#2. This leads us to ask what is the "true" Arminian.
#3. The "true" Arminian, at least include those who support all five tenets of Arminianism, and reject all 5 points of TULIP. There are two manifestations of this. #a. Those who talk, write, blog, and state their support of Arminianism and/or talk, write, blog, state their rejection of TULIP. #b. Those who not exposed to the typical language involved and thus do not use the typical language of the discussion, but nevertheless resemble those in #a. A large number of conservative protestants are in group #b.
#4. One can also be considered Arminian at differing levels of expression, which may seem to tedious to designate here. I have counted at least 30 mathematical combinations of rejecting points: 1,2,3,4,5;
1 and 2, 1 and 3, 1 and 4, 1 and 5, and so on. However, many today are opposed to "Limited Atonement" and adhere to "Once-saved-always-saved" (which is not truly the "P"); This article will not need to delineate all this variations and react to each.
#5. Some say, "But the people today are not Arminians they simply need discipleship, time for maturity, and clarification by clear teaching which they are not getting from the pulpit." I say, "Fine don't call them Arminians then." Why confuse apples with oranges. However, realize the danger of saying, "Most among Mormons and Popes, Freemasonry, and the Kingdom Hall are really not Mormons, Catholics, Freemasons, for these people simply need discipleship, time for maturity, and clarification by clear teaching which they are not getting from their current leader." I have preached against Freemasonry and 99% have stayed in Freemasonry, I cannot consider this an issue of failing to mature, but rather failure to be born again.
#6. We could not sit back for 5 years with a member who constantly denies the deity of Christ, and reply that, "this person is a Christian, and not an Arian, they simply need discipleship, time to mature." Likewise, I find it dangerous to broadly affirm people who deny the biblical doctrine of Man's Sin, Election, Grace, Atonement, and God's Sovereignty. Yes many conservative protestants verbally agree that man is a sinner, God is gracious, and God is sovereign, just as many under the Pope make the same verbal affirmation. So I am not surprised to hear Arminians hide under the same language.
#7. Solution. Give the individuals in question 7 of the best books on the main topics. (This should take about 7 months to read.) Give them 26 of the best sermons on the topics which provide exposition and clarification. (This should take about 6 months to hear.). Give them 2 years to digest this material, and watch them mature. If no maturity happens then it is no different than someone continuously rejecting the deity of Christ for 2 years despite clear teaching. If they refuse to read or hear the material, then it is no different than someone refusing to address material evidencing the deity of Christ. The doctrine of man's inability, election, atonement, effectual grace, and God's sovereignty is no more "hidden" in Scripture than the doctrine of Jesus' deity. So if they constantly kick and buck against sound teaching, then they prove themselves to be "true" Arminians and their ability to articulate such will move them from camp #B to camp#a. If they constantly refuse to even be exposed to the material or discuss the material, then likewise they are kicking and bucking in a passive-aggressive manner.
#8. If you think the "true" Arminian is regenerate, then we clearly disagree. If you think someone you know resembles Arminianism, but yet "isn't", then enjoy the chance to disciple them, and see them grow. It would be a dire tragedy to just "sit-back passively" and say "we will just leave them alone thinking they can lose their salvation at any moment." If I heard a professed Christian talk that way, I'd be very alarmed and very active to teach them "P" in place of their errant understanding of salvation. If I heard a professed Christian talk of man's ability, or the conditions of election, and the failing attempt of Jesus on the cross, then I too would be very alarmed and very active to teach them what the Bible says; You say, "But no one I know uses such language" Correct, and many among Mormons and Popes will hide behind words like Grace, Faith, and resting in Jesus all as a sly cover as Satan is crafty.
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