I'm sorry Calvinism isn't that complicated. It's just repeated false doctrine. It needs to be stomped on every time it raises it's ugly head.
CANON IV.- "
If any one saith,
that man's free will moved and excited by God, by assenting to God exciting and calling,
nowise co-operates towards disposing and preparing itself for obtaining the grace of Justification; that it cannot refuse its consent, if it would, but that, as something inanimate, it
does nothing whatever and is merely passive; let him be anathema."
CANON VII.-" If any one saith, that all works done before Justification, in whatsoever way they be done, are truly sins, or merit the hatred of God;
or that the more earnestly one strives to dispose himself for grace, the more grievously he sins: let him be anathema. "
CANON IX.-" If any one saith, that
by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that
nothing else is required to co-operate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema."
CANON XV.-" If any one saith, that
a man, who is born again and justified, is bound of faith to believe that he is assuredly in the number of the predestinate; let him be anathema."
CANON XVII.- " If any one saith,
that the grace of Justification is only attained to by those who are predestined unto life; but that all others who are called, are called indeed, but receive not grace, as being, by the divine power, predestined unto evil; let him be anathema."
CANON XXXI.- " If any one saith,
that the justified sins when he performs good works with a view to an eternal recompense; let him be anathema."
- Canons of Trent, Sixth Session, On Justification.
Source:
~The Council of Trent - Session 6~
"
■ Council of Trent: Several hundred years later, the ecumenical Council of Trent once again tackled these issues in responding to the Protestant Reformation. When it comes to this issue, Trent said two things. First, we cannot be assured in this life that we are among those who have been predestined, apart from some special revelation from God. This kind of language presumes predestination—that there exist some who are predestined. Here all that is condemned is the notion that we can know we are among the ones chosen, or predestined."
Source:
What Does the Church Say About Predestination?
With respect, it seems that you are in agreement with
many out there, MB.
At the top of the list is the Roman Catholic Church, whose view of the free will of man has been referred to as "Molinism", and is very closely related to what is now known as "Wesleyan Arminianism" or "Evangelical Arminianism".
The RCC also condemns "Calvinism" ( the doctrines of grace ) and affirm the Canons of Trent to this day.
As far as I am aware, those canons have never been rescinded.
The reason I state things this way, MB, is out of a concern that I don't believe that you
genuinely know
who, and
what, you are agreeing with.
If, however, you are indeed at peace with this, then of course that is your choice to make and it saddens me.