, notes that many think the differences between Arminianism and Calvinism is that Calvinists believe in the sovereignty of God whereas Arminians believe in the free will of man. In reality, writes Olson, both are only partly true. Calvinists do believe in the sovereignty of God but so do Arminians. Arminians believe in the freedom of the will but so do Calvinists. In both cases, confusion exists because key terms are left out when defining these two theological movements. One of the worst things to find when examining what others write about Arminianism is to see so many references to the issue surrounding free will. Some seem to believe that Arminians live and die on the altar of free will. One prominent Calvinist blog even has an entire section called "Will-Worshipers" referring to Arminians. Is this true? Do we Arminians bow our knees to the altar of the will and do we really make this the fundamental issue related to salvation, the sovereignty of God, and eternity itself?
In short, the answer is no! The issue is not about free will but whether salvation is based on the unconditional will and decree of God or not. Calvinists hold that salvation (and all that it entails) is unconditional in that God chose from the beginning whom He would save and those whom He would condemn. Calvinism teaches that God decreed the Fall of Man in Genesis 3:1-7, Jesus Christ, the death and resurrection of Jesus on the cross for the sins of the elect, and election of the saints. Arminians believe that God foreknows all things including the free will decision of Adam and Eve to sin against Him and even the free choices of Judas to betray Jesus as well as the Jewish and Roman rulers free will acts in murdering the Son of God. God also foresees the free choices by people who hear the gospel. Calvinists agree that people must make a decision to become Jesus' disciples but they disagree with Arminians over whether this decision is based on the free will of the person or is irristible in nature.
Arminians do believe in free will but the bottom line for us is that we believe that God chose in His own freedom to create a world in which He would allow His creatures to interact with Him by our own free will that He allows and has given to us. This is part of being created in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). Unlike animals, mankind has the ability to create, to think, to talk, to rebel, and to follow God. The Calvinist agrees in part that God did create Adam as perfect and that he could chose but once he fell, we all fell (Romans 5:12) and now we are dead in our sins and apart from sovereign grace, we would never choose to follow Jesus (Ephesians 2:1-6). The Arminian agrees, again, in part. We teach that God's grace works through the preaching of the gospel to draw sinners and the only way that we can be saved is by the Spirit of God drawing us to the Savior (John 6:44). Yet we add that this grace and God's Spirit can be resisted (Luke 7:30; Acts 7:51; 2 Corinthians 6:1-2; Hebrews 2:1-4; 3:6-19).
Arminians as well as Calvinists are grateful that God has given us limited free will. While some Calvinists deny that free will even exists (such as Dr. Sam Storms who says that free will is a myth), many Calvinists I know believe that God has given us a limited freedom of the will though He has decreed whatsoever comes to pass (Ephesians 1:11). In reality, we Arminians believe that God does know all that will come to pass but based on His divine foreknowledge and not omnicausality, God allows free decisions to be made though He controls all things (Proverbs 21:1). The differences, I believe, lies in how we views God's decrees: conditional or unconditional.
In conclusion, do we Arminians worship free will? I hope not. I for one seek to worship God for He alone is worthy to be praised. I am grateful to be saved by His grace and I am thankful that He sent His Son to die for me. Perhaps when I get to heaven I will find that I was wrong about free will but I know that I won't be wrong about Jesus for my heart burns to worship and know Him more and more. I pray that is your heart as well no matter if you are Arminian or Calvinist (Revelation 4:11).
