Open Theism in a nutshell.So if a believer goes prodigal, and comes back, they never lost their salvation while they were prodigal?
If so, this is a bad message to send to others because it means one can go prodigal again and still be saved. That is why I have a problem with Eternal Security. It is saying there is nothing you can do to lose salvation. Stop for a moment. Do you believe that Eternal Security Christians sin? If so, how do they deal with sin? Do they confess and forsake such sins? Many Eternal Security Christians have told me that they will not be able to stop sinning this side of Heaven. To what degree of sin are they talking about? They obviously believe they are saved. So this means that they can sin and still be saved on some level. For example: Many in the Eternal Security camp who appear to be for holy living as a part of being a Christian believes that a believer can commit suicide and still be saved. They also said that if a believer generally lived a holy life, and he looked at a woman in lust and got hit by a bus and died, they would be saved. There is a problem with this kind of thinking. It is a justification of a little bit of evil. Remember, it only took one sin by Adam for the mess that we are in now (with the Fall of mankind). In short, a believer cannot live holy and yet admit that they will sin at some point in the future as a matter of fact. Their mind is bent to sin again and it is not set on things above and God's good ways alone.
As for Calvinism vs. Arminianism:
Calvinism is saying that you had no free will choice whatsoever in choosing the Lord. That the choice was made 100% by God based on no conditions (Hence, why it is called Unconditonal Election). In other words, the problem you should have with Calvinism is that God only saves a few (based on no conditions whatsoever) when He has the power to save them all. This would be wrong or immoral of God to do this because God desires the ultimate good for His creation.
For example: In an alternate universe (and not this universe where nothing traumtic happened to you and your family): Imagine you and your family and some other people (in this alternate universe) are thrown off the boat you were on, and you are stranded in the ocean waters. Now, imagine if a coast guard appeared who seemed like he was going to save you, your children, and five other people and yet he did not save you or your children (and yet he had the power to do so), and only saved the five other people. Would you be like, “Oh, look kids, this coast guard is surely a good man. For he reminds me a lot like God who does what he pleases in regards to saving people.” Is that what you would be saying? Most likely not. You would be throwing a fit how the coast guard chose to save the others but he did not save you, and your family (in this alternate universe). You most likely would be thinking or screaming of how it was unfair. Well, most people would be thinking this way. But the staunch Calvinist wants me to accept that GOD is this way? However, GOD is so much better than any human.
Arminians believe in Prevenient Grace (which works with Total Depravity). I believe in Partial Depravity and I do not believe in Total Depravity like Calvinists and Arminians. Instead of Arminian's Prevenient Grace, I believe in “Unrestricted Initial Drawing(s) & Illumination(s)” by God For Majority. They are similar but not exactly the same. My view takes into account that God desires all men to be saved, and it also takes into account Revelation 13:8, and Revelation 17:8. Prevenient Grace does not also clarify that God may not make multiple attempts to try and save a person, as well. For Romans 10:21 says, “...All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.” But the major reason why I disagree with Prevenient Grace is that it is the fix to Total Depravity. But Total Depravity is unbiblical.
I believe that God elects based on His future foreknowledge of our free will choices (1 Peter 1:1-2). So God is one step ahead of what will do. But this is based on our decision. Also, Jesus draws all men unto Himself. There are also those who receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved, as well.
2 Thessalonians 2:10 KJB
“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”
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