R
I am a 5-point Calvinist. I often find that most of American Evangelicals are Arminian. I have fellowshipped with some and divided the word on many issues and always managed to disagree in love. However, there are many Arminian s who are radical anti-Calvinistic many on this very site. Is it possible to coexist.
I have one friend who has been hard to fellowship with me because he has said it in subtle ways that I am going to a church that is 'catholic' when nothing could be further from the truth. What i object with most calvinists is the accusation that those who hold to any soteriological view other than Calvinism are man centered pridefull people who seek to have the glory in their own salvation when nothing could be further from the truth. Yes i have tried befriending some high calvinists albeit knowing they would always try to 'get me saved' because they did not see me as a bible believing follower of Christ. I tried befriending one presbyterian who i am sure outside of the two talks i had with him is a pleasant young man but he had started with insults and pridefull statements like 'reform theology cannot be refuted' and would not let up once he found out i was not a calvinist his goal from then on was to try to prove that the bible is all determinism and compatibilism. Sadly i could not be friends with someone like this who was beyond arrogant in his looking down upon me for attending a church in the wesleyan tradition. I will be honest, i am a little leary and iffy about hanging with many calvinists because i feel they do not grasp that grace also means responsibility and a response to that grace,which is holy and right living(not perfect but always aiming high towards perfection aiming one's sight/eyes on Jesus Christ)
That said, It can only be possible when both parties have respect and not an alterior motive when having a friend of the differing theological/soteriological views. In all honesty..many things that reform theology adheres to are the very same things that Classical Arminian theology adheres to.
-we believe it is all God,all grace when one is saved
-we believe God is sovereign(albeit not to the high calvinist deterministic definition of Sovereignty)
-we believe in the security of the believer,all believers are secure(in so much as one does not apostacize from the faith, so that is our take on 'eternal security')
-we believe in total depravity, although many accuse of not believing in it. Look at any of the sayings of John Wesley or Arminius..youll see their strong belief in total depravity
All in all, the appeal of the Classical Arminian is and first and foremost is the fact shown in scripture that God is good, and a goodness that is understandable as sincerely and truly good, that he does not make us Robotic automations, that sufficient grace has been bestowed to all me by God himself in so much that they can choose to accept or reject the Gospel, and he does this because he honors us as more than 'stones' and any relationship that is not two fold is at best a manipulative abuse and not a sincere genuine loving relationship. The secondary effect, and result of this is that God has allowed and make provision by giving us libertarian free will.