Comparing Non-Calvinist View and Calvinist View

As Non-Calvinist Evangelical Christians, we affirm that God has from eternity ordained salvation through Christ as the Elect One. In His sovereignty, God chooses to save those who believe in the Chosen One (Christ). Faith in Christ is the only condition for election unto salvation. Those who freely believe in Christ will have eternal life and becomes part of the elect (the Church). Those who choose to reject Christ are condemned for eternity. We disagree with claims that God have ordained from eternity some to eternal life, and condemned others to eternal damnation, even before they were born apart from a free response of faith in Christ. ─ GRACE for ALL Coalition

A Non-Calvinist Theological View of Predestination

Predestination is a biblical doctrine, but its meaning has been widely debated within Christian theology. While Calvinism interprets predestination as God’s eternal, unconditional decree determining the salvation or damnation of specific individuals, Non-Calvinist traditions affirm predestination without embracing determinism or unconditional election. Instead, predestination is understood as God’s gracious, purposeful plan to save humanity in Christ, genuinely offered to all, and applied through faith. A Non-Calvinist view seeks to uphold God’s sovereignty, human responsibility, universal gospel invitation, and God’s just character without contradiction.

Two Evangelical Views on Salvation

All Evangelical Christians embrace the Five Solas of the Protestant Reformation. This means that, because we belong to the same Protestant Evangelical heritage, Calvinist Evangelical Christians and Non-Calvinist Evangelical Christians historically affirm that salvation is by God’s grace alone (Sola Gratia), that salvation is through faith alone (Sola Fide) in Christ alone (Solus Christus), that our faith is based on Scriptures alone (Sola Scriptura), and that we live for the glory of God alone (Soli Deo Gloria). However, not all Evangelical Christians are Calvinistic in their soteriology. This also implies that, while we disagree with many of the finer points of their theology, we still consider many in the Reformed-Calvinist camp as brothers and sisters in Christ. Hence, we seek to become bearers of grace towards fellow believers who differ from our theological persuasions. 

Does Human Depravity Mean That Humans Are Not Free to Respond to the Gospel?

We affirm that God initiated salvation by sending Jesus Christ as the sacrifice for the sins of all people. God desires all people to be saved, and any person who hears the message of the Gospel can choose to believe in Christ and be saved. This view in no way implies that individuals can save themselves or merit God's favor. Rather, the grace of God enables every person to respond, convicts all people of their sin, and draws all people to the cross of Christ. Those who hear and freely respond in faith to the message of the Gospel will be saved, but those who reject the offer of salvation can blame only themselves for their lost condition.

Do We Become Born Again in Order to Believe, Or Do We Believe in Order to Become Born Again?

We affirm that saving faith is the means for regeneration, and not the result of regeneration. The new birth takes place the moment a person trusts Christ and not before they trust Christ. Faith in Christ is the requirement before an individual can experience spiritual birth. Faith is the instrumental means by which we access the free gift of salvation.

 

Did Christ Die for All People, Or Did He Die Only for a Chosen Few?

We affirm that Christ suffered and died on the cross for the sins of every person, but His death is effective only when the individual accepts it. We disagree with theologies which teach that Christ died only for the sins of those who are preselected to be saved, and that God imposes or withholds this atonement without respect to the person’s free will.

Did God Preselect Some to Salvation and Preselect Others to Damnation?

We affirm that God has from eternity ordained salvation through Christ as the Elect One. In His sovereignty, God chooses to save those who believe in the Chosen One (Christ). Faith in Christ is the only condition for election unto salvation. Those who freely believe in Christ will have eternal life and becomes part of the elect (the Church). Those who choose to reject Christ are condemned for eternity. We disagree with claims that God have ordained from eternity some to eternal life, and condemned others to eternal damnation, even before they were born apart from a free response of faith in Christ.

Does God Love Every Person and Desire to Save All People?

We affirm that God loves and desires to save every person in the world, without exclusion, without exception. Whosoever freely believes in Christ will have everlasting life, those who choose to reject Christ will not be saved. We disagree with teachings that claim that God exclusively loves and desires to save only some who were preselected.

What Is Grace For All Coalition?

We are a cross-denominational collaboration of various Non-Calvinist Evangelical Christian pastors, theologians, scholars, church leaders, and believers from all theological persuasions who affirm and teach that God has provided the means of salvation for all people through the life, death, and resurrection of the Son of God. So that all who trust in Jesus Christ are saved by grace through faith.

We believe that the Gospel (εὐαγγέλιον) is asserting that God actually loves the entire world and that God sincerely desires every person to gain eternal life through Jesus Christ. God offers the free gift of salvation to all sinners and invites all humanity to respond in believing faith. The saving grace of God is sincerely offered to every person, not decreed to a preselected few.

We subscribe to the theological affirmations of the Apostles’ Creed, the Lausanne Covenant, and the World Evangelical Alliance.