What do I mean? He says that Arminians all "invite lost people to come forward to get saved" because their theology demands it. This may be an accurate portrayal of many modern churches, but they are by no means an accurate portrayal of biblical Wesleyan-Arminianism (or "High Arminianism," as opposed to the "Low" Arminianism against which the author rails so). Biblical Wesleyan-Arminianism makes no attempts to get people to come forward prematurely, instead resting assured that the Spirit will do His work in creating a ready heart. For example, in the Wesleyan Revival of the Eighteenth Century, most of the converts were not converted from the Methodists' preaching. Instead, at the end of the field preaching session, the Methodists would often declare the location and hours whereupon they met, and they would form "classes" of people specifically seeking to be saved. Anyone seeking to be saved was welcome, though they were not encouraged to "take it by faith" as many Holiness Movement churches talk about both salvation and entire sanctification. This in itself forms an interesting quandry for Calvinism: If someone is seeking to be saved ("awakened," as the old Methodists called it), are they regenerate already? (According to Calvinism, they would have to be.) But if they're saved already, then why would they be seeking to be saved?
Then again, I grew disillusioned with truthful portrayal of Wesleyan-Arminianism on these boards a long time ago, so please, do carry on.
How can one seek to be awakened, if one is already dead in sin? It seems to me that one cannot seek anything unless they are already awake or enlivened?
Your question really goes to the issue of what does it mean to be saved. Does salvation begin and end in regeneration? Does it occur when one receives pardon for sin? Does it mean initial sanctification? Does it mean conformation to the image of Christ? Arminians tend to obfuscate what salvation means and includes. That obfuscation renders debate difficult.
If you could define what you mean by "saved" and what constitutes the order or process of salvation, then we could have a fruitful discussion.
The below is from an article on Calvin and Arminius that was already posted
It is not uncommon in modern Calvinism-versus-Arminianism discussions to hear someone confuse Arminius and Pelagius. Some modern Calvinists adopt Calvin's arguments thinking that they are making points against Arminius, but Calvin's arguments were actually directed against Pelagius (among others).
Calvin frequently addressed Pelagian views, but only rarely addressed views that would later become known as unique Arminian views. Even today Calvinists often assume that all Arminians hold Pelagian views, and thus they manufacture straw men to shoot down in their arguments.
Nor is Arminianism to be identified with Semi-Pelagianism. The Semi-Pelagian view stands somewhere between Pelagius and Augustine. It accepts the fall with its corrupting effects, and holds that divine grace is needed for salvation and Christian living. However, according to this view man can, without divine help, desire the divine help needed for salvation. So, while Semi-Pelagianism assigns more necessity to grace than does Pelagianism, it still holds that man retains what John Cassian called the beginning of faith — man can by his unaided will decide that he needs and wants salvation. But even this view is significantly different from Arminius. (This difference is completely overlooked by Loraine Boettner. See his The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination, Presbyterian and Reformed, 1932, pp 47-48) Notice how Arminius describes the inability of man and the necessity of grace.
Free will is unable to begin or to perfect any true and spiritual good, without grace.… This grace is simply and absolutely necessary for the illumination of the mind, the due ordering of the affections, and the inclination of the will to that which is good.… I confess that the mind of a natural and carnal man is obscure and dark, that his affections are corrupt and inordinate, that his will is stubborn and disobedient, and that the man himself is dead in sins. (The Writings of James Arminius, Vol 2, p 472-473)
Amen! http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/712991/posts