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Calvinism

Problems with Total Depravity or Inability

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Problems with Total Depravity or Inability examines the flaws and errors of Total Depravity (really total inability). Problems with Total Depravity or Inability

Introduction to Problems with Total Depravity or Inability

Let’s make this as simple as we can so that people can understand us. Calvinism wishes to totally remove all concepts of moral activity for Christians. Say what they may say about holiness, sanctification, and leaving off sinning, the truth of the matter is that their teachings (if believed and followed lead their followers) push people strongly down the road of moral inactivity to a state of spiritual bankruptcy. There is no other alternative if you follow Calvinism. You may not be as advanced as “a 5 pointer”, but you are on the same road, no matter what you say or think. Problems with Total Depravity or Inability Continue reading Problems with Total Depravity or Inability →

Calvinism

Study of “ordained” (τάσσω G5021) Act 13:48 – “and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed”

Introduction


Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. 

A cursory reading of Acts 13:48 appears to imply very clearly that Calvinism’s view of election and eternal life is true. In this post I will investigate what I can find about “ordained” tasso (Strong’s G5021).

Literary from the Greek, this verse reads something like this…

But hearing the Gentiles they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord, and they believed which were ordered unto eternal life.

Continue reading Study of “ordained” (τάσσω G5021) Act 13:48 – “and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed” →

Calvinism

Total Depravity: 2. Counter Examples of Noah and Abraham

Counter Example of Noah

Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

IF ever there were a verse to teach total depravity, it is this one. God declares that he is displeased with every imagination.. thoughts of mankind. He saw it as continual evil. But what is the context? While this is true, men sin, and the grossness of their sin at times comes to a climax which causes God to respond with wrath (the flood), there are individuals which do not fit in that mold (Noah). Calvnists don’t like to use this verse to prove their Total Depravity theory because within it is Noah and his family, people who broke the mold of total depravity by their righteous lives.



Men are depraved, and that is totally true. But it is a jump which is not necessarily so to say that because men are depraved, they are totally depraved, and there is nothing that any person could ever do that would please God. When a person repents and believes in Jesus Christ, does that please God or not?

The issue we have with Calvinism is that Calvinism deposits man’s salvation as being controlled and triggered by election and predestination. That point is never proved by Scripture. Election is a broad term which includes “selection” to many different things, not just salvation. Being elect to salvation does not absolutely mean we personally have nothing to do with it.

The truth of the matter is that the Bible represents a person getting saved, first because God provided a way for them to be saved, and then secondly, because they individually respond to that way, embracing it. It is always “repent and believe”, and never, ever is it “look to see if you are elect”. What triggers salvation is not a realization that you are elect (never does Scripture present entering salvation because you “realize” something about your election), but rather a personal action of believing. Repentance is turning from whatever else you are embracing to embrace the salvation of Jesus Christ. Continue reading Total Depravity: 2. Counter Examples of Noah and Abraham →

False Prophet-Teacher

FP: The Bad Fruit of a False Prophet part 2b

FP: The Bad Fruit of a False Prophet part 2b will investigate what the fruit (life and ministry) of a false prophet.

Summary: This study will investigate what the fruit (life and ministry) of a false prophet. Part 2 of this series is simply an introduction and begins by contrasting a man of God’s fruit (piety and holiness) with the false prophet’s fruit (sin, not doing God’s will).

For an overview, see
False Prophets and Teachers Overview



Continue reading FP: The Bad Fruit of a False Prophet part 2b →

False Prophet-Teacher

A study on False Prophets and Teachers

A study on False Prophets and Teachers is excerpted from some good old books about false prophets and teachers.

taken from http://www.sounddoctrine.net/apologetics.html



A cult becomes destructive when:

¨      It isolates members from family and friends.

¨      The group interferes with an individual’s ability to think freely.

¨      A charismatic figure dominates the group, claiming to have a direct line to God or some secret knowledge that makes the group elite.

¨      The cult persuades members that the group goal is more important than individual needs, using guilt and shame to keep followers from questioning doctrine.

¨      The leader instills fear that something dreadful will happen to anyone who leaves.

Continue reading A study on False Prophets and Teachers →

Calvinism

Total Depravity: 4. Counter Example of Daniel

Daniel’s Righteousness versus Total Depravity

Total Depravity
By David Cox

Again the elements repeat themselves. In Daniel’s time, Israel was corrupt again, and this corruption seemed to be a very common thing, that “everyone” had turned from God.



The second element of a single individual Christian or believer stands apart from the crowd with a devote and holy life before God is what God points out to us.

Again the examples of the Bible is to live holy and devout lives of sacrifice and obedience before God even though or especially when you are in an atmosphere of total ungodliness. God calls us to this, and this is something that the individual HAS TO DECIDE WITHIN HIMSELF. While God provides strength (ability) and a long list of other things (patience, compassion, love, energy, endurance, etc.), everything is hinged on your deciding and doing this.

Dan 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 

Continue reading Total Depravity: 4. Counter Example of Daniel →

Calvinism

Total Depravity: 5. Righteous men delivering their own souls

Righteous men: The Righteousness of Noah, Daniel, and Job to deliver their own souls

Righteous men: I want to make it very clear from the beginning that I do not believe that a man can “make himself righteous” before God. This making one’s self righteous in order to find or fabricate merit before God in relation to gaining salvation is simply a false doctrine.

Having said that, once a person trusts God’s provision of a Savior, he is saved, and then the righteousness of a person becomes very real in the pleasing of God.



The argument of Ezekiel is keyed on “every man”, or each individual person.

Ezek 18:2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?

Continue reading Total Depravity: 5. Righteous men delivering their own souls →

False Prophet-Teacher

False Prophets and Teachers Overview (updated 1/28/2022)

This post and the other posts here are taken from my book in Spanish “False Prophets and Teachers”

Here I am just going to list each of the points, and gradually, I will make a separate post for each of these points. Note that a lot of the points here are themes that I take up regularly in my writings against false prophets. Some of those things will also appear under each point.

1Pet 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:



Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Everything Satan touches leaves “his mark” on it. This is very distinctive. It is not the will of God, although Satan tries to make it look like what God does, and look like the will of God.

Definition: False Prophet – Somebody who perverts, twists, or manipulates the message of God for his own personal purposes. In this, he does not give the message of God such as God gives and commands us to give it, but he puts his own “touch” on it slightly or greatly changing it. (David Cox)

2Pet 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake [as they were] moved by the Holy Ghost.

God has to be behind every true presentation of truth and the gospel, and Satan perverts or changes it for his own purposes. What those purposes may be is not so important as that it is not God’s will.

1Pet 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [that should come] unto you: 1Pet 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 1Pet 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

One of the great overpowering elements of a true minister of God is that they feel a great compulsion to be exact and in agreement completely with what God’s Word says. Over and over again we find this great respect for authority is the core difference between a true man of God and a false prophet.

1Pet 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:



Col 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

For a true man of God, the Word of God validates or convicts his ministry and message. He falls or stands by how well he stands with and presents the Word of God, Scripture. It is as if every encounter that the man of God has with another person, he will give account to God for that encounter. He must present in action, attitude, and speech correctly what God wants him to show that person. As a minister of the Gospel, he understands that he personally is an example of Jesus Christ (1Pet 5:3 “being ensamples to the flock“;  Heb 13:7 “which have the rule over you… whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation“). No true minister of God will take any of this lightly. False prophets often give a pretense of being serious, but so often they are not really serious in obeying or uplighting this great office of spokesman for God.

Note: If something shows up as a link here, the connection may not be obvious in the title, but a section of that post will deal with the issue. Continue reading False Prophets and Teachers Overview (updated 1/28/2022) →