Our Beliefs: Foundation Free Will Baptist Church

As members of Foundation Free Will Baptist Church in Grove, Oklahoma, our beliefs are rooted in Arminian theology. This perspective differs from other Baptist doctrines, primarily in its views on free will, grace, and eternal security.

While many Baptists share our beliefs, others lean toward Calvinist theology, creating a spectrum within Baptist churches. Here’s a breakdown of these foundational beliefs:

🧠 Arminianism: Core Beliefs

Arminian theology, based on the teachings of Jacobus Arminius, emphasizes human free will and conditional salvation:

Free Will: Humans have the God-given freedom to choose to accept or reject God's grace.
Conditional Election: God elects individuals based on His foreknowledge of their faith, not an unchangeable decree.
Universal Atonement: Christ died for all people, making salvation possible for everyone, not just the elect.
Resistible Grace: God's call to salvation can be resisted by human choice.
Conditional Security: Believers can fall from grace and lose salvation if they willfully turn away from their faith.

🏛️ Baptist Doctrinal Spectrum

Baptists are not monolithic—some lean Arminian, others Calvinist, and many blend elements of both:

Traditional Baptists (like Free Will Baptists): Often align with Arminian views, especially on free will and universal atonement.
Reformed Baptists: Embrace Calvinist doctrines like predestination and eternal security.
Southern Baptist Convention (SBC): Historically leaned Arminian but has seen a rise in Calvinist influence in recent decades.

🔍 Key Contrasts

Doctrine	Arminianism (Our Belief)	Calvinist Baptists
Human Will	Free to choose salvation	Bound by God's sovereign election
Election	Based on foreseen faith	Unconditional, predetermined
Atonement	Christ died for all	Christ died only for the elect
Grace	Can be resisted	Irresistible
Eternal Security	Can be lost (Conditional Security)	Perseverance of the saints (Cannot be lost)