This thread is not intended to be so much a round-and-round debate (though that could happen) but rather to "get the definitions on the table".
Essentially it is the issue of whether the Gospel invitation is for all - and "whosoever will" or is it a "selection" system where God "Selects" some for salvation and simply fails to select others thus God is the only actor/determination and the choice of the lost person is not a factor that determines anything at all.
The arminian model is an open system... where the Gospel is open to all "
if anyone hears my voice and opens the door - I will come in" Rev 3.
The Calvinist model is one where God pre-selects those He is willing to save ... a selection that has nothing at all to do with the person selected.
In any case this thread is here for "the definitions".
It is not hurtful to either side - to be able to define from scripture what the point is on each side.
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In Arminianism free will exists because of the supernatural act of God in "
drawing all mankind unto Him" John 12:32 and as a result we have
Evangelism where "
we BEG you on behalf of Christ be reconciled to God" 2 Cor 5
Evangelism where it is
not God's WILL that ANY should perish (2 Peter 3) and yet only 'the FEW' of Matthew 7 are ultimately saved?
Evangelism where Christ "
is the Atoning Sacrifice for OUR sins and NOT for our sins only but for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD" 1 John 2:2
Evangelism where "
God so LOVED the WORLD that He gave.."... yes really?
Evangelism where "God sent His Son to be
the Savior of the WORLD" 1 John 4:14?
And when someone chooses to be lost anyway God's response is
Evangelism where "
he came to His own and His OWN received Him not" John 1:11
Evangelism where Christ laments "Oh Jerusalem ..
how I WANTED to spare your children.. but YOU would not"? Matt 23
He laments - "
what more could I have done than that which I have already done?" Isaiah 5:4
Notice where the focus of "action" is in Rom 10
Rom 10: "9 that
if you confess with your mouth Jesus
as Lord,
and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved; 10 for with the heart
a person believes,
resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth
he confesses,
resulting in salvation."
========================== Calvinism============
I will leave it to Calvinists to post the texts that they feel define Calvinism's view of evangelism.
But I have seen this offered in the past (I think you have to use some significant degree of inference to get to Calvinism in these texts)
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Acts 18
4 And he reasoned
in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.
5But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul
began devoting himself completely to the word, solemnly
testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
6But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood
be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
7Then he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next to the synagogue.
8Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized.
9And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “
Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent;
10for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”
11And he settled
there a year and
six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Acts 13
42 So when the Jews went out of the synagogue,
the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.
43 Now when
the meeting of the synagogue had broken up,
many of the Jews and of the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God.
44T
he next Sabbath nearly the
whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord.
45But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and
began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming.
46Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first;
since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.
47 For this is what the LORD has commanded us: "
'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may
bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"
48When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
49And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region. 50But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and
instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.
51But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.
52And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
As I understand it - In Calvinism - if you choose salvation and that "makes a difference" then God is deprived of some level of glory/honor and this is one reason they object to the Arminian form of the Gospel.
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1. BTW two points to remember: - Both Calvinists and Arminians agree that the supernatural drawing of God is more than sufficient to enable all the choice that depravity disables. That is not "the difference" between the two views.
2. Highly subjective summations/condemnation of "the other view" that you do not share - is not considered a compelling form of definition or debate, nor is it accepted by those who do not already agree with you - as proof of anything.
