Is there an alternative to unconditional election doctrine?

ALTERNATIVES TO CALVINISM

Jacob Arminius who was born in 1560 in Holland questioned the Five Points of Calvinism causing a big division in Protestantism.

Arminians and Calvinists agree that salvation is by faith alone. Roman Catholics and these two factions all agree that justification and salvation are gifts from God which cannot be earned by good works (Romans 6:23).

Calvinists were convinced that all who are saved have been caused to choose salvation by God and could not resist it. Arminians said that God does not cause this decision but merely influences it by grace so that the person can resist the grace.

Calvinists said that God chose to save some and not all. He does not intend to save everybody.

Arminians said that he chose to save only those who choose to believe him but intends to save all and can’t save all for they will not come to him for salvation.

Arminianism holds that God looks into the future and foresees that some will obey and chooses them for salvation because of their holy works and because they choose him. Yet they say salvation is by faith alone. You might do the good works after you are saved but they got you your salvation so it is a doctrine of salvation by works. Some say salvation is conditional on choice and not on works. But choice is a work. It is something you do. God’s past decision cannot be caused by the future. He cannot predestine you for salvation because he sees you will do good works if you are saved. The future cannot determine the past for the past is meant to give way to the present and the present give away to the future and that order cannot be altered. Therefore he is just seeing what you will do and because of that he can choose you before he even makes you but there is no predestination conditional or unconditional. Arminians must face then the Bible texts that speak of us being chosen before the world was made. Only Calvinists can make sense of them.

Calvinists said that humanity is wholly sinful and unable to turn to God for salvation. Arminians said that it is true that all are completely sinful but denied that all could not repent and be saved.

Calvinists claimed that Jesus did not die to atone for the sins of those who are not chosen while Arminius stupidly said he did.

Calvinists said that the saved would persevere in the faith forever and Arminianism is not so sure about this. It is agnostic.

Many but not all Arminians hold that once you are saved you are always saved. So do Calvinists.

Arminianism is closer to Roman Catholicism.

But unlike Catholicism it believes that faith is enough – or that it is enough to believe and repent once while turning to the blood of Christ for salvation. Catholics say it is only enough if you can’t do good works. The Catholic is saved by faith alone until it is time to do good works and then you are saved by both. It often says that all sin is mortal contrary to Roman Catholicism.

Arminianism teaches the legal fiction theory that Jesus’ obedience is credited to the sinner’s account and the sinner’s to Jesus’. This denies Rome’s doctrine that you always lose God when you sin seriously.

Anyway, God to be God has to be sovereign and thus he is far more responsible for a sinner going to Hell than a sinner could be for he is creator. Unconditional election and God go together. The doctrine when added to the belief that there is a place of everlasting punishment after death for many becomes inhuman.