From my perspective I see the issue is that he is putting the blame onto God for his unbelief. His understanding of Calvinism is spot on . in the sense of
I think for me the sadness was that he said ' maybe I'm not chosen, so he's waiting around for God to show up . That is consistent with reformed theology. So it seems he has understood how Calvinists use ephesians 2.8,9 ,saying strangely that 'Faith 'is the gift , rather than salvation. He also uses the Lazarus analogy Calvinists use to explain ( equally strange ) Spiritual deadness ( Jesus refers to it more as ' sickness ') But Derick says he is sitting in the grace waiting to be made alive. Its not just Christianity he rejects. it is the refromed worldview of Christianity He understands. He still will use the same arguments to his Christian ( non calvinist ) friends to say " I don't know why your trying to convince me . The bible says if I'm not chosen ,I can't believe, I waiting, but I must not be chosen. Thats the sadness . I believe the responsibility is on him . He doesn't need to wait around for the Holy Spirit to irresistibly zap him ( There is no verse that the Holy Spirit draws anyone. He needs to simply turn to God in Faith . To simply believe the Gospel. The right Gospel . Not the reformed explanation of the Gospel that says man cannot believe unless regenerated first .
I understand were you come from, and to a certain extent, Derick, but with the sure knowledge that I cannot see the deepest thoughts and motives, i judge that in the short clip you proposed, I missed the core issue. That is, Derick is a sinner, an enemy and transgressor of God's instructions awaiting a grand assize in which he will have no standing and face dire consequences. When a man turns to God, three parties are involved.
(i) The Holy Spirit. It is His job to convict men like Derick of sin and coming judgement (Jn.16:8)
(ii) The Christian. When a man is convicted of doom, he must be TOLD (testified to) of the way out. That is Jesus Christ, Son of God, slain and risen
(iii) The man involved. He must (a) admit his dire need, (b) admit his sins, and (c) receive revelation of the Father
In all of this, where does Calvin feature? I tell you, Calvin only features AFTER the process above. It is one of many things he will hear INSIDE the Church. And then, I ask, what grand difference does it make? The man has admitted his sin and sins, he has admitted his dire need of a Savior, he has admitted Jesus Christ as that man, and he has been born of the Holy Spirit. And he is convinced of his new standing with God by the Holy Spirit in Him (Rom.8:16). Derick has not even crossed this hurdle. It is only AFTER CONVERSION that he faces wrong doctrine. Wrong doctrine in evangelism will not lead the man to atonement and rebirth. From the self achievement of the Roman Church to the reincarnation of the Hindu, nothing will lead him to a successful conversion. Faith in, and revelation of, Jesus, is what is needed. Calvin only comes later and has to do with how he behaves as a Christian.
Calvin got some things right, and he got somethings wrong. That which is in error leads to an attitude of slothfulness in a Christian. Calvin does not hinder the gospel. Calvin hinders BEHAVIOR AFTER conversion.
But now we have another problem. If Calvinism is to be condemned, what merit has Arminius? I tell, his error was worse. He may have laid the ground for a Christian to watch his behavior, but he maligned God and His Christ (unwittingly no doubt). I do not judge the fervency and character of our brother Arminius, but I judge his doctrine. His doctrine, in a nutshell, is that salvation is up to the Christian's behavior. We must all ask one great question: Is salvation accomplished by what WE do, or is it accomplished by the work Christ DID? It is achieved by the WORKS of Christ, and they in turn are APPROVED by the Father. The logical end of the doctrine of Arminius is that the works of Christ cause atonement, rebirth, receiving of eternal life and partaking of the divine nature INTRINSICALLY, BUT THAT THE WORKS OF A CHRISTIAN UNDO IT! How, I ask, can one undo a BIRTH? How can one END ETERNAL LIFE? How can one undo a work approved and certified by God. Is the man's behavior stronger than God?
In closing, it would remiss of me not to address the solution, however briefly I do it. Calvin and Arminius BOTH missed one crucial point. The both thought, like many Christians today, that the Kingdom that Jesus taught, and that His Apostles after Him taught, was IN heaven. But from Genesis 1:26-28, through the Covenant with Abraham, through the Covenant with Moses, through the prophets, especially Daniel, to the teachings of Jesus, to the New Jerusalem coming down to a renewed (lit. Gk.) earth, HEAVEN IS NOT THE GOAL! The immutable and unchanging goal of God with man is THE EARTH. His plan was for men in His image and likeness to RULE THE EARTH. And so the fate of men is TWOFOLD. (i) Will he be conformed to the image of Christ. This needs sins put away, rebirth, eternal life and the divine nature infused into that man. (ii) Will he be found worthy of being a CO-RULER with the Man Jesus in the Kingdom
OUT OF Heaven? It is this second point that threatens the Christian - not the first. Do a study yourself. In every instance where the Christian is threatened, it is NEVER point number (i). The threat against a Christian is whether he will be found worthy as a STEWARD of his Lord's goods.
It is never his SALVATION that is called into question, but whether or not he will enter the Kingdom age as a RULER of cities. (Lk.19:17-19)
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