Travis Cottrell Unknowingly Settled the Arminian vs. Calvinism Debate

...well, at least he did for my husband, Martin, and me.

Some people play Eye-Spy or Punch-buggy on road trips.  Not me and my guy.  We play, "What's a 5 Point Calvinist and Are You One?"

Although I've been a Christian for over 15 years now, I couldn't explain the difference between Arminianism and Calvinism if my salvation depended on it.  Some believe it does.  However, being someone who gets energized when discussing all things "God," it seemed a great game to play to stay alert while on a 1600 mile journey.

While I maintained a speed that was only slightly over the limit, hands at 10 and 2, and "eyes on the road," Martin got out the iPad and began to read the debate between Arminius and Calvin.  Their two detailed views on free-will, Christ's work on the cross, man's "contribution" to salvation , perseverance of the faith (once saved, always saved) vs. the ability lose salvation, and grace were heady and thorough, to be sure.  After about an hour or so, having been able to argue both sides of some of the "points" of Calvin, we determined that what we both understood of Scripture did not fit neatly into either camp.  We were camp-less!

It was actually a bit unsettling.

Something that prior to this road-trip game I thought I had nailed down (how salvation occurs) was being pulled up.

As the headache was beginning to set in, we decided to turn on the CD player and take a break from the heaviness of it all.

That's when the words of a song by Travis Cottrell settled everything.

You gave me a song,

You gave me a praise song to sing to You.

You opened my ears,

You opened my deaf ears to hear Your voice.

You gave me Your Word.

It entered my life

And consumed my very being.

I enter the mystery.

I enter the mystery.

I’m abandoning myself to You, O God.

I’m abandoning myself to You, O God.

I’m abandoning myself to You, O God.

Hallelujah, Hallelujah!

Blessed are you

Who give yourselves over to God.

Blessed are you

Who turn your backs on the world.

Blessed are you!

And enter the mystery, enter the mystery,

I enter the mystery;

I am Yours, I am Yours, I am Yours!

Nothing comes close to You.

No one can take Your place.

You are Almighty God and I am Yours,

And I am Yours! *

As the song played, it was as if the Spirit was saying to me, "The details are a mystery.  The "important" part is not the mechanics of salvation.  It is the posture and condition of your heart before Me."  

Immediately, my mind's eye saw the story recorded in John 9 of the man who was born blind.  Then he had an encounter with Jesus and his sight was given to him.

The Pharisees wanted to know how it happened. 

He told them it was Jesus who did it but that did not satisfy them.  Finally he said, "...One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see!" 

Then I recalled the Parable of the Two Men Who Prayed told in Luke 18:9-14.  The man who had the right way of viewing himself before God and humbled himself who went home justified.  

You see, how God did it is not nearly as important for us to comprehend as the fact that HE DID IT. 

When the mystery surrounds, we can lean on his revealed character and love.

So, I may not fit neatly into Calvin's or Arminius' camp, but this I know:

He gave this girl a song to sing and ears to hear.   

His Word has absolutely consumed my being!

Now, my heart's cry is to abandon myself to all He is and enter His unfathomable mystery,

 reveling in the beautiful truth that I am His! 

Hallelujah!

*Psalm 40 (I’m Abandoning Myself) – ©copyright 2006 First Hand Revelation

Living Proof Live 3 – the Lamb has overcome  (Trust me, you want to hear this for yourself. Get a copy. )