How many here would see themselves as being An Evangelical Arminian then?

[JesusFan]

From Statement of Faith - Society of Evangelical Arminians
We believe that humanity was created in the image of God but fell from its original sinless state through willful disobedience and Satan’s deception, resulting in eternal condemnation and separation from God. In and of themselves and apart from the grace of God human beings can neither think, will, nor do anything good, including believe. But the prevenient grace of God prepares and enables sinners to receive the free gift of salvation offered in Christ and his gospel. Only through the grace of God can sinners believe and so be regenerated by the Holy Spirit unto salvation and spiritual life. It is also the grace of God that enables believers to continue in faith as well as good in thought, will, and deed, so that all good deeds or movements that can be conceived must be ascribed to the grace of God.

We believe that God’s saving grace is resistible, that election unto salvation is conditional on faith in Christ, and that persevering in faith is necessary for final salvation.

Rest of their statements even Calvinists would agree with them on, and these 2 would be the dividing line in our theological views regarding Sotierology

 

[Silverhair]

I have no problem agreeing with that statement of faith as it is biblical. Although I would not call myself an Arminian as I trusted in Christ over 60 years ago.

I just believe the word of God as written.

I do not like labels as they only serve to divide people.

 

[Van]

From Statement of Faith - Society of Evangelical Arminians
We believe that humanity was created in the image of God but fell from its original sinless state through willful disobedience and Satan’s deception, resulting in eternal condemnation and separation from God. In and of themselves and apart from the grace of God human beings can neither think, will, nor do anything good, including believe. But the prevenient grace of God prepares and enables sinners to receive the free gift of salvation offered in Christ and his gospel. Only through the grace of God can sinners believe and so be regenerated by the Holy Spirit unto salvation and spiritual life. It is also the grace of God that enables believers to continue in faith as well as good in thought, will, and deed, so that all good deeds or movements that can be conceived must be ascribed to the grace of God.

We believe that God’s saving grace is resistible, that election unto salvation is conditional on faith in Christ, and that persevering in faith is necessary for final salvation.

Rest of their statements even Calvinists would agree with them on, and these 2 would be the dividing line in our theological views regarding Sotierology

Just as with Calvinism, Arminianism is a fiction. God says salvation does not depend upon the lost either willing or working to be saved, Romans 9:16. The above denies this reality.

Total Spiritual Inability is a fiction, Limited Spiritual ability, able to understand and respond to spiritual milk is the reality.

 

[JesusFan]

Just as with Calvinism, Arminianism is a fiction. God says salvation does not depend upon the lost either willing or working to be saved, Romans 9:16. The above denies this reality.

Total Spiritual Inability is a fiction, Limited Spiritual ability, able to understand and respond to spiritual milk is the reality.

Once again, how can dead respond?

 

[Silverhair]

Once again, how can dead respond?

Spiritually dead = lost, it does not mean that cannot respond to the various means that God uses to draw people to Him.

They hear the gospel and believe the gospel.

 

[Van]

Once again, how can dead respond?

Romans 9:16 is found in most bibles, but not in Calvinist rewrites. If salvation does not depend on the person who wills to be saved, then at least some lost spiritually dead people will to be saved. Can you answer this? Nope. Not ever.

 

[KenH]

"So then it is not of him that willeth,.... This is not a consequence drawn by an adversary, showing that if this be the case, it signifies nothing for men to will or do, they may even sit still and do nothing, but depend on the mercy of God; but this is a conclusion of the apostle's from the above cited testimony, inferring from thence, that election, which is what he is discoursing of, is "not of him that willeth",
nor of him that runneth: that is, is not owing to the will or works of men, to the desires, inclinations, and affections of their minds, or to the actions of their lives; these are not the motives, conditions, or causes of this act:
but of God that sheweth mercy; in a free sovereign way and manner, which he is not obliged to by anything the creature wills or works; he is at full liberty, notwithstanding whatever they will or do, to give his grace and mercy, when, where, and to whom he pleases."

- excerpt from John Gill's Bible commentary on Romans 9:16

 

[Silverhair]

"So then it is not of him that willeth,.... This is not a consequence drawn by an adversary, showing that if this be the case, it signifies nothing for men to will or do, they may even sit still and do nothing, but depend on the mercy of God; but this is a conclusion of the apostle's from the above cited testimony, inferring from thence, that election, which is what he is discoursing of, is "not of him that willeth",
nor of him that runneth: that is, is not owing to the will or works of men, to the desires, inclinations, and affections of their minds, or to the actions of their lives; these are not the motives, conditions, or causes of this act:
but of God that sheweth mercy; in a free sovereign way and manner, which he is not obliged to by anything the creature wills or works; he is at full liberty, notwithstanding whatever they will or do, to give his grace and mercy, when, where, and to whom he pleases."

- excerpt from John Gill's Bible commentary on Romans 9:16

A view consistent with Paul’s narrative on Jewish evangelism, “the man who wills or the man who runs” would reflect the false assurance of salvation through works and bloodlines, that is, the perception of the unbelieving Jews who thought they were essentially born saved as children of Abraham and justified by their performance under the Law, which contrasts with the Gentile believers who successfully attained God’s righteousness simply by faith, summarized at Rom_9:30-32.

Rom 9:30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith;
Rom 9:31 but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.
Rom 9:32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

Righteousness is never earned by fallen creatures, no matter how hard they try, no matter how much willing and running they do. God’s mercy is for those who stop and surrender, turning themselves toward God, much like the “prodigal son” who humbly returned home, and received grace and mercy from this father, even though he didn’t deserve it.

Only God saves but He only saves those that have trusted in His risen Son.

 

[KenH]

He only saves those that have trusted in His risen Son.

To state it accurately, per the Holy Scriptures, is that those God chose before the world began will, at some point, under the hearing of the gospel of Christ, believe in Christ.

Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

 

[Silverhair]

To state it accurately, per the Holy Scriptures, is that those God chose before the world began will, at some point, under the hearing of the gospel of Christ, believe in Christ.

Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

Your rendition does not fit with the context. But that does seem to be a common problem for those that are of the C/R view.

Calvinists treat Act_13:48 as if it contains the phrase by God when it does not and they interpret it irrespective of Act_13:46 which sets the contextual tone.

To state it accurately, per the Holy Scriptures.

The gentiles had heard Paul's gospel message, those that accepted it and trusted in the one spoken of took that direction for eternal life, and believed. Act_13:26-52 is showing the contrast between the resistant Jews and the willing Gentiles and should be read in a way that places the responsibility for believing on the people, that the people positioned themselves either for eternal life by accepting the truth or for eternal death by rejecting it.

 

[KenH]

Calvinists treat Act_13:48 as if it contains the phrase by God when it does not

Since you don't think in that verse that it is God who ordained to eternal life those who believed, then who do you think ordained to eternal life those who believed?

 

[Silverhair]

Since you don't think in that verse that it is God who ordained to eternal life those who believed, then who do you think ordained to eternal life those who believed?

The KJV has used the word ordain but it is better translated as appointed.

tasso. G5021
1. This word means “to appoint,” “to order,” with such nuances as “to arrange,” “to determine,” “to set in place,” “to establish,” and middle “to fix for oneself.” [TDNT Theological Dictionary of the New Testament]

This fits with the overall context which you seem to be ignoring. God appoints those that have believed to eternal life.

The Jews had judged themselves unworthy of eternal life: {Act_13:46} the Gentiles, as many as were disposed to eternal life, {Act_13:48} believed. {In both cases it is the person, Jew or Gentile, that made the choice.}

As I said before only God can save but He only saves those that believe.

There is no evidence that Luke had in mind an absolutum decretum of personal salvation.
Paul had shown that God's plan extended to and included Gentiles. Certainly the Spirit of God does move upon the human heart to which some respond, as here, while others push him away. [RWP Word Pictures in the New Testament]

 

[KenH]

The KJV has used the word ordain but it is better translated as appointed.

Appointed means the same thing as ordained, just as charged means the same thing as imputed.

 

[KenH]

God appoints those that have believed to eternal life.

The Bible teaches in Acts 13:48 that "as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." Acts 13:48 does not teach, as you stated, the reverse of that, "God appoints those that have believed to eternal life."

 

[Silverhair]

Appointed means the same thing as ordained, just as charged means the same thing as imputed.

You are ignoring the context Ken.

In context God "appointed" them to salvation in response to their faith.

When you use the term "ordained" it implies that God predetermined who would be saved. That does not fit the context or the overall biblical view.

 

[Silverhair]

The Bible teaches in Acts 13:48 that "as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." Acts 13:48 does not teach, as you stated, the reverse of that, "God appoints those that have believed to eternal life."

Perhaps you will believe these biblical scholars.

appointed/disposed τεταγμένοι G5021]
The meaning of this word {τεταγμένοι G5021} must be determined by the context. The Jews had judged themselves unworthy of eternal life: {Act_13:46} the Gentiles, as many as were disposed to eternal life, {Act_13:48} believed. {In both cases it is the person, Jew or Gentile, that made the choice.} By whom so disposed, is not here declared: nor need the word be in this place further particularized. We know, that it is GOD who worketh in us the will to believe, and that the preparation of the heart is of Him: but to find in this text pre-ordination to life asserted, is to force both the word and the context to a meaning which they do not contain. It may be worthwhile to protest against all attempts to join ἐπίστευσαν with εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον, which usage will not bear. Alford

Had inclined themselves, ēsan tetagmenoi, may be either in the middle voice, as translated, or passive, had been inclined. In the middle voice the subject participates in the results of the action, as here (cf. Dana and Mantey, § 155). Note that it is said of the Jews, in Act_13:46, you yourselves are rejecting, apōtheisthe, in the middle voice; and of the believers in Act_13:48 : they inclined themselves, in the middle voice. And so we have here an antithesis between the Jews and believers. Predestinarians use this passage as a stronghold. Predestination is a Roman Catholic view brought to Protestantism: "This view began with Jerome who revised the old Latin rendering destinati or ordinati to praeordinati in order to make coming to faith and salvation the product of a predestinatory eternal decree. Calvin is the great exponent of the decretum absolutum…" (Lenski, Acts, p. 553).

There is no evidence that Luke had in mind an absolutum decretum of personal salvation.
Paul had shown that God's plan extended to and included Gentiles. Certainly the Spirit of God does move upon the human heart to which some respond, as here, while others push him away. RWP

I know you want to maintain you view but the context does not support it.

 

[Reynolds]

I have no problem agreeing with that statement of faith as it is biblical. Although I would not call myself an Arminian as I trusted in Christ over 60 years ago.

I just believe the word of God as written.

I do not like labels as they only serve to divide people.

Are you a “Baptist”?

 

[Silverhair]

Are you a “Baptist”?

Why do you ask?

 

[Reynolds]

Why do you ask?

You said you don't label yourself.