Recently, CARM published an article regarding evangelist Mark Cahill. This article was authored by my friend and mentor, Tony Miano, who has had direct interaction with Mr. Cahill. The article was written as a public rebuke of Mr. Cahill’s uncharitable and derogatory treatment of Christians who believe in the Doctrines of Grace. Mr. Cahill has been spoken to privately and publicly on several occasions regarding his unbiblical behavior, however, he continues to publicly decry those who believe in reformed doctrine, going so far as to even refer to them as worshipping a false god. Because of his continued unbiblical behavior, this article been written to caution Christians in their dealings with him.
The article was not written in an effort to be judgmental of Mr. Cahill, nor to decry his Arminian beliefs, rather it was written to caution the brethren in supporting him until such a time as he repents of his mistreatment of other Christians. Part of the article reads as follows:
“Throughout my conversation with Mark, I asserted that I do not believe Calvinists and Arminians worship different gods or believe different gospels. I assured him that so long as we agree we are saved by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone (the Jesus of the Scriptures) we are brothers in Christ. I told Mark I would welcome the opportunity to evangelize the lost with him, and he was welcome atop my box to open-air preach, anytime. Sadly, by the end of our phone conversation, Mark would not affirm me as his brother in Christ. I repeatedly asked Mark if I was his brother in Christ. He refused to answer.
Sadly, Mark Cahill’s ongoing campaign to marginalize, vilify, and otherwise mistreat Calvinists has necessitated the writing of this article.
This article will document how, for more than two years, Mark Cahill has quietly and behind the scenes engaged in a campaign of misrepresentation, malignment, and malevolence toward Christians who ascribe to Calvinism and to those who associate with Calvinists. The timing of this article coincides with the recent publication of Mark Cahill’s new book, The Watchmen, in which he speaks disparagingly about Calvinism. It also coincides with the recent development of Mark speaking disparagingly about Calvinism during some of his recent public speaking engagements.”
I encourage the readers of this blog to go to the main article here and read it in it’s entirety.
I do wish to make the disclaimer now that this is not going to be an open forum to assault and argue the viewpoints of Calvinists and Arminians. This article is for the sole purpose of calling a Christian brother to repentance. Therefore, comments that are submitted which intend to do otherwise will not be allowed. Please read the CARM article and share it with others. And please be in prayer for Mark Cahill that he would repent of this behavior and be reconciled to his brethren. Thank you.
Christ Alone Wyoming 
Thanks, Chris.
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While I agree that Mr. Cahill’s comments are inappropriate, perhaps in fairness it should be pointed out that Matt Slick, founder and president of CARM, recently stated on his radio broadcast that Arminians who believe in free will are “idolators” because they set the will of man above the will of God. So clearly, the accusations go both ways. I personally am neither Calvinist nor Arminian, so I don’t have a dog in this fight. I believe that both John Calvin and Jacobus Arminius were just men, and that neither was infallible. Further, God did not write a systematic theology, and your theology is NOT God. Neither side should be accusing the other of heresy or idolatry or of following “a different gospel.” They agree on the essential tenets of the faith, they just disagree about how they are applied/appropriated, and there is Scriptural support for both positions.
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Scott, while both Tony Miano and Matt Slick would ardantly defend the Doctrines of Grace, both have equally stated that those who hold to a different doctrinal belief are still brethren. Mr. Cahill has repeatedly denied that those who hold and teach the Doctrines of Grace or not brethren and are false teachers.
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Happy to offer the back up sir.
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I agree with the above article. One can be wrong, and still be a brother in Christ. Mark has indeed created a schism in the Body with his comments, and I pray he is humbled to repentance by only the hand of God in this situation. I am with Tony and others, in praying that he repents.
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Chris, I’m not defending Cahill. He’s out of line and in sin. I’m just saying Slick made similar comments on his radio program. And I’m saying it’s never appropriate from either side. I agree with Bill that one can be wrong and still be a brother. Certainly, there are issues where disagreement would mean one is NOT, in fact, a brother–the essential tenets of the faith. I’m only trying to point out that whether you are Calvinist, Arminian, Baptist, Lutheran, or Evangelical is beside the point, as long as you are Christian. Cahill’s comments must not be tolerated. I agree with that.
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My apologies if I made it sound as though you were defending him. I did not believe you were. I was just making sure that there was clarification on the matter. I know that Matt Slick has ardently defended Doctrines of Grace, but I also know that he would not go out of his way to call someone a heretic for believing otherwise. There is certainly a difference in making theological statements and declaring someone unsaved. I agree that decorum and tact should always be used when debating various theological stances.
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Scott,
Saying that someone is guilty of idolatry, is not the same thing as saying that someone is not a Christian. I would go so far as to say that I personally create idols that I must repent of. You are comparing apples to oranges…
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I myself would be considered a “Calvinist” by definition and theology. it was in the study and understanding of the doctrine of grace that I was finally able to appreciate the freedom we have in Christ. But……I do love the following quote by John MacArthur from his commentary on the book of Ephesians pg. 11 –
“God’s sovereign election and man’s exercise of responsibility in choosing Jesus Christ seem opposite and irreconcilable. That is why so many, well-meaning Christians throughout the history of the church have floundered trying to reconcile them. Since the problem cannot be resolved by our finite minds, the result is always to compromise one truth in favor of the other or to weaken both by trying to take a position somewhere between them.
We should let the antimony (the blending of the two) remain, believing both truths completely and leaving the harmonizing of them to God.”
Blessings to my brothers and sisters in Christ.
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Thanks, Chris.
Ken, I’m aware of and agree with your point. In the particular radio show in question, a caller was saying that those who believe in free will are blasphemers and idolaters, and that he didn’t believe they were even Christians. Slick said, “I agree–they’re idolaters because they are setting the will of man above the will of God.” Now, Matt didn’t actually SAY, “They aren’t Christians,” but neither did he correct the caller’s assertion. In context, it could at the very least be easily interpreted that he agreed with the caller. I’ve also heard Matt say on other occasions that he DID believe Arminians are Christians. This wasn’t meant as a lynching of Matt Slick–only that, as Chris stated, “decorum and tact should always be used when debating various theological stances,” and that plenty of Calvinists AND Arminians through the years have been guilty of calling the other side unsaved. As followers of Jesus Christ, we must work to have unity with our brothers and sisters, regardless of their particular systematic theology. I imagine when we get to heaven, ALL of us will find we had at least SOME things wrong–even Calvin and Arminius. That said, I will state again: I believe Cahill is in sin and needs to repent. I was only trying to point out that he is not alone in this particular sin. I meant to cause no offense or division, and I apologize and repent if my statements did so. I will try to word my thoughts more carefully in the future.
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Roy,
Amen, brother!
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He is misguided and for some reason feels the need to attempt to align all Christian teaching within his narrow margins. I feel God is shaking his head in disappointment.
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Tony Miano’s article is definitely getting around…
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satan won again, very sad indeed…
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A conclusion based on speculative emotion, and not based on the merits of the article.
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This guy sounds more like he’s borderlining as a Pelagian than an arminian.. Very dangerous indeed.. I’m not saying he is but I would watch for the warning signs.. I base my thoughts on his statement:
“So what is the big problem with that belief? It’s simple: How can God hold me accountable for things I didn’t do, but rather that He orchestrated to happen in my life?”
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“This guy sounds more like he’s borderlining as a Pelagian than an arminian..”
There is nothing wrong with what you quoted. Jonathon Edwards wrote similar things. Sadly he would probably be called a semi-pelagian by many who uphold their carnal doctrinal camp over the whole council of the word of God. Peace in Christ to you. -Jim
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I spent an entire day with Mark, this article is ridiculous. Mark is a loving and kind man and a great friend. And a servant of christ and takes Gods word serious and does not put up with idealist who change and twist Gods word.
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Are we saved by grace [sovereign election] or are we saved by works [ Arminianism ]. Sorry folks , it can’t be both , and we’re fooling ourselves if we believe that those who choose themselves are preaching the gospel of salvation .
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So all Arminians are lost and preaching a false gospel, Ray? Then I have exactly the same issue with you that the article has with Cahill. John Calvin was not perfect. His writings are not inspired Scripture. The same can be said for Jacobus Arminius. God never authored a systematic theology, and to say that anyone who doesn’t subscribe to your particular variety is therefore not saved is worthy of rebuke. Theology is not God. What you know about God is not God. Only God knows our hearts. I am certain that when we get to heaven, we will see BOTH Calvinists and Arminians, and that BOTH will have been wrong about some things and right about some things.
FWIW, I am neither. So extremists on both sides would likely label me a heretic. But the Spirit bears witness with my spirit that I am a son of God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ my Lord. I can agree to disagree about the fine points of how salvation works and is applied–as long as we agree that: Jesus Christ emptied Himself of the form of God to take on the form of man, lived a sinless life, and offered Himself as the once-for-all substitutionary sacrifice that turned away the wrath of God; that our sin was credited to Him and His righteousness is credited to those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, for He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification; that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; that as many as received Him, to them He gave the power to be the sons of God, heirs of God, and co-heirs with Jesus Christ; and that there is, therefore, now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus!
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I will say it once again – Arminianism is a false gospel. One holding to all 5 points of that doctrine (they started the 5 point system) is a heretic, same as Pelagius. All works based salvation doctrines are false and cannot be reconciled with the Bible. Hence, Mark Cahill needs to repent.
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OK, apparently my admonition to refrain from the Calvinism/Arminian debate is falling on deaf ears here. The point of the article is to call on Christians to cease their support of Cahill, NOT because of his Arminian beliefs, but because of his unbiblical treatment of fellow Christians. If this is continues to generate arguments over which is false, the comments will be deleted. There are plenty of articles here on DefCon where this debate can take place.
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My apologies Chris .
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No problem Ray. Considering that this article serves as a call to the brethren about a wayward brother, I want it to focus on our concern for Mark and not the usual debate this turns into.
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More than any enemy that hates God, we who (claim) love the Lord, are the origins of hate toward one another. Is there any wonder Christianity is on life support in this post-modern world. What’s important to us is not the salvation of our brothers. it’s the edification of our own narrow views. While the wicked of this world are for new ways to meet the needs of the people, the Christians are searching for useless doctrine to condemn one another. While the world is thinking about big changes , we are thinking about little issues. How sad is the pains of our Father to sees His children at arms with one another over things which we no nothing of.
Your Brother in Christ
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