According to Arminianism:
Salvation is accomplished through the combined efforts of God (who takes the initiative) and man (who must respond) - man's response being the determining factor. God has provided salvation for everyone, but His provision becomes effective only for those who, of their own free will, "choose" to cooperate with Him and accept His offer of grace. At the crucial point, man's will plays a decisive role; thus man, not God, determines who will be recipients of the gift of salvation.
According to Calvinism:
Salvation is accomplished by the almighty power of the Triune God. The Father chose a people, the Son died for them, the Holy Spirit makes Christ's death effective by bringing the elect to faith and repentance, thereby causing them to willingly obey the gospel. The entire process (election, redemption, regeneration) is the work of God and is by grace alone. Thus God, not man, determines who will be the recipients of the gift of salvation.
2006-06-29 15:08:33 · 6 answers · asked by Pandora 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I believe in "synergy", a paradoxical melding of opposites. Believing in absolute free will is hard to support. After all, if my computer's hard drive is wiped out by a virus, *my* free will didn't write the virus. If a hacker can influence the course of my life, then surely God can also. On the other hand, if there is *no* freewill, then God's statement that He is not willing for anyone to perish would be a lie. If He is the sole determinant of each individual's fate, then even a single person condemned to hell would make that statement a lie. Which leaves only a paradoxical melding of these opposites.
2006-06-29 15:18:41 · answer #1 · answered by Riothamus Of Research ;<) 3 · 11⤊ 8⤋
I think your evaluation of the two systems is pretty accurate. Personally I tend towards the Calvinistic side because it seems to have a much stronger Biblical basis. Those who argue the Arminian side really have to twist scripture a lot to make it fit their theology. They have no scripture to back the idea of a free will, at least after 60 years of involvement with these two systems no Arminian has ever given me a verse that proves man has a free will and i have not found one.
There is no statement in the Bible that says that God is not willing that anyone should perish. 2 Peter says that God is longsuffering to the elect, not willing that any (the elect) shouod perish) read it for yourself.
2006-06-29 22:17:34 · answer #2 · answered by oldguy63 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Calvinists tend to accept the Lord then go off and continue sinning because "They accepted the Lord". Arminianists think they need to CONTINUALLY ask for forgiveness whether they are sinning or not. There is a middle ground where you accept your salvation and realize that you are still going to sin, try not to, but ask forgiveness when you do.
2006-06-29 22:15:24 · answer #3 · answered by david46calif 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
this is an extremely simplified version of these two views. i don't really agree with either when understood completely what they really teach. i do believe that it is ultimately up to man to decide, and that this is how God planned it because he wants willing followers not mindless servants pressed into servitude. he wants loving children, not slaves.
2006-06-29 22:12:58 · answer #4 · answered by WVMagpie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Niether for me... Im Christian and Open Theist, which seems to be polar opposite of Calvinism
2006-06-29 22:11:51 · answer #5 · answered by impossble_dream 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Arminianism, because it's pretty clear God gave us free will. and so we must choose wisely.
2006-06-29 22:15:18 · answer #6 · answered by cybahdawg 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋