In the days of the early Christians (the first three centuries), there was a religious group who strongly disputed the Congregation's ("Church's") stance on salvation and works. This religious group taught
- that man is totally depraved,
- that we are saved solely by grace,
- that works play no role in our salvation, and
- that we cannot forfeit our salvation once we obtain it.
This religious group was labeled as heretics by the early Christians.
You might be thinking, "This group of 'heretics' were the real Christians while these 'orthodox' Christians were really heretics." However, such a conclusion is impossible. Who was this religious group, you ask?
The Gnostics!
If you think the Gnostics were "true Christians," observe what the apostle John said about them: "Many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist" (2 John 7).
If our Evangelical doctrine of salvation is true, we are faced with the uncomfortable reality that this doctrine was first taught by "deceivers and antichrists" before it was taught by Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and others.
Ponder that point promptly.
Scholars have noted that "Calvinism" (a.k.a. "TULIP" or "The Doctrines of Grace") has risen up in popularity four times over the past 500 years. Every single time, it always dies back down. Why do you suppose that is? Well, either God ordained it to be such, or else the system just does not hold any water theologically and/or logically. When Christians actually hold Scripture as their authority rather than what some preacher has told them to believe (or what is dictated in their creeds, confessions, catechisms, constitutions, statements of faith, or systems of theology), they inevitably come to a conclusion that is opposed to these beliefs.
Grace, grace, grace—everything is of grace. However, Scripture warns that we can resist God's gracious call (Matt. 23:37; Acts 7:51; 2 Cor. 6:1), and some people do resist God's grace or else all would be saved (1 Tim. 2:4). Furthermore, God warns us not to resist His grace (2 Cor. 6:1; Heb. 4:7). Let us see what Scripture and the early Christians (A.D. 90-300) have to say:
"Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward." Jeremiah 7:24
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling." Matthew 23:37
"But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God's purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John." Luke 7:30
"You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did." Acts 7:51
"who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;" Romans 2:6-7
"However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, "LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?"" Romans 10:16
"It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father's wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst." 1 Corinthians 5:1-2
"And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain—" 2 Corinthians 6:1
"He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS."" Hebrews 4:7
"See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven." Hebrews 12:25
"Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone." James 1:12-13
"The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9
Synergism is the doctrine that the human will can and must co-operate with the Holy Spirit in order for a person to be saved. According to this belief, God's grace is not irresistible.
"When you are desirous to do well, God is also ready to assist you." —Ignatius
"The man who has the Lord in his heart can also be lord of all, and of every one of these commandments. However, as to those who have the Lord only on their lips, whose hearts are hardened, and who are far from the Lord—the commandments are hard and difficult." —Hermas
""I hope, sir, to be able to keep all these commandments which you have commanded to me, the Lord strengthening me." "You will keep them," he says, "if your heart is pure towards the Lord."" —Hermas
"To those whose heart He saw would become pure and obedient to Him, He gave power to repent with the whole heart. But to those whose deceit and wickedness He perceived, and seeing that they intended to repent hypocritically, He did not grant repentance." —Hermas
"If you bear His name but do not possess His power, it will be in vain that you bear His name." —Hermas
"God ministers eternal salvation to those who co-operate for the attainment of knowledge and good conduct. Since what the commandments direct are in our own power, along with the performance of them, the promise is accomplished." —Clement of Alexandria
"A man by himself working and toiling at freedom from passion achieves nothing. But if he plainly shows himself very desirous and earnest about this, he attains it by the addition of the power of God. For God conspires with willing souls. But if they abandon their eagerness, the Spirit who is bestowed by God is also restrained. For to save the unwilling is the part of one exercising compulsion. ut to save the willing is that of one showing grace." —Clement of Alexandria
""Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman watches in vain." This is not said to persuade us against building. Nor does it teach us not to keep watch in order to guard the city of our soul. Rather, it shows that what is built without God (and therefore does not receive His protection) is built in vain. . . . If we were to say that such a building is not the work of the builder, but of God, . . . we would be correct. yet, it is understood that something had also been done by human means. Nevertheless, the benefit is gratefully referred to God, who brought it to pass. The human desire is not sufficient to attain the end. Likewise, the running of those who are (as it were) athletes does not enable them to gain the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. For these things are accomplished only with the assistance of God. Therefore, it is appropriately said that, "it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy."" —Origen
""I planted, Apollos watered; and God gave the increase. So then neither is he that plants anything, nor he that waters; but God, who gives the increase." Now, we could not correctly assert that the production of full crops was the work of the farmer, or of him that watered. Rather, it is the work of God. Likewise, our own perfection is not brought about as if we ourselves did nothing. Yet, it is not completed by us. Rather, God produces the greater part of it. . . . In the matter of our salvation, what is done by God is infinitely greater than what is done by ourselves. For that reason, I think, it is said that "it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, ut of God, who shows mercy." For if that statement means what they [the Gnostics] imagine it means, . . . then the commandments are unnecessary. Furthermore, it would be in vain that Paul himself blames some persons for having fallen away and praises others for having remained upright. It was in vain that he enacted laws for the congregations. . . . However, it was not in vain that Paul gave such advice, censuring some and approving others." —Origen
"The apostle in one place does not purport that becoming a vessel to honour or dishonour depends upon God. Rather, he refers everything back to ourselves, saying, "If, then, a man purges himself, he will be a vessel to honour, sanctified, fit for the Master's use, and prepared for every good work." Elsewhere, he does not even purport that it is dependent upon ourselves. Rather, he appears to attribute everything to God, saying, "The potter has power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel to honour and another to dishonour." Since his statements are not contradictory, we must reconcile them and extract one consistent statement from both. Our own power—when separated from the knowledge of God—does not enable us to make progress. On the other hand, the knowledge of God [does not enable us to make progress, either,] unless we ourselves also contribute something to the good result. . . . And these observations are sufficient to have been made by us on the subject of free will." —Origen
""God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear." That is, each one is tempted in proportion to the amount of his strength or power of resistance. Now, although we have said that it is by the just judgment of God that everyone is tempted according to the among of his strength, we are not therefore to suppose that he who is tempted will by all means prove victorious in the struggle. It is similar to a man who contends in the arena. Although he is paired with his adversary on a just principle of arrangement, he does not necessarily prove to be the winner. yet, unless the powers of the combatants are equal, the prize of the victor will not be justly won. Nor will blame justly attach to the loser. . . . It is not written that, in temptation, He will make a way of escape so that we will bear it. Rather, He makes a way of escape so that we can be able to bear it. However, it depends upon ourselves to use this power that he has given us either with energy or with feebleness. There is no doubt that under every temptation we have a power of endurance—if we properly use the strength that is granted us. However, possessing the power to conquer is not the same thing as actually being victorious. The apostle himself has shown this in his very careful language, saying, "God will make a way to escape so that you may be able to bear it"—not that you will bear it." —Origen
"Those who hear the word powerfully proclaimed are filled with power. They manifest this both by their dispositions and their lives. And they show this by struggling even to death on behalf of the truth. However, others are altogether empty, even though they profess to believe in God through Jesus. Not possessing any divine power, they have only the appearance of being converted to the word of God." —Origen
"We maintain that human nature is in no way able to seek after God or to attain a clear knowledge of Him—without the help of Him whom it seeks. He makes Himself known to those who, after doing all that their powers will allow, confess that they need help from Him. For He reveals Himself to those whom He approves." —Origen