The first point of Calvinism, the “T” in “TULIP,” stands for “Total Depravity.” We are by nature in opposition to God, in bondage to sin, and will never, left to our own devices, turn to Christ.
Music
- Kenny Rogers and The First Edition, Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In), from the soundtrack, The Big Lebowski, 1998
- Susan Boyle, Amazing Grace, from the album, I Dreamed a Dream, 2009
Promoted Resources
- Confident Christianity, with Mary Jo Sharp
Hey Chris, loving your podcasts still. thanks for the great work and keep it up.
I’m continuously looking into the differences between Calvinism / Arminianism. I’ve been on both sides of the fence, currently on top of the fence. I’m simply undecided, and that’s ok with me – i don’t believe it is essential for Christians to agree on the “how” of grace, as long as we believe in grace. but i’m undecided on this issue.
i’m convinced of total depravity, but it seems Calvinists sometimes interpret metaphors and other parts of the biblical narrative more literally than than what is justified, and this doesn’t bode well with me. I have issues with Arminians as well, but since you’re a Calvinist i’d like to play the devils advocate and ask you a question or two (I say devils advocate because I often take a side, not because i agree with that side, but simply to make an argument to test it’s strength in a conversation – i hope its ok with you if i take this approach, I’ve learnt a lot by employing this method)
Saying that we didn’t choose to be born, and Lazarus didn’t choose to rise from the dead etc… all these things can be taken too literally. Likewise when referring to scripture where it says that man is “dead in his trespasses and sins”, this is a metaphor used to explain the spiritual state of man, obviously not the physical (although the spiritual may have implications for the physical). Taking this too literally and concluding that we are then dead, and therefore unable to choose God, is a step too far for me. Paul uses many metaphors to explain concepts to us, but that’s just it: metaphors. If we read too much into the metaphor, then we attribute meanings to the text that Paul never intended.
What would your response be to this?