Monday, June 10, 2013

Calvinist Lies 2

I know, I know - redundant title is redundant.

In this series, I will not debate Calvinism vs. Arminianism. After all, the majority of the people who use the term "Arminian" are Calvinists - a very small micro-sect of Christianity. The other 6-billion people on the planet refer to "Arminians" as Christians. I also like the term "Biblicist," when it comes to matters of doctrine.

Total Depravity

The famous "T" from TULIP. In its most fundamental state, the doctrine of total depravity is agreed upon by most church denominations. So let's cut to the meat of the matter - what is what, and what is Biblical, and what do Calvinists believe?

Total Depravity, at its most basic, means that all men and women have sinned. This much is true, and is not argued by Calvinist or "Arminian." There are multitudes of Bible verses that agree directly and indirectly with this point of view.

At this point, Calvinists will start reaching and twisting words (they always do). 
Calvinists will take things a step further and promote the concept of Total Inability. That is to say: man is completely incapable of good deeds, and that man is completely incapable of choosing God. They still call it "Total Depravity," but this is clearly a separate and heretical viewpoint.

From this link:
The belief that man has no capacity to choose between good and evil, places the responsibility of man's sin upon God. Calvin would have us believe that we are robots and our actions are decreed by the sovereign will of God. The belief that man has no capacity to choose between good and evil, yet does evil, places the responsibility of man's sin upon God. In Calvin's own statement above, he double talks.

Summary:
All men and women have sinned.
Men and women have the choice to accept or reject God.
Men and women have the ability to make that choice independent of God's manufacture.
God allowing men and women to choose does not reduce His sovereignty.
Total Depravity =/= Total Inability

To introduce confusing terms that equate Total Depravity to Total Inability is to twist scripture, and is typical of Calvinist double-talk.

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