Frequently Asked Questions

I get questions about myself and my beliefs sometimes, so I've put together this FAQ to give you a general idea of what I teach and where I am coming from.


Q: Are you an Armenian?

A: No, I have never even been to Armenia.



Q: Alright smarty-pants, are you an Arminian?

A: No, I had never even studied anything about Arminius before I began studying Calvinism, nor did the church that I attended when I was growing up subscribe to Arminian doctrine proper. Though our viewpoints do often overlap, I prefer not to associate my doctrinal beliefs with the name of a mortal man.



Q: Do you believe that Calvinists are heretics?

A: Not at all. Some of the strongest Christians I know are five-point Calvinists. I believe their doctrine to be somewhat in error, but I do not believe that makes them heretics, unsaved, or enemies of the faith.



Q: Then why do you go after Calvinism so much?

A: Because of the type of thinking it tends to spawn. While there are some moderate Calvinists who share the same view of me and others they deem as 'Arminians' as I do of them (i.e. a bit mistaken, but otherwise in the faith), there is also a substantial and growing body of Calvinists that consider anything varying from their particular brand of theology (specifically, Arminianism and conditional election/salvation) to be heretical, and consider all of its adherents to be unsaved -- a sad tradition that has its origins back during the reformation. Sadly, the more entrenched Calvinism becomes in a body of believers, the stronger this egocentric sentiment seems to grow. Similar cases of secondary doctrines becoming so entrenched in a church that they push it to the exclusion of all other Christians can be seen in the United Pentacostal Church (they believe you are saved only if you water baptize the way they do), and the Church of Christ (many of them believe that theirs is the only church and that you are unsaved if you do not attend it). While Christianity is exclusive in many ways, it is also inclusive of those who believe in Christ and follow God. Because love and unity among all believers are concepts so stressed in the Bible, it is important to scripturally refute non-biblical secondary doctrines that divide the church.



Q: Do you believe that eternal security is a heresy?

A: Tough question. As far as the Lordship Salvation crowd (all true believers endure to the end), I would say no. The so-called "Free Grace" (salvation without repentance or fruit as a result) doctrine when taken to its logical end is a heresy, because it contends that a person can be saved even if he hates God.

"If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema [accursed, damned] Maranatha."

1 Corinthians 16:22

Q: Do you have a doctrinal statement?

A: As far as basic fundamental beliefs: I believe in the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the virgin birth, salvation by grace through His atoning death, His bodily resurrection (as well as the resurrection/quickening of all believers when He returns), that the Bible as it was written is the infallible (every meaning that it expresses is true) word of God, and Christ's visible return in the future.



Q: Are you affiliated with a denomination?

A: No, though I have no trouble attending denominational churches.



Q: What are your views on speaking in tongues and other miracles?

A: I believe they are still existent and did not cease with the apostles, though many charismatic and Pentacostal churches have been guilty of using them (especially tongues) in a manner that is contrary to scripture.



Q: Pre-Trib or Post-Trib?

A: Post.



Q: Views on creation?

A: Young earth. Though it would not bother me a great deal if the world were older than 6,000 - 10,000 years, I believe most Biblical and reliable scientific evidence points to this conclusion.



Q: You seem to use the KJV a lot. Are you KJV only?

A: No. I believe the King James Version has several minor errors in it; notably Hebrews 4:8 (says 'Jesus' where it means 'Joshua'), and Acts 12:24 (says 'Easter' instead of 'Passover,' which was the other name for the feast of unleavened bread - Luke 22:1). Nevertheless, it is generally a good Bible version.



Q: Do you consider yourself a fundamentalist?

A: If you mean that I believe the fundamental doctrines of Christianity and Biblical standards of holy living (love and honor God above all else, do good to the poor, abstain from wickedness and immorality, etc...), yes. If you mean am I a 'rock-music-is-of-the-devil-it's-a-sin-for-women-to-wear-pants-dark-skin-is-the-mark-of-Cain-the-pope-is-the-antichrist-Wescott-and-Hort-are-Satan's-high-priests' Ruckmanut, the answer is no.



Q: So if you're not an Arminian, then what do you call yourself in relation to your doctrinal position on salvation?

A: Synergist saved by grace.



Q: What is your favorite Bible verse?

A: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 5:8 (I think 2 Samuel 15:21 makes a good response to that)

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