THE JACOBUS ARMINIUS COURSES
of theological study
Welcome Programme Study Days & Workshop Tutorials Conferences
Christ died for all
Humans are naturally unable to make any effort towards salvation.
Salvation is possible only by God's grace, which cannot be merited.
No works of human effort can cause or contribute to salvation.
God's election is conditional on faith in the sacrifice and Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Christ's atonement was made on behalf of all people.
God allows his grace to be resisted by those who freely reject Christ.
Believers are able to resist sin but are not beyond the possibility of falling from grace through persistent, un-repented-of sin.
Depravity is total: Arminius states "In this [fallen] state, the free will of man towards the true good is not only wounded, infirm, bent, and weakened; but it is also imprisoned, destroyed, and lost. And its powers are not only debilitated and useless unless they be assisted by grace, but it has no powers whatever except such as are excited by Divine grace."
Atonement is intended for all: Jesus' death was for all people, Jesus draws all people to himself, and all people have opportunity for salvation through faith.
Jesus' death satisfies God's justice: The penalty for the sins of the elect is paid in full through Jesus' work on the cross. Thus Christ's atonement is intended for all, but requires faith to be effected. Arminius states "Justification, when used for the act of a Judge, is either purely the imputation of righteousness through mercy… or that man is justified before God… according to the rigour of justice without any forgiveness." Stephen Ashby clarifies "Arminius allowed for only two possible ways in which the sinner might be justified: (1) by our absolute and perfect adherence to the law, or (2) purely by God's imputation of Christ's righteousness."
Grace is resistible: God takes initiative in the salvation process and His grace comes to all people. This grace (often called prevenient or pre-regenerating grace) acts on all people to convict them of the Gospel, draw them strongly towards salvation, and enable the possibility of sincere faith. Picirilli states "indeed this grace is so close to regeneration that it inevitably leads to regeneration unless finally resisted." The offer of salvation through grace does not act irresistibly in a purely cause-effect, deterministic method but rather in an influence-and-response fashion that can be both freely accepted and freely denied.
Man has free will to respond or resist: Free will is limited by God's sovereignty, but God sovereignly allows all men the choice to accept the Gospel of Jesus through faith, simultaneously allowing all men to resist.
Election is conditional: Arminius defined election as "the decree of God by which, of Himself, from eternity, He decreed to justify in Christ, believers, and to accept them unto eternal life." God alone determines who will be saved and his determination is that all who believe Jesus through faith will be justified. According to Arminius, "God regards no one in Christ unless they are engrafted in him by faith."
God predestines the elect to a glorious future: Predestination is not the predetermination of who will believe, but rather the predetermination of the believer's future inheritance. The elect are therefore predestined to son-ship through adoption, glorification, and eternal life.
Eternal security is also conditional: All believers have full assurance of salvation with the condition that they remain in Christ. Salvation is conditioned on faith, therefore perseverance is also conditioned. Apostasy (turning from Christ) is only committed through a deliberate, willful rejection of Jesus and renouncement of belief.
Jacobus Arminius Courses are part of the World Conference of the Independent Methodist local Church's Bible Institute programme. The Courses aim to help with the progression of theological study. It was set up in 2009 as part of the four hundredth anniversary of the death of Jacobus Arminius in 1609 by the Board of the World Conference of the Independent Methodist Bible Institutes, to offer opportunities for potential future church ministers and leaders to continue their theological studies alongside their daily lives, local church commitments and their local churches Bible Institute's courses. Each of our local churches runs their own Bible Institute under the banner that we call The Independent Methodist Bible Institutes.
As a Independent
Methodist denomination, we believe that theological training for any of the
five fold ministry leadership callings should start in the local church.
This is why we encourage all of our local churches to start our Bible
Institute programme as a major part of their local church activity. This
means that any potential leadership is upheld in prayer by, initially
trained by and eventually sent and supported from their local congregation
or assembly. Jacobus Arminius Courses then focus the advancement of potential Pastors and Ministers by aiding
their progress in religious educational studies in preparation for their
potential vocational position.
Gladys Aylward outside the Southport Convention where she was one of the speakers. (Photograph courtesy of Dr. David Griffiths whose father was the Pastor of Aintree Gospel Mission where the Wesleyan Holiness Doctrine was always preached and souls came to be cleansed of sin. This was the Gospel that Gladys believed and stood for.)
The Wonderful witness and testimony of a woman who against all opposition went to China and became one of the greatest missionaries of all time.
In 1958, the story was made into the Hollywood film The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, starring Ingrid Bergman.
' COMING SOON '
Today's Wittenberg Lectures and Study Days
The four hundreth anniversary Arminian Conference 2010
Revd. Hugh Bourne
The Leader of the Primitive Methodist Church and the wonderful legacy that the "Prims" left on British society because of their witness and holy manner of life.
Copyright The World Conference of the Independent Methodist Church. 2009