Calvarminianism: A Followup, Part I

I've now been educated on Calvinism and some of its supporting Scripture, thanks to a late-night table conversation with someone who knows more about it than I do. I have now temporarily changed my views about election. I can't say permanently because I'm completely liable to change again later. However, after this conversation the concept of election has started to make more sense to me.

Election is unconditional according to Calvinism, and conditional according to Arminianism. Unconditional election holds that God in His sovereignty has elected those who will be saved, regardless of their deeds or faithfulness to Him. Conditional election, however, holds that God only elects people if they will be faithful to Him.

Keep in mind that unless otherwise stated, my views are currently based on pure observation and not on Scriptural study. In this series of posts I am going to attempt to make observations first, and then use Scripture to interpret them correctly.

In my observations, election is obviously unconditional. [Calvinism 3, Arminianism 2.] If election were only conditional, then why in the world are there Christians who have far backslidden and no longer move with God or even speak with Him? I am not, not, not condemning anyone for ever having backslidden from God. I am merely making a point.

If election is conditional, then drug addicts who see God are completely screwed. If election is conditional, then the people who accept Christ on their deathbed are completely screwed. If election is conditional, then anyone who backslides from God is completely screwed. That doesn't make sense.

Unconditional election makes more sense than conditional election. Election as a whole, however, is infinitely viewed as unjust, prejudiced and downright nonsensical. Why would a God who loves people elect certain people to be saved and disallow certain people from being saved? The answer is simple, and easily defeats all claims of injustice, prejudice and nonsense.

God has mercy on us. A just God would punish us all by banishing us all to Hell for all of eternity. A merciful God offers mercy to those who choose to take it. Obviously, we all know that there are people who are never going to get saved no matter what happens. We know this because many, many people populate Hell at this very moment. The answer is that God's election [and his sovereignty] is far sufficient to encompass all who will make the decision to trust him and take his offer of mercy. We have to trust that even though our tiny little minds can't comprehend it, our great big God who had the infinite intelligence to create the planets and the universe and every living cell and all the millions of processes that keep our lives running as they do also had the infinite intelligence to elect all who would come to Him.

Keep in mind, folks, that I am not perfect, I am not a theologian, I do not have a doctorate, and I do not claim to have all the answers. These conclusions that I have published in this article could change; they make sense to me right now, and as I learn more the views listed here could change. In the meantime, my status as a Calvarminianist is dwindling.

Currently, the score is Calvinism 3, Arminianism 2.

To be continued.