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Provisionism
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Provisionism (also called Whosoever Will doctrine, Traditionalism, or Traditional Southern Baptist soteriology, and is sometimes related to a compilation of teachings from aspects found in both Calvinism and Arminianism) is a theological label which relates to the specific soteriological perspective, held by many within the Southern Baptist Convention, which emphasizes the Christian teachings found in the Bible regarding God’s love and provision of salvation for every individual (John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4; Psalm 145:9; Ezekiel 18:31-32; Hosea 3:1) as in contrast with the soteriological views of Calvinism, which emphasizes God’s love and provision of salvation only for “the elect,” those chosen unconditionally before the foundation of the world, while all others are passed by for reprobation.

The label Provisionism expresses the soteriological stance in one word. The term was coined by the Southern Baptist Traditionalist, Dr. Leighton Flowers. It stems from the Southern Baptist Traditionalist Statement written by Dr. Eric Hankins. Because not all Provisionists hold to the Baptist Faith and Message, or consider themselves to be associated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the term Provisionism was promoted to give a basis for the broad doctrinal distinctions, but united soteriology, beyond that of just the SBC.

Etymology
People often wonder about the various labels used to delineate a particular theological perspective and their origins. Admittedly, this can get quite confusing as theologians are rarely content with the labels ascribed to their given perspective and no theological worldview is monolithic with complete unity among all scholars ascribing to its respective label. Below are some of the labels often associated with Provisionism and an explanation of their origin.

TRADITIONALISM

In 2001, Fisher Humphreys and Paul E. Robertson wrote God So Loved the World: Traditional Baptists and Calvinism. When these two irenic professors used the term traditional in their book, there was no outcry, for everyone grasped the fact that they were using the term to describe the most widely accepted Southern Baptist view of salvation. Sometimes referred to as Whosoever Will doctrine (in reference to John 3:16’s obviously inclusive connotations) this was the view taught by Herschel Hobbs, Adrian Rogers, and most notable Southern Baptist scholars since around the 1920s and 30s when the SBC began its growth to become the largest Protestant denomination in the world.

In 2012, another effort was made to define what most Southern Baptists believed about salvation in light of the growing popularity of Calvinism within the convention. A document was drafted, whose primary author was Eric Hankins, entitled A Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation. The word traditional was again used for the basic Baptist view held by a majority within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) for the last one hundred years or so.

Some have objected to the term Traditionalism, misunderstanding it as an attempt to claim the Whosoever Will tradition as the only tradition in Southern Baptist life. Of course, it is not the only tradition, and that is not something the label is meant to communicate. Calling something “traditional” does not necessarily mean “how it began,” but merely “the way things have been for a very long time.” For instance, we often refer to music of our grandparents or parent’s generation as “traditional worship,” but that does not necessarily mean all Southern Baptist churches started with that music style. So, the intention of this label was not to offend or mislead anyone. It was just a reference point to try and identify the theological distinctions within Southern Baptist life.

Some insist that the Southern Baptist Convention was started primarily by Calvinists, so that is the real “tradition.” There is some truth to this claim, but the SBC has changed dramatically in its faith and practice since the times of the Civil War. The fact is that the convention’s overwhelming growth to become the largest protestant denomination was under the more traditionalistic understanding of soteriology.

Others have objected to the term Traditionalism on the basis that it must favor old-fashioned forms of worship, dress, and ministry. To be a Traditionalist, in their view, is to be an old, washed-up fogey whose theology and ministry is out of place in today’s world. Once again, this definition is simply a caricature of the term’s true meaning.

Still, others object to the term because it limits itself to being tied to the SBC when many adherents are not necessarily associated with an SBC church or entity, which is a root motivation for those seeking to establish a better soteriological label.

'''ARMINIANISM '''

Traditional Southern Baptists agree with much of what many good Arminian brothers teach, but there are several differences between the typical claims of Arminians and that of Traditionalist or Provisionists.

For instance, some classical Arminians have various views on the doctrine of Eternal Security and Apostasy than what is typically held by a traditional Southern Baptist. Another common point of distinction involves the Arminian adherence to the doctrine of “Total Inability.” There exists among Traditional Baptists various nuances over the nature of fallen humanity in response to God’s revelation. However, the Traditional statement, signed by many notable Traditional scholars, clearly denounces the concept of “Total Inability,” a view maintained by all Calvinists and many classical Arminian scholars.

“Total Inability” is the belief that all humanity is born incapable of willingly coming to Christ for salvation even in light of the Holy Spirit-wrought truth of the Gospel, unless God graciously works to empower the will of lost man (effectually by way of regeneration for the Calvinist, and sufficiently by way of “prevenient grace” for the Arminian). Typically, Traditionalists (Provisionists) do not accept the unfounded presumption that the libertarian freedom of man’s will was lost due to the fall. As article two of the Traditional statement says,

"We deny that Adam’s sin resulted in the incapacitation of any person’s free will or rendered any person guilty before he has personally sinned."

OTHER LABELS

The labels Non-Calvinist or Anti-Calvinist fail not only because they assume an unnecessarily harsh opposition, but also because it defines one view only in relation to another. Provisionists would rather focus on the positive claims of the position rather than the negation of alternatives.

Savabilist, Extensivist, Decisionist, Conversionist and Volitionist have been suggested as alternative labels and there is much to commend each of them. They are not terms of negation, terms of modification, or terms lacking differentiation. A consensus simply has not yet formed in favor of any of these five terms. To date, the most commonly used label for a Southern Baptist who embraces the Whosoever Will theological tradition is clearly the term Traditionalism.

PROVISIONISM

In the book “God's Provision For All ,” a new label was coined by Southern Baptist Evangelist and Theologian, Leighton Flowers. Serving as the Director of Evangelism and Apologetics for Texas Baptists, he founded the popular website and podcast Soteriology 101 in which he brings cordial critiques of both Calvinistic and Arminian doctrines. Flowers writes, “We believe a recognizably good God is one that provides for those in need.

· We are all sinners, but God provides.

· We cannot save ourselves, but God provides.

· We are hopeless, but God provides.

· If someone needs revelation, God provides.

· If someone needs atonement, God provides.

· If someone needs love, God provides.

''He not only provides for you and me, but for every single man, woman, boy, and girl. We believe that the Bible teaches us that a good person would provide for those in need, and therefore God, being recognizably good, is a God who also would provide for all who are in need. He does not pass by His enemies on the other side of the road but stops to help just as He instructs us to do (Luke 10:25-37).''

''We believe that no one perishes for a lack of provision, but agree with Paul who said, “They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved” (2 Thess. 2:10). Those who end up eternally separated from God cannot rightly say, “No provision was made for me,” or “My Creator did not really love or want me.” No, they have no such excuse because they willfully rejected the sincere appeals of a gracious Father who lovingly provided all they needed to believe and repent so as to be saved. What better label for a soteriological worldview is there than one that highlights God’s provision for everyone He has created?” ''

Theology
Provisionism teaches God has "provided" the means of salvation for all people, through the life, death, and resurrection of the Son of God. All who confess their sin, trusting in Jesus as Lord, are saved by grace through faith.

Similar to the acronym TULIP which helped to popularize the specific soteriological distinctions of Calvinism another acronym was created by Provisionists to assist others in remembering their distinctives:

P – People Sin: which separates all from fellowship with God. (Rom 3:23; 6:23)

R – Responsible: (able-to-respond) to God’s appeals for reconciliation. (2 Cor 5:19-20; Jn 5:40; 12:48; 20:31; Matt 23:37)

O – Open Door: for anyone to enter by faith. Whosoever will may come to his Open Arms. (Eph 1:13; Rom 10:21; 2 Pet 3:9; 1 Tim 2:4; Jn 3:16; Matt 11:28)

V – Vicarious Atonement: provides a way for anyone to be saved by Christ’s blood. (Rom 4:5; 2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet 3:18)

I – Illuminating Grace: provides clearly revealed truth so that all can know and respond in faith. (Titus 2:11; Rom 1:16-2:16; 11:32; 2 Cor 4:3-6; Jn 12:32)

D – Destroyed: for unbelief and resisting the Holy Spirit. (2 Thess 2:10; Jn 3:18; Acts 7:51; Rom 4:5)

E – Eternal Security: for all true believers (Rom 8:38-39; Eph 1:13-14; Jn 20:31)

Provisionism is rooted in Traditional Southern Baptist soteriology which is best represented by this statement signed by over 1000 scholars and pastors within the SBC:

A STATEMENT OF THE TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN BAPTIST UNDERSTANDING OF GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION

(Written by Dr. Eric Hankins)

PREAMBLE

Every generation of Southern Baptists has the duty to articulate the truths of its faith with particular attention to the issues that are impacting contemporary mission and ministry. The precipitating issue for this statement is the rise of a movement called “New Calvinism” among Southern Baptists. This movement is committed to advancing in the churches an exclusively Calvinistic understanding of salvation, characterized by an aggressive insistence on the “Doctrines of Grace” (“TULIP”), and to the goal of making Calvinism the central Southern Baptist position on God’s plan of salvation.

While Calvinists have been present in Southern Baptist life from its earliest days and have made very important contributions to our history and theology, the majority of Southern Baptists do not embrace Calvinism. Even the minority of Southern Baptists who have identified themselves as Calvinists generally modify its teachings in order to mitigate certain unacceptable conclusions (e.g., anti-missionism, hyper-Calvinism, double predestination, limited atonement, etc.). The very fact that there is a plurality of views on Calvinism designed to deal with these weaknesses (variously described as “3-point,” “4-point,” “moderate,” etc.) would seem to call for circumspection and humility with respect to the system and to those who disagree with it.

For the most part, Southern Baptists have been glad to relegate disagreements over Calvinism to secondary status along with other important but “non-essential” theological matters. The Southern Baptist majority has fellowshipped happily with its Calvinist brethren while kindly resisting Calvinism itself. And, to their credit, most Southern Baptist Calvinists have not demanded the adoption of their view as the standard. We would be fine if this consensus continued, but some New Calvinists seem to be pushing for a radical alteration of this longstanding arrangement.

We propose that what most Southern Baptists believe about salvation can rightly be called “Traditional” Southern Baptist soteriology, which should be understood in distinction to “Calvinist” soteriology. Traditional Southern Baptist soteriology is articulated in a general way in the Baptist Faith and Message, “Article IV.” While some earlier Baptist confessions were shaped by Calvinism, the clear trajectory of the BF&M since 1925 is away from Calvinism. For almost a century, Southern Baptists have found that a sound, biblical soteriology can be taught, maintained, and defended without subscribing to Calvinism. Traditional Southern Baptist soteriology is grounded in the conviction that every person can and must be saved by a personal and free decision to respond to the Gospel by trusting in Christ Jesus alone as Savior and Lord. Without ascribing to Calvinism, Southern Baptists have reached around the world with the Gospel message of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone. Baptists have been well-served by a straightforward soteriology rooted in the fact that Christ is willing and able to save any and every sinner.

New Calvinism presents us with a duty and an opportunity to more carefully express what is generally believed by Southern Baptists about salvation. It is no longer helpful to identify ourselves by how many points of convergence we have with Calvinism. While we are not insisting that every Southern Baptist affirm the soteriological statement below in order to have a place in the Southern Baptist family, we are asserting that the vast majority of Southern Baptists are not Calvinists and that they do not want Calvinism to become the standard view in Southern Baptist life. We believe it is time to move beyond Calvinism as a reference point for Baptist soteriology.

Below is what we believe to be the essence of a “Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation.” We believe that most Southern Baptists, regardless of how they have described their personal understanding of the doctrine of salvation, will find the following statement consistent with what the Bible teaches and what Southern Baptists have generally believed about the nature of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

ARTICLES OF AFFIRMATION AND DENIAL

ARTICLE ONE: THE GOSPEL

We affirm that the Gospel is the good news that God has made a way of salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ for any person. This is in keeping with God’s desire for every person to be saved.

We deny that only a select few are capable of responding to the Gospel while the rest are predestined to an eternity in hell.

Genesis 3:15; Psalm 2:1-12; Ezekiel 18:23, 32; Luke 19.10; Luke 24:45-49; John 1:1-18, 3:16; Romans 1:1-6, 5:8; 8:34; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Galatians 4:4-7; Colossians 1:21-23; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; Hebrews 1:1-3; 4:14-16; 2 Peter 3:9

ARTICLE TWO: THE SINFULNESS OF MAN

We affirm that, because of the fall of Adam, every person inherits a nature and environment inclined toward sin and that every person who is capable of moral action will sin. Each person’s sin alone brings the wrath of a holy God, broken fellowship with Him, ever-worsening selfishness and destructiveness, death, and condemnation to an eternity in hell.

We deny that Adam’s sin resulted in the incapacitation of any person’s free will or rendered any person guilty (?) before he has personally sinned. While no sinner is remotely capable of achieving salvation through his own effort, we deny that any sinner is saved apart from a free response to the Holy Spirit’s drawing through the Gospel.

Genesis 3:15-24; 6:5; Deuteronomy 1:39; Isaiah 6:5, 7:15-16;53:6;Jeremiah 17:5,9, 31:29-30; Ezekiel 18:19-20; Romans 1:18-32; 3:9-18, 5:12, 6:23; 7:9; Matthew 7:21-23; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; 6:9-10;15:22; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 9:27-28; Revelation 20:11-15

ARTICLE THREE: THE ATONEMENT OF CHRIST

We affirm that the penal substitution of Christ is the only available and effective sacrifice for the sins of every person. We deny that this atonement results in salvation without a person’s free response of repentance and faith. We deny that God imposes or withholds this atonement without respect to an act of the person’s free will. We deny that Christ died only for the sins of those who will be saved.

Psalm 22:1-31; Isaiah 53:1-12; John 12:32, 14:6; Acts 10:39-43; Acts 16:30-32; Romans 3:21-26; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:10-14; Philippians 2:5-11; Col. 1:13-20; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Hebrews 9:12-15, 24-28; 10:1-18; I John 1:7; 2:2

ARTICLE FOUR: THE GRACE OF GOD

We affirm that grace is God’s generous decision to provide salvation for any person by taking all of the initiative in providing atonement, in freely offering the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit, and in uniting the believer to Christ through the Holy Spirit by faith.

We deny that grace negates the necessity of a free response of faith or that it cannot be resisted. We deny that the response of faith is in any way a meritorious work that earns salvation.

Ezra 9:8; Proverbs 3:34; Zechariah 12:10; Matthew 19:16-30, 23:37; Luke 10:1-12; Acts 15:11; 20:24; Romans 3:24, 27-28; 5:6, 8, 15-21; Galatians 1:6; 2:21; 5; Ephesians 2:8-10; Philippians 3:2-9; Colossians 2:13-17; Hebrews 4:16; 9:28; 1 John 4:19

ARTICLE FIVE: THE REGENERATION OF THE SINNER

We affirm that any person who responds to the Gospel with repentance and faith is born again through the power of the Holy Spirit. He is a new creation in Christ and enters, at the moment he believes, into eternal life.

We deny that any person is regenerated prior to or apart from hearing and responding to the Gospel.

Luke 15:24; John 3:3; 7:37-39; 10:10; 16:7-14; Acts 2:37-39; Romans 6:4-11; 10:14; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20; 6:15; Colossians 2:13; 1 Peter 3:18

ARTICLE SIX: THE ELECTION TO SALVATION

We affirm that, in reference to salvation, election speaks of God’s eternal, gracious, and certain plan in Christ to have a people who are His by repentance and faith.

We deny that election means that, from eternity, God predestined certain people for salvation and others for condemnation.

Genesis 1:26-28; 12:1-3; Exodus 19:6;Jeremiah 31:31-33; Matthew 24:31; 25:34; John 6:70; 15:16; Romans 8:29-30, 33;9:6-8; 11:7; 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; Ephesians 1:4-6; 2:11-22; 3:1-11; 4:4-13; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; 1 Peter 1:1-2; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 3:9; Revelation 7:9-10

ARTICLE SEVEN: THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

We affirm God’s eternal knowledge of and sovereignty over every person’s salvation or condemnation.

We deny that God’s sovereignty and knowledge require Him to cause a person’s acceptance or rejection of faith in Christ.

''Genesis 1:1; 6:5-8; 18:16-33; 22; 2 Samuel 24:13-14; 1 Chronicles 29:10-20; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Joel 2:32; Psalm 23; 51:4; 139:1-6; Proverbs 15:3; John 6:44; Romans 11:3; Titus 3:3-7; James 1:13-15; Hebrews 11:6, 12:28; 1 Peter 1:17 ''

ARTICLE EIGHT: THE FREE WILL OF MAN

We affirm that God, as an expression of His sovereignty, endows each person with actual free will (the ability to choose between two options), which must be exercised in accepting or rejecting God’s gracious call to salvation by the Holy Spirit through the Gospel.

We deny that the decision of faith is an act of God rather than a response of the person. We deny that there is an “effectual call” for certain people that is different from a “general call” to any person who hears and understands the Gospel.

''Genesis 1:26-28; Numbers 21:8-9; Deuteronomy 30:19; Joshua 24:15; 1 Samuel 8:1-22; 2 Samuel 24:13-14; Esther 3:12-14; Matthew 7:13-14; 11:20-24; Mark 10:17-22; Luke 9:23-24; 13:34; 15:17-20; Romans 10:9-10; Titus 2:12; Revelation 22:17 ''

ARTICLE NINE: THE SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER

We affirm that when a person responds in faith to the Gospel, God promises to complete the process of salvation in the believer into eternity. This process begins with justification, whereby the sinner is immediately acquitted of all sin and granted peace with God; continues in sanctification, whereby the saved are progressively conformed to the image of Christ by the indwelling Holy Spirit; and concludes in glorification, whereby the saint enjoys life with Christ in heaven forever.

We deny that this Holy Spirit-sealed relationship can ever be broken. We deny even the possibility of apostasy.

John 10:28-29; 14:1-4; 16:12-14; Philippians 1:6; Romans 3:21-26; 8:29,30; 35-39; 12:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Ephesians 1:13-14; Philippians 3:12; Colossians 1:21-22; 1 John 2:19; 3:2; 5:13-15; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 13:5; James 1:12; Jude 24-25

ARTICLE TEN: THE GREAT COMMISSION

We affirm that the Lord Jesus Christ commissioned His church to preach the good news of salvation to all people to the ends of the earth. We affirm that the proclamation of the Gospel is God’s means of bringing any person to salvation.

We deny that salvation is possible outside of a faith response to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Psalm 51:13; Proverbs 11:30; Isaiah 52:7; Matthew 28:19-20; John 14:6; Acts 1:8; 4:12; 10:42-43; Romans 1:16, 10:13-15; 1 Corinthians 1:17-21; Ephesians 3:7-9; 6:19-20; Philippians 1:12-14; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 Timothy 2:5; 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Links
Soteriology101.com

A Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation