There are many differences between the Calvinist and Armenian views. The major difference is the one stated that the elect are chosen by God ahead of time to be saved, while the Armenian view is that we choose to be saved by Jesus to go to heaven with God. Geisler makes a distinct difference though when he states “According to this view (Calvinism), God’s predetermination is done in spite of His foreknowledge of human free acts. God operates with such unapproachable sovereignty that His choices are made with total disregard for the choices of mortal men.” Here it is supposing that God knows what free choices we will make and plan accordingly. Honestly, it is hard to understand how you can think like that, but most people simply say it is only for God to understand. However, if we have no free will, our decision to worship God cannot mean any more than the forced worship of the angels in heaven. If that was all God wanted from us (forced worship) then he could have simply stuck with his previous angels he had before he created us.
He did create us though, and this is what keeps the free will choice alive; the decision to worship God over all other Gods. For, as Geisler said, “If free choices were not considered at all when God made the list of the elect, then irresistible grace on the unwilling follows; that is, man would have no say in his own salvation. Accordingly, the fact that all men do not choose to love, worship, and serve God will make no difference whatsoever to God.” If it were not for this simple choice, then there would be no point in the creation of humans. However, this is not to say that God did not predestinate a certain number of humans to worship him, while condemning the rest to hell. This is shown in the statement: “If not for irresistible grace upon the elect, all would forever be in this state of resisting the Holy Spirit and Jesus’ statement that ‘All whom the father gives shall come to me...’ (John 6:37) would make no sense whatsoever.” It is a very fine line between chosen to make the free choice to worship God, and simply choosing to worship God out of our own free will.
The statement, God’s grace is irresistible is also semi-confusing with faced with the previous dilemma. Geisler says this succinctly by stating: “But if God’s grace can be resisted, then it is not irresistible.” How can humans believe this but still believe we have the choice to worship God without any predestined choice by God in the first place? I believe that it is a valid point, and it is one we need to study carefully. Armenian’s theology is good, but has its faults along with the staunch Calvinists. Geisler does well by carefully choosing a theology in a gently balanced middle, and seems to consider both sides evenly and carefully. I have a hard time not choosing his argument.
