READING TIME: 2 MINUTES
January 16, 2020
What does the Bible teach about total depravity/total inability, which is the “T” in Calvinism’s TULIP?
The Bible does not teach that regeneration precedes faith or that faith is a gift of God as Calvinism teaches. The expression “dead in sin” in Ephesians 2:1 does not mean that an unbeliever’s spirit is dead and he is in effect like a cadaver or a rock. The Bible does teach that of his initiative, an unbeliever would never seek God. An unbeliever can respond to the natural revelation he receives (Romans 1:19-20) and to the Spirit’s conviction (John 16:8-11), “wooing,” and drawing ministry (John 6:44; 12:32). Any unbeliever who diligently seeks after God will find Him (Acts 17:27; Hebrews 11:6). There is a major difference between an unbeliever not seeking God of his initiative, and an unbeliever lacking the ability to seek after God. Another important distinction is between “seeking” and “responding.” God seeks and initiates and an unbeliever can respond.
Summary & Conclusion
Man is depraved, being guilty of sin in Adam and also of personal sin, but can believe in Christ for eternal life. Man’s depravity in sin and helplessness is biblical, and so is the requirement and ability to believe in Christ as the only remedy for sin and death and the only condition for receiving everlasting life. The NT acknowledges man’s helpless condition but takes seriously the free offer of eternal life to whosoever believes in Christ for it. Believing in Christ is a person’s responsibility, so he must have the ability to receive Christ on that basis; otherwise, the gospel offer to any and all who believe would be a hoax.
Biblically, mankind is separated from God due to sin (which might be called “total alienation”). Calvinists have created a doctrine that teaches that the members of such a alienated human race are unable to believe in Christ as the heavenly authorized remedy for sin, death, and alienation from God. For the sale of their model or system of theology, they have made an illegitimate jump from what is taught in the Bible to what is not, not even in one single passage, taught in the Scripture.
In tomorrow’s post, I’ll give you questions you can ask somebody you know who teaches this doctrine. The purpose of the questions is to show that this teaching isn’t biblical.
Source Used
Badger, Anthony B. Confronting Calvinism: A Free Grace Refutation and Biblical Resolution of Radical Reformed Soteriology, 108.
