FreeGrace2
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- Nov 15, 2012
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Here's the problem. Angels were created blameless. Note what the Bible said about Lucifer: “You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created Until unrighteousness was found in you.Calvinism teaches "Total Depravity" which contains the idea that fallen man is "unable" to believe the gospel.
Objectors often argue that if man is unable to do something, then God is unjust for holding him accountable for not doing it.
So what is going on, exactly?
To know what Calvinists mean, you have to know what they believe about man's nature.
Calvinists believe that beings always act in accordance with their nature. For example, God is holy, thus everything God does is consistent with that nature. It is impossible for him to act un-holy. He cannot sin, for example. He cannot cease being God. To do any of things is inconsistent with His nature.
We are made in God's image.
As well, Adam was created in the same way; blameless until unrighteousness was found in him. Adam did NOT have a sin nature. he acquired one WHEN he sinned, not before. So the idea of one's nature is irrelevant.
This does not follow. We cannot be compared to God. Who is Divine and eternal, unlike angels and mankind who are neither.We follow the same rules as God. We act consistent with our natures.
These are general descriptions of unbelievers. But Scripture NO WHERE says that unbelievers cannot believe until God "does something" to them. That is the fallacy behind total depravity.The bible describes fallen, unregenerate man as follows: they are haters of God, hostile to Christ, they find the gospel foolishness, and they can't understand spiritual things, and they can't do anything pleasing to God, they live to serve the desires of their flesh, they are spiritually dead, they don't have ears to hear or eyes to see, they can't do good any more than a leopard can change its own spots or the Ethiopian change the color of his skin.
The proper understanding of total depravity is that man is unable to save himself by himself. There's nothing he can do to earn or deserve God's savlation. Period.
Mere speculation.So, when such a person encounters the gospel message, what does he do? Does he act in a way consistent with his nature? Or does he suddenly break free from the bonds of his own nature/self and do something inconsistent with his nature?
His nature has nothing to do with it. Just as the for the first angel and human sinners.Calvinists say that he acts consistently with his nature. He rejects the gospel freely and willingly, because he wants to reject it. Because its his nature to do so.
This is the truth: those who don't want to do something won't do something. Obviously. They are self limited by their choice of not wanting to do something. This in no way concludes that man can't believe; it's just that he doesn't want to. But where does Scripture teach that all unbelievers are unwilling to believe until God "does something" first to change the man? No where is where.Notice, Calvinists aren't saying that the man wants to believe, but some unknown force is preventing him from doing so. Instead, they are saying he doesn't want to believe the gospel in the first place.
Thus, he is unable to believe the gospel.
Porabaly because the word "unwillingness" directly supports the concept of free will.Why do we call this an "inability", and not simply use the word "unwillingness"? Wouldn't that make it easier on ourselves (Calvinists) and stop many debates before they even start, and stop at least some of the strawmen and criticisms and objections from anti-Calvinists?
Since neither Lucifer nor Adam were created with a "sin nature", all this talk of "inability" is irrelevant.But we think "inability" is an important distinction. Because it gets to the heart of the issue, and that is "nature". Man's "nature" is an important topic in Calvinism. Why? Because the doctrine of Regeneration deals with this very issue.
OK, here is the real deal: regeneration. So, who are "new creatures"? Those who are IN CHRIST, per 2 Cor 5:17. So, who are IN CHRIST? Believers only, per Eph 1:13. Believers are placed "in Him" by the Holy Spiirit, proving that believing precedes being a new creature.We say that man gets a new nature! God changes our hearts and makes us alive in Christ. We are new creatures.
The Bible teaches none of this. Regeneration does not precede believing in Christ. There are no verses that teach this. In fact, just the opposite.When God regenerates us, we are now willing to do what previously we were unwilling to do. When we are born again (regenerated), we still act consistent with our (new) nature. What is consistent with the nature of a person who is spirituality alive and has a heart of flesh (rather than stone), whose eyes are open and ears are able to hear? Why, to believe the gospel of course! To repent of sins. To put faith in Jesus.
These are all the activities of a person who is spiritually alive.
Consider Eph 2:5 - even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)
Here, Paul equates being "made alive with Christ" with "by grace you have been saved", as the parenthetical phrase explains what Paul meant by being made alive.
Now consider Eph 2:8 - For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God
Here, Paul further clarifies what he meant by v.5 and the parenthetical phrase "by grace you have been saved". In v.8 he says that wwe are saved "through faith", which obviously shows that faith precedes our salvation, and as well, our being make alive together with Christ.
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