Tuesday, September 12, 2006

The Arminian monster

The night was dark, darker than usual. There were thick ominous clouds in the air. It definitely promised to be a night of lightning and thunder. Yet, it was also eerily quiet in the dungeon of the faraway, hidden castle.

Dr. Victor Frankenstein was ready. He had been working towards this night for many years. In this time that he had been working towards his goal of recreating a human being from parts of dead humans, he had alienated his family and friends. The only one that remained at his side was his trusted assistant, Fritz.

On the table lay a grotesque figure. A man, yet not a man! Fritz had gone to steal body parts from graveyards in order for Dr. Frankenstein to build a human that hopefully, this night, would come to life.

Candles were all over the dungeon. Dr. Frankenstein did not like to have too much light when his "human" came alive. It certainly had a ghostly appearance that made cold shivers run down the spine.

Not too far away lightning could be seen, and it was coming closer! Dr. Frankenstein could no longer contain his excitement. It will not be too long, when his "human" would be alive ready to take on an unsuspecting world. Yet, he had to wait, since nature did what it did at its own pace.

It was almost midnight when the first lightning bolts struck around the castle. As soon as the lightning struck the lightning rod Dr. Frankenstein had installed, the lever had to be pulled that would allow the electricity to give the "human" a jolt of new life.

Then it happened! The first lightning bolt hit the rod! Anticipation! Disappointment. Desperation... "Come on, human! Pull the lever! You don't have to do anything else. Just pull the lever!" cried Dr. Frankenstein.

Then another one. The lightning struck again. Maybe this time! Nothing!? "Come on! I have done everything there is to do my dear creature... Pull the lever!"

Frustration started setting in as Dr. Frankenstein realized that somehow his plan was not going to work. This "humanly" creature was not going to live. "My plan has failed!"

And so, Dr. Victor Frankenstein disappeared into history with no seeming trace of him. He would not become known as the scientist who built a living human from scratch.

However, one little note was found in the annals of history. Dr. Frankenstein legally changed his name to Victor Arminian. You see, he was the only one in history who believed that a dead human could bring himself to life again. It only needed will power to accomplish this feat.

Yet, all through the ages, from Jesus to Paul through Augustine, Luther, Calvin and the reformers, it has always been shown that dead people are dead people. They do not bring themselves to life!

Victor Arminian had many children, and indeed they are among us today!

Just thinking...

10 comments:

Kim said...

A very appropos analogy. Jeff Baldwin has written a book, which I just finished reading, called The Deadliest Monster where he compares the Frankenstein crowd to those who believe they can save themselves, to the Mr. Hyde crowd who recognize the evil latent in their own natures.

Jonathan Moorhead said...

William, very apropos indeed! This was always the fallacy of the drowning man illustration and the dying man needing the antidote illustration: they couldn't choose life because they were already dead! As in your story, it would take a bolt of lightning to make the monster live.

William Dicks said...

Hi Kim,

That is quite incredible! I thought I was being clever here! :-)

I am not sure who Jeff Baldwin is, but I actually came onto this idea while I was driving to work yesterday. I am a South African living in Pretoria, and we do not have all the info on all the "names" over there. I have "met" many of the important guys via the web, but Baldwin is unknown to me. Do you perhaps have a web address for him?

I was listening to a podcast of the White Horse Inn when the idea came to me. I can't remember now what triggered it. You see, because of circumstances too messy to go into, I am still stuck at an Arminian church (mega church of 6,000) and our head pastor attacked Calvinism (calling it hyper-Calvinism) this last Sunday. You can go to the website and download the sermon and hear it for yourself. I was kinda pondering that while I was listening to the WHI.

Anyhow, thanks for your comment!

William Dicks said...

Thanks Jonathan!

The lightning bolt does it, but they want to pull the lever to allow the lightning bolt in.

How arrogant!

Garry Weaver said...

Wow! This is great! Good analogy and great writing.

Anonymous said...

So Mr Dicks... do you believe that Arminians are Christians?

James

Anonymous said...

Forgot to leave my contact info...

James

Anonymous said...

Trying again..

James

William Dicks said...

As long as justification is by grace alone, through faith alone based on the work of Christ alone apart from works, then no matter the label, such a person would be a Christian.

Anonymous said...

Hi;

The Scriptures do teach that justification is by grace alone, through faith alone based on the work of Christ alone apart from works.. but that's not what I was asking William. I am asking you if you believe Arminians are saved? Thanks.

James.

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