I've read it; I own it actually. Erwin Lutzer, Moody Published it if I remember correctly.
For starters, for the spite you hold against Calvinism, I really, sincerely hope that you've got a lot more up your sleeve. I don't mean to sound arrogant or anything, but I mean I started a private discussion and I just hope we'll be able to have enough gas to get through each of the points.
John 3:16 and Acts 16:30-31- hold that thought. I don't remember what the verses in Acts say, but I've got a pretty good guess that it's limited atonement. I don't care if someone believes in limited atonement. As long as they hold to the others, they can by Amyraldian for all I care. Four-point Calvinism is close enough for me. Remember that I used to debate AGAINST Calvinism. I've used those verses too.
First, I want to get to total depravity. I like splitting total depravity into two parts: total depravity and total inability. One deals with our depraved nature as a result of sin's entrance into what Calvin calls "the very citadel of our soul" at the Fall. The other deals with our inability to accept God without His first accepting and calling us. One deals with morality, the other deals with salvation.
For each section, to be fair I limit the number of verses I use for Scriptural Support to ten. Hopefully this'll lessen the burden for having to reconcile the Arminian prospect of free will with the Bible. And in like respect, I will indivually address every verse you use against me. I hope you'll treat me with equal respect. Down to business...
I want this first discussion within a discussion to be over our moral depravity.
I might lose brownie points for this from my Calvinistic brethren. But I believe in free will. I also hold to total depravity. I simply do NOT believe in a free will as you might define it.
Free will- the natural ability for man to do whatever he wants or desires.
There's just one small thing. Our nature is inclined towards sin, and fallen as a result of the transgression in the Garden. We naturally desire sin. Thus, out of free will, men are voluntary slaves to, out of their own free will, fulfill the lusts of their hearts.
Let me define total depravity- the inability to do anything good or pleasing towards God prior to regeneration (us gaining a good nature). In other words, without God's common grace, men can and will and must choose, out of their own free will, only sin or some choice with a sinful motive.
Lots of opponents of Calvinism attack us by saying we deny free will. Au contraire, IT IS BECAUSE we believe in free will that we accept total depravity. I've never been good at mathematics, but I can understand this equation.
Free will (to do whatever we WANT and DESIRE)
+
Depraved nature (original sin- our desires are sinful
because we have a fallen nature)
=
Total depravity.
Free will and total depravity are not opposite terms. They are interdependent. The ability to freely choose to fulfill the desires to our hearts RESULTS IN total depravity.
Thus if you deny total depravity, then you deny either free will or original sin. I'm guessing that you accept original sin, as all Christians except mormons list it in their doctrinal statements. If you don't, we'll go back one step and talk about original sin.
Are we clear thus far? Sorry that my thoughts are scrambled. Tonight I'll get back and edit and organize it. Within the next few verses I'll cite the Scripture, and then it's on to total inability and unconditional election (my fave)! TTYL Jesus loves you!
