RE: TULIP: Who, Why, and How People are Saved
Ultamanlty, you have to go back to the good news of the Gospel. First, however, there is bad news. All have fallen and fall short ... a sin problem. God loved ALL with so much magnitude that he gave a gift - his Son. Who stood in our place as a substitutionary sacrifice, once and for all. A gift has to be accepted. In a world of fallen people, there God offered redemption.
A thought I had was, that both Calvinism (TULIP) and Arminianism do not realize full explanation of what is ultimately humanly unexplainable. I simply think that we, being in a fallen state, are not capable of grasping such a concept. While both God is sovereign AND we are called to make a decision of faith in Christ unto salvation is true; it also seems these two points are contradictory. 2 Corinthians 4:4 tells me that the 'god of this world' has 'blinded the minds of the unbelieving' and they cannot see the gospel light. John 3:19-20 defines the judgment that men 'loved the darkness rather than the Light.' (read also John 12:39-40; as well as Ephesians 4:17-19) That is to say, in the Bible, there seems to be the idea of a human making a choice of faith.
...my thoughts - offered humbly. Also, something I found a while back an article from 2009 that offers history of TULIP as well
Thanks @baritonejp! I appreciate it. :) I will study the verses you gave. :)
I have sent you a little gift for helping me out. :)