Howard,
In reply to:
One ... of my biggest problems is finding the "middle" ground betwixt hyper-calvinism and arminianism

It is good to hear you openly acknowledging this as a struggle. In his response to you, Joe wrote one of the best posts I have seen from anyone on this site in several weeks. Very sound advice.

I tried to encourage you, on a recent thread, with a quote pointing out the fact that the Christian faith does not consist in a mere refutation of, or warfare against, any current false gospel. I was saddened that you saw fit to rebuff the principle in that quote, merely by issuing an ad hominem against its author. I have been further saddened to see that the majority of your posts in the Theology and Open Forums seem to have fallen into the category of merely pointing out some great heresy, gross immorality, "public enemy", or antichrist, while I have heard you refer very little--as far as I can tell--to Christ and Him crucified.

That is why I am heartened to hear you make this admission. May I strongly suggest that you revisit the Introductory Essay, focussing upon [color:blue]the self-existent, positive nature of the Christian gospel: that God saves sinners! I re-emphasize [color:blue]self-existent, lest as your above quote implies, you fall into the trap of thinking that the truth of "Calvinism" (much more properly the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ) is merely a "middle ground" requiring opposite errors to hold it in place, whose raison d'etre consists in refuting those errors wherever and in whomever it detects them.

Please allow me a short illustration. I catechise (Heidelberg) about 15 men weekly in a year-long discipleship program for men with life-controlling problems (substance abuse, sexual immorality, criminal behavior). I am always saddened to hear some of the men describe their supposed faith simply in terms of a negation of the behavior that "got them in trouble" in the first place. They are ready to go to war against a particular sin, only to fall into more grievous self-righteousness. I have to constantly warn them that God has no interest whatsoever in people being merely non-drug addicts, non-adulterers, non-violent men, but rather He is looking for holy, as He is holy, sons who will glority Him with lives of grateful, loving obedience, who will worship Him in spirit and truth.

The same principle applies to whatever "ism" we (most recently) have emerged from. A Christian is not merely an anti-Arminian, or an anti-hyper-Calvinist, or an anti-Muslim. It is fine to "hate the deeds of the ...", but it is of no profit to us if we have forsaken our first love. Look back to the cross, Howard! Let the Doctrines of Grace free you to spend your zeal on exalting the name of Christ in whatever your hand finds to do, not merely coming out with weapons drawn against all who cross your path. Will there be opportunity to gently correct individuals you meet along the way, steering them toward the efficacious cross? Of course, and you will be well equipped to do so. But grow in your trust of the Sovereign Lord. He is enthroned above the heavens, He is laughing at His foes, and He is holding them fully in check until His day arrives. Until then, He is even continuing to make some of them His own sons and daughters!


In Christ,
Paul S