Calvarminianism: A Followup, Part III

Now, in my previous posts I have chronicled my mind's journey as I work my way through Calvinism and Arminianism. While purposefully avoiding Scriptural study on the matter I have worked out that Calvinism makes sense for the most part. [Arminianism makes sense too, but that's another post for another day.]

There is, however, one point that I cannot reconcile: that of irresistible grace. I can't bring myself to believe that the grace given by Christ is irresistible in my mind studies. I can't say that it is or isn't definitively; as you recall, I am going with what makes sense in my head before I go for what the Scriptures say, in an attempt to get a fuller understanding of the whole debate.

In observation of my own life and the world around me, I can't argue that the grace is irresistible. Case in point: if the grace is irresistible, how can we reconcile all the Christians that backslide/fall away/lose the faith on a regular basis?

Now, I am not saying that God can't bring them back, because I'm not one to believe that our salvation is works based. If they can fall away and go to Hell because they fell away, that makes our salvation works-based and makes their sin stronger than God and his grace. [This sounds strangely familiar...?]

I can say this because I have personally fallen away several times. I have quit chasing God with the fervor that I have once had. I have now come back to Him, but this fact definitely does not necessarily offer evidence of its irresistibility.

Some might say that the fact that I came back is evidence that the grace is irresistible, but I can't argue that the grace is irresistible for that very reason, because there are many people who I would say do not come back. They still go to Heaven, but they don't come back to serving God in their earthly lifestyle.

On top of that, some would argue the fact that you came to God in the first place is evidence of the irresistible grace. I don't think so. Some might also argue that the fact that you go to Heaven in the end is evidence of irresistible grace. I have heard this argument before, and it is amongst the most illogical arguments I have ever heard. That's a whole other point, and it's not going to cut it.

Maybe I'll get this all figured out. In the meantime, I'm going to move on. Consider this one a mark for Arminianism.