I'm assuming you have me in the latter camp? Please help me understand what you mean by "immediate assent?" I'm just trying to follow you so I can better understand the question.
It appears that you are asking the non-Calvinist how we believe the conversion takes place in the life of someone outwardly hostile toward God, is that right?
I do, but not for the sake of argument, more in wondering how those with an Arminian or other outlook ACTUALLY approach the issue of a hostile encounter.
By "immediate assent" I mean those times when, as we try to share the gospel, read the Scriptures, pray, speak of godly things, etc., and the people are quite (and even violently) opposed to that effort. In other words, people like me, before salvation, when I told a pastor to "stick your god, your Bible and your church right up your @**." I've been told as much in my own witnessing encounters, yet some of those people are now not only "in Christ" but they are in ministry!
That, and I am also, as mentioned above, working with persons with MPD, and in virtually every case with them, the entire issue is hostile. They have been ritualistically abused, given the opportunity (as little children, no less) to "cry out to Jesus" and when they did, a person dressed as Jesus, with everyone else in the room bowing and carrying on as if that one were indeed the true Son of God, raped them or worse in the most horrific ways possible.
Imagine that happening to 4, 5, 6 year old boys and girls! Over years of ritualistic abuse like that, they are indeed hostile to any attempt to share the gospel with them, but at the same time, they are crying and screaming for help that only God can provide.
How does one go about that task?
Especially if one holds, as many here do, that the individual must "choose Christ" in faith before regeneration takes place.
I am very confused as to how that might work, both in the examples above, and in other examples in the Scriptures, some of which have already been mentioned.
