically precedes regeneration). God's redeeming

grace is escapable, which means that He gives us the opportunity to resist his calling,

6
Dee P. (2017, Aug). An outline of the FACTS of Arminianism
vs. the TULIP of Calvinism. Society of Evangelical Arminians.
drawing, and convicting grace (which wo7uld bring us to salvation if we answered with

faith). Those who hear the gospel have the option of accepting it by grace or denying it,

which will result in their eternal damnation.

Apart from pleasing the Lord and performing spiritual good, humans often have free will,

which implies they can either do or refrain from doing anything. People frequently have

true choices and are thus capable of making decisions.

God has complete and unrestricted free will. It is a matter of his own free will and

sovereignty that he chooses to supernaturally free the will of sinners to believe in Christ

by his grace.

Conditional Election - God has sovereignly chosen that only those who believe in His

Son, Jesus Christ, will be saved and blessed for all eternity. From the beginning of time,

God knew who would believe in Christ. There are two main interpretations of election

based on faith among Arminians.

Individual election: The traditional idea that God chose each believer personally based on

His foreknowledge of their faith and thereby predestined them to eternal life.

Corporate election: Individuals are only included in corporate election if they are in faith-

union with Christ the Chosen One and as members of his people. Individuals become

elect when they believe and stay elect just as long as they believe, because their election

is derived from Christ's and God's corporate people's election.

7
Dee P. (2017, Aug). An outline of the FACTS of Arminianism
vs. the TULIP of Calvinism. Society of Evangelical Arminians.
Security in Christ - Because salvation is based on faith in Christ, our salvation is also

based on faith in Christ. The Holy Spirit empowers us to continue believing in Christ, just

as he empowered us to believe in Christ.

God safeguards our faith relationship with him against any outside force that might

compel us to abandon Christ or our faith, and he keeps us saved as long as we trust in

him. Arminians disagree on whether Scripture teaches that believers can abandon their

faith in Christ and8 thus perish (the traditional view, held by most Arminians), or whether

God irresistibly prevents believers from abandoning their faith and thus entering eternal

condemnation (the irresistible view, held by most Arminians) (as unbelievers).

III. What is the perspective of Seventh-day Adventist on human free will?

Seventh-day Adventist has been established on the ground where Wesleyan-Arminian

heritage has been vehemently propagated as their solid foundation on their perception of

salvation. As Ellen White, one of the founders of Seventh-day Adventism was mentored

by a former Methodist Wesleyan, her influence in the development of this belief is

significant. Adventist strongly embraces the idea of converting grace, rather than

irresistible grace (Calvinistic teaching). Converting grace is God’s sovereign act of His

divine saving initiative. However, such converting grace does not unfold “coercively, but

persuasively”. God is not the God who sternly coerces people to love Him back and on

8
Woodrow W. (2010,October). Grace, Free Will, and

Judgment. Adventist Review

f9ollowing His commands. Adventist believes on a God who has given humans the ability

to make choices of their own that determine their destiny. God is tender, gentle, and

lovely, that’s the stand of Adventism. Where there is no freedom, tyranny prevails.

Conclusion:

As a person raised in an Adventist family, I believe that Seventh-day Adventist Church

strongly contradicts Calvinistic teachings, in particular, the TULIP: Total Depravity,

Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, Perseverance of the

Saints. For the Adventist, this stand is completely a wellspring of error, and this should

not be fostered inside the church. Where there is no freedom, tyranny prevails.

Reference

9
Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology, p. 255
Paroschi, W.(2014,August). The cross and the Sanctuary.

Ministry Magazine

Woodrow W. (2010,October). Grace, Free Will, and Judgment.

Adventist Review

Robert J. (2013,April). Apocalyptic and Free Will.

Perspective Digest.

Dee P. (2017, Aug). An outline of the FACTS of Arminianism vs.

the TULIP of Calvinism. Society of Evangelical Arminians.

Aecio E. C. (2020). The Doctrine of Man, Free Will. Handbook

of SDA Theology.