The Way to Have Faith Alone

[John Mullally]

Good Day, John

While I really do appreciate your attempt to represent Calvinism and do quote little snips of the institutes here now and again.

Here is the Prince of Preachers ( for your consideration and use) with a well rounded statement on the reality of Total Depravity:

"We declare on scriptural authority that the human will is so desperately set on mischief, so depraved, so inclined to everything that is evil, and so disinclined to everything that is good, that without the powerful, supernatural, irresistible influence of the Holy Spirit, no human will ever be constrained toward Christ." ~ Charles Spurgeon

In Him,

Bill

Here is my favorite quote from Charles Spurgeon as he accepts that God does indeed desire all to be saved per 1 Timothy 2:4:

“What then? Shall we try to put another meaning into the text than that which it fairly bears? You must, most of you, be acquainted with the general method in which our older Calvinistic friends deal with this text. ‘All men,’ say they,—‘that is, some men’: as if the Holy Ghost could not have said ‘some men’ if he had meant some men. ‘All men,’ say they; ‘that is, some of all sorts of men’: as if the Lord could not have said ‘all sorts of men’ if he had meant that. The Holy Ghost by the apostle has written ‘all men,’ and unquestionably he means all men. I know how to get rid of the force of the ‘alls’ according to that critical method which some time ago was very current, but I do not see how it can be applied here with due regard to truth" ~ Charles Spurgeon​

Back to your quote from Spurgeon: For Calvinists, like Spurgeon, who wish to promote a doctrine of Total Inability, there is good and bad news. The good news is that it really is a doctrine found in the Bible. The bad news is that it reflects the doctrine of unrepentant Israel, which doctrine, God repudiated:

Jeremiah 18:11-13: “‘So now then, speak to the men of Judah and against the inhabitants of Jerusalem saying, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I am fashioning calamity against you and devising a plan against you. Oh turn back, each of you from his evil way, and reform your ways and your deeds.’” But they will say, “It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.” Therefore thus says the Lord, “Ask now among the nations, who ever heard the like of this? The virgin of Israel has done a most appalling thing.”’”​