***One could rightly say that from God's eternal, out-of-time perspective, our election is predetermined, since to God all time is already laid out and there are no surprises (which again is why the Bible says that His predestination is based on His foreknowledge). But from the human POV (which God also takes from time-to-time, interestingly enough), the one we operate in and make decisions in, the future is yet open, and we have choices to make. From the Bible, one can see both views presented.***
If, and I really do mean IF, we accept what you say as Biblically accurate, then please explain to me why there are so many people called Arminians who think it better to focus on the "human POV," instead of the Divine?
Given your opinion in the matter, I think I'll stay focused on seeing things from God's POV. The rest of you are free to stay man focused if you think that better.
In the service of the Lord,
Christian.
First, because as we have amply demonstrated from the Scriptures, God does not always (or even most of the time) focus on His eternal perspective. Therefore, to do so to the exclusion of the human perspective is not giving heed to the whole counsel of God.
Second, because we live in our time-bound perspective, and the Bible is meant to be a practical guide to life as much as or more than a "lofty" theological/philosophical text. It may be right for Hindus to focus on the "reality" of the Brahman (God) to the exclusion of the Maya ("illusion") of real life, but not for Christians. He has work for us to do in the real, temporal world.
Third, because focusing exclusively on the eternal viewpoint tends to lead to a fatalistic, "it is written," attitude in which we attempt to abdicate the responsibility that God has plainly laid on us for our own actions according to the Scripture. We were not elected to be the Frozen Chosen.
Fourth, because overemphasis of the eternal POV, unless tempered by the understanding that God's predestination is always predicated on His foreknowlege rather than the other way around, inevitably leads to the logical conclusion that God is the Author of sin--a clear slander of His character.
Balance, my friend, is key to studying the Scriptures. To take any one facet of God's counsel and declare it to be the whole of the jewel of His wisdom is nothing but human foolishness.