I disagree with boxing in all Calvinism as 5-point free will denying forms. I am both a huge fan of Leighton Flowers and also a 4-point (middle knowledge affirming) Calvinist.
I affirm God's middle knowledge as the means of Him being completely Sovereign over all things while also us having genuine free will.
1- Total Depravity: There is not one aspect of my existence which is not infected by sin. However, the image of God I have been created in has not been ERASED, but rather, EFFACED. Think of a little drop of black ink being dropped into a tall glass of pure water. Every single particle of the water is now “infected” by the droplet of ink; however, it is still a glass of water. In fact, it is still drinkable (although your teeth will turn black). The water needs to be cleansed and purified.
2- Unconditional Election: I affirm predestination and election, but logically, this is not the same thing as causal determinism. God elects to create a world in which he knew with omniscient certainty, exactly how all things will happen. All things means all things, from all movements of subatomic particles to all actions of free creatures. God does not move my limbs or force my thoughts or choices (that is causal determinism); I am genuinely free to make my own choices, and logically speaking, I could have chosen otherwise. God simply elects a world in which he omnisciently and perfectly knows how we will freely choose. Thereby, he elects, guarantees, and predestines EVERYTHING, including our free choices that are not causally determined. We are logically free to choose otherwise as there are no causal strings attached (knowledge does not stand in causal relation).
3- Limited Atonement: God created a world in which he knew all people would not freely choose the marriage proposal offered by God. Therefore, God actualized and elected a world in which he knew the atonement was logically sufficient for all mankind; however, he also specifically knew what individual humans would freely choose to reject it (although they did not have to). It follows that God created a world in which he knew that the atonement would only be freely experienced by a limited number of humanity.
4- Perseverance of the Saints: God created a world in which he knew what persons would freely choose to love God for eternity. This is easy if God is truly omniscient! Therefore, God actualized a world in which he knows what persons will choose to love God and persevere into the infinite future. True love never fails (1 Cor 13:4-8).
Not all Calvinism is 5-point and affirming of determinism or limited Atonement/provision.
