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I'm saying both Calvin and Arminius were each partially correct. Neither was completely correct.

(Fred) Both were not completely correct in regards to what exactly? Predestination? Grace? Faith? Arminius was heavily influenced by Jesuit Catholic theology that is Platonic in nature. I would be curious to know what he was correct about.
I don't consider myself to be a follower of Calvin, but his understanding of salvation as is encapsulated in the 5 points that bear his name I believe is correct, because the proper study of God's word yields that conclusion. Appealing to mystical notions of "God's spirit told me" does not establish the truth in this matter. The Bible is given to us for a reason: To know the mind of God. We are called to study to show ourselves approved unto God.

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Either discernment through the teaching of the Holy Spirit or asking God in faith is the way to receive God's truth. You cannot learn God's truth by studying theology in divinity school or by attending seminary. He does not teach us in this manner.

(Fred) What role does the Bible play in discerning God's truth? I believe I have asked God in faith, just as you say I should, and he has revealed to me that the 5 Points of Calvinism are absolutely correct. Am I mistaken about this? Why or why not?

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I know this because the Bible confirms this is the truth

(Fred) Where does the Bible teach that we are to believe God apart from the plain teaching of his word? Would the spirit of God affirm something to a person that is NOT taught in the Bible?

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I have directed you to the example of John Bunyan for what I'm talking about, but you continually want to quote Calvinist Bible teachers who may or may not have learned by discernment or by asking God in faith.

(Fred) Ummm...You do realize that John Bunyan was a Calvinist, correct? Bunyan was a Calvinistic Bible teacher. He was baptist, but a Calvinist. I hope you aren't pulling a Dave Hunt on us here.

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I don't know much about the Bible teachers you want to follow, including John Calvin, but did ANY of them say they received their teaching by discernment only as John Bunyan. Or did they all go to college for their learning?

(Fred) Bunyan was an avid reader of all of his contemporaries who happen to be Calvinists, and he affirmed their views of saving faith in all of his written works. Just for the record, Calvin didn't go to college to learn his theology; he went to be a lawyer, then a RCC priest. When God showed him the truth (by imparting to him saving faith) he abandoned both paths and became, for the most part, a self-taught protestant theologian that you can read now. Your history of both Bunyan and Calvin is just plain wrong. To put this in the arena that colleges and seminaries corrupt Christians and those who don't go to such institutions are more spiritual is utterly ridiculous, not to mention elitist.


Fred

"Ah, sitting - the great leveler of men. From the mightest of pharaohs to the lowest of peasants, who doesn't enjoy a good sit?" M. Burns