Neither Calvinist nor Armenian but biblical:
-- God's election is about those who have responded to God's call.. someone becomes God's elect because they responded to the Holy Spirit's conviction for salvation. Like a person being held up for an office.. they have been drawn up for election.. but have to accept the opportunity..
This is not full-blown calvinism.. because full-blown calvinism.. they never ask Jesus for salvation.
This opportunity is also given to ALL people.. God doesn't just select some to be saved and **** others.. that is false doctrine.. salvation is available to anyone who calls upon Jesus name for salvation.
Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11 For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Not Arminian either--
Because salvation cannot be lossed even if a person rebels against Jesus after salvation.. because Jesus owns the salvation. Asking for the salvation doesn't mean you own it..it is Jesus who indwells us with His Holy Spiirt.. not us indwelling Him.
Free will to ask Jesus for salvation.. not free will to terminate salvation. Consider the fact that you can't terminate your biological relationship to your parents by walking away from them, and your parents would never give you the gun to commit suicide with.. they would take the gun away. So God removes the means for us to terminate salvation.
John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.
1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
It is a bit far fetched to say that Jesus did not include ourselves when He said nothing could take us out of His hand! It is a bit strange when Jesus says he WILL give everlasting life to someone who believes in Him, and then say it isn't everlasting if someone falls away. this eternal life is His promise to us.. not our promise to Him!
So it is not Arminian
Not Calvinistic-- because you DO need to ask Jesus for salvation
Not Arminian- because salvation can in NO WAY be lossed.. the only way you can not have it is rejecting salvation till the day and die and if you were not genuine about asking for salvation-
nothing to do with works.. nothing to do with baptism.. just between you and Jesus.. asking for salvation.. pure and simple.
Forget Luther, Arminian, Calvin, etc.. and just let the bible interpret itself. An example of this:
'He who endures to the end will be saved'.. alone this verse look like only those who persevere have salvation..
but with it's surrouding verses:
(Mat 10:17) But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
(Mat 10:18) And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
(Mat 10:19) But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
(Mat 10:20) For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
(Mat 10:21) And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
(Mat 10:22) And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
(Mat 10:23) But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
These verses do not mention salvation as in eternal salvation.. but salvation as in being rescued from tribulation.. from trouble.. from persecution.
The word 'save' or 'saved' in scripture does not aways mean eternal salvation! Sometimes it just means be rescued from trouble..
So 'he who endures to the end will be saved'. means.. he who is patient and perseveres through these hard times will be delivered out them!'
Other example.. 'Faith without works is dead' in James
The context of this verse is about acts of service to God.. eg Abraham and Rahab. Neither of these people were eternally saved through their acts of faith!
If they had done nothing.. then they would missed an opportunity to trust God by an act for Him.. not that they would have lost salvation.. or never had it in the first place!
'faith without works is dead' equals.. not taking the opportunity to use the hope within them to serve God - means it is dormant, useless.... does not mean lost salvation or that they never had salvation in the first place.
They were justified by works in that there acts of service were pleasing to God.. and were righteous acts:
Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Jas 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
They were NOT justified by works in terms of their eternal salvation!
Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Rom 4:1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
Rom 4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
Rom 4:3 For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
That is my 4 cents
