Here are a couple of interesting theological nicknacks from my favorite Arminian blogger. First, Olson shares his personal statement of faith, with which I substantially agree—at least, the non-Baptist parts. (His view of Revelation’s Millennium is one with which I am unfamiliar. I’ll file that away for further research.)
I especially like his careful and nuanced statement, “Salvation by Grace,” especially as we’ve wrestled with the question on this blog (here, among other places). I highlight the second paragraph: a saving relationship with God is “entirely God’s gift,” received by faith, which is “passive reception of God’s gift and not a meritorious work.” Passive reception. I like that! That seems exactly right to me.
I believe that salvation is by God’s grace alone through faith and that people cannot save themselves by works of righteousness but that works of righteousness are products of the Holy Spirit who indwells believers by faith.
A right, saving relationship with God is entirely God’s gift as is inward transformation in righteousness, but these depend on faith which is passive reception of God’s gift and not a meritorious work.
As if to bat two-for-two, he also has a nice post on “Reasons for Believing the Bible is God’s Word.” I especially liked this paragraph, which highlights the danger of bibliolatry:
Finally, if you base your belief in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord on the truth status of the Bible rather than the other way around (basing its truth on its power to transform through relationship with Jesus Christ), you are risking idolatry. Jesus is the “Sache” of Scripture. Luther knew it as did Calvin. But fundamentalists and neo-fundamentalists put Scripture over Jesus when they try to make belief in him as Savior and Lord dependent on the inerrancy of the Bible. The Bible, then, becomes the gift in place of Jesus Christ. It should be (and is) the other way around—Jesus is the gift. The Bible is simply the Christmas-wrapped box that delivers him to us. I believe in the Bible’s truth and authority because of him. But that in no way requires belief in absolute, technical, detailed accuracy of every statement of Scripture.