The Arminian/Calvinist Alliance

I said in my comments on this post that the post inspired me to perhaps one day create an organization called, "The Arminian/Calvinist Alliance" with the tag line, "Highlighting similarities and expressing differences with love." I think that all truly born-again Christians (assuming they are truly born-again and not a false convert) have similarities in their doctrines by which they can unite arms and not bash each other over the head.

By the same token there are also very important differences with wide-reaching implications.

What I would like to accomplish is placing the gospel into action by PRAISING GOD for similarities and also simultaneously expressing our differences of doctrine with LOVE and CHARITY, not in anger. Not minimizing the differences or glossing them over, just being more graceful in how we convey them.

I believe that soteriology (the study of salvation) is very important for missions, evangelism, worship and even day-to-day life, but soteriology is a difficult thing to work out with accuracy and balance. It must be done by the Spirit if you are going to be accurate and balanced.

Given this difficulty, it's no surprise that genuine God-fearing born-again believers fall on both sides.

Why don't we maximize the glory of the gospel by treating other born-again Christians with respect and care rather than as enemies to be conquered, as if being right is more important than loving them?

What an incredible witness it will be to an unbelieving world when we live out the truth of John 13:35: "By this all people will know that you are [Jesus'] disciples, if you have love for one another." (ESV) And I'm not talking about "hard love" but tender, shepherding love like Paul showed toward the Corinthians who it appears actually were in opposition to him??

I don't have time to carry out this project today, but I wanted to introduce the concept into the community for further consideration.

Certainly there will be those who blast me for this, "There are no born-again Calvinsts" or "I don't consider Arminians my brother." But I believe such an attitude would be foreign to the Apostle Paul's mind. And if you don't want to join the alliance, that is between you and the Lord.

Let me state once again that this is NOT an alliance where differences will be ignored or glossed over. On the contrary, I am convicted that born-again Christians need those of slightly differing doctrines to strengthen them up, search for cracks in the foundation, problems in the logic, etc. They can either help to expose error or strengthen truth. We can be used by God to build each other up.

Or we can be used by satan to tear each other down.

Brothers, let us disagree, that is OK. But let us disagree by exercising the truth of the gospel into our hearts and minds. The net result is new Christians will see gospel-loving God-fearing theologans actually applying the love of God toward each other. They will also hear fair (not "burning straw men," not "poisoning the well" and other logical fallacies) presentation what we believe to be the truth, so that they can prayerfully, by the Spirit, make an informed decision.

Brothers, what say ye?