In reply to:
[color:"blue"]One (and there are many) of my biggest problems is finding the "middle" ground betwixt hyper-calvinism and arminianism.

The Middle Ground, the Holy Ground, which you seek is the totality of living out the Reformed Faith, without the other add-ons. Here are some points that I have discovered:

    1. God saves us to (or “into” in the Book of John) Himself and not to an "immediate understanding” to the "correct" theological system. I do believe He "effectually applies" a theological system to His elect—Calvinism, but this is far from one completely understanding how everything works.

    2. If you as a Calvinist do not understand ALL there is within Calvinism, and you are “x” number of years old in this belief system, then how can it be that you think an Arminian would have to understand it ALL in order to be saved? Thus, love the Arminian, but hate his theology, but do so with respect because he may be your brother.

    3. God is not a Gnostic. He does not regenerate us BECAUSE of our knowledge, but in-spite of it. Regeneration as you know is by GRACE ALONE which is delivered to us in love by God's Spirit as predetermined before the foundation of the world—election, and not Gnosticism. One of many things that happens in salvation is that now we may begin to grow in the "special" revelation of God.

    4. An easy way to look at it is: A "new" police officer, in Georgia, when he begins on the street is sworn in and given ALL the rights and privileges of being a police officer. He can arrest people, he may carry a weapon, and so forth. There is a big problem though—he knows not how to do any of the above correctly. When we get saved we have ALL the rights and privileges that come from being saved, but we understand very little if anything at all. With ALL the Arminian mis-teachings around today it is no wonder everyone “thinks” he was saved by his own free will. You may say it like this, Where Arminian confusion, untruth, and free-will abounds, grace does much more abound. The key here is that GRACE still abounds, in-spite of their beliefs. [img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/idea.gif" alt="idea" title="idea[/img]

    5. Stop reading Iain Paisley and the like. While men of God like him have brought you to a certain point of growth, they are immature (and may I add non-Calvinistic) in many areas. Begin reading some other writings by the Puritans on sanctification, and others, which I am sure others would be more than willing to list for your edification and comfort.[/LIST] And remember life is like a deck of cards, always shifting, and balance is only momentary synchronicity. That is a neat way of saying that you will always be growing in Christ. [img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin[/img] The neat thing is --You are asking the right questions, and thus, God is working in your heart, so cheer up--you are a far worse sinner than you ever thought you were, and far more forgiven than you could have ever imagined. I hope this helps.

Reformed and Always Reforming,