3 Views

Comparing the Views

Recognizing that there are many diverse and sometimes extreme positions held by individuals in both the Arminian and Calvinistic school of thought, the following table represents an overview of the differences between the three general theological doctrines. Note as well that there may be variaitions in other intermediate viewpoints.

A Comparative Analysis of the Three Views

Extreme Calvinism	Mediate Salvation Theology	Arminian Theology
God's Sovereignty is *Exhaustive* God has determined everything which will take place in the universe by his decrees in past eternity ~ including who will be saved and who will be condemned in hell (reprobation).	God's Sovereignty is *Self-Limited,* He has complete *Foreknowledge.* God has limited the exercise of His sovereignty by creating angels and humans as autonomous moral beings and progressively delegating authority and responsibility to them. However, God still has foreknowledge of all future events and intervenes when He desires.	God's Sovereignty:*Self-Limited* God has limited the exercise of His sovereignty by creating angels and humans as autonomous moral beings and progressively delegating authority and responsibility to them. In the extreme Arminian doctrine of Open Theism, God has no foreknowledge and is continually surprised by man's decisions.
TOTAL DEPRAVITY means total inability. Human spiritual death is defined in an extreme way as a total inability to please God in any way, including inability to repent and believe the gospel of Christ. People are seen as spiritual corpses.	Depravity in the Mediate View is defined as extensive corruption, but not total inability. All mankind became totally corrupt and fallen through Adam’s disobedience, but retains the image of God, which requires a sharper definition of spiritual death. Although we are unable to please God by works, we are able to repent and believe the gospel message.	There are diverse views of depravity. Some do not emphasize the full impact of Adam’s sin. God has given prevenient (preceding) grace to all mankind through the cross to enable sinners to repent, believe, and do good works.
UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION Before we were even born, God has decided and decreed who will be saved and who will go to hell apart from anything we do or can do. His basis for this choice is an unrevealed mystery.	CONDITIONAL ELECTION God foreknows those who by repentant faith will become the “elect.” God then regenerates and sets these individuals apart as His “choice” people. Our only election is “in Christ,” which is probably corporate.	CONDITIONAL ELECTION Election is conditioned on foreknowledge of faith plus perseverance in good works.
LIMITED ATONEMENT Christ died only for the “elect,” who were sovereignly chosen in past eternity. God does not really love the “non-elect.” Many say that He hates them.	GENERAL PROPITIATION & RANSOM Christ's substitutionary death provided a perfect satisfaction and ransom for the sins of every human, but its application in liberation-redemption and reconciliation is limited to those who trust Christ.	GENERAL REDEMPTION Christ died for all mankind but not as a substitute for sinners. It was to restore God’s honor and restore His government over the human race. Others say it is only to wash us from our sins.
IRRESISTIBLE GRACE The “elect” are directly and irresistibly regenerated before they believe, since they cannot first exercise saving faith.	RESISTIBLE GRACE People continuously resist God’s grace and only those who repent and believe will be declared righteous and be born again. People must themselves respond to the gospel.	RESISTIBLE GRACE Prevenient grace enables sinners to believe, but they must themselves respond.
PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS We cannot really be sure we are among the “elect” unless we persevere until the end. We must constantly search our hearts to make sure we are not counterfeits.	ETERNAL SECURITY Every truly born again believer can never be lost again, although many backslide, badly at times. Those who depart from the faith were counterfeits, so self-examination is important, but not continuously.	CONDITIONAL SECURITY Believers may know that they are saved now, but ultimate salvation is conditional upon continued faith and good works. There are diverse views about whether one can be saved again after losing salvation.