Calvinism-the T.U.L.I.P. part 1
Arminianism and Calvinism beliefs have been debated for over 200 years. I believe the truth is somewhere in the middle.
This post will only cover the T. in T.U.L.I.P.
Calvinism - Total Depravity
Because of the fall, man is unable of himself to savingly believe the gospel. The sinner is dead, blind, and deaf to the things of God; his heart is deceitful and desperately corrupt. His will is not free, it is in bondage to his evil nature, therefore, he will not - indeed he cannot - choose good over evil in the spiritual realm. Consequently, it takes much more than the Spirit's assistance to bring a sinner to Christ - it takes regeneration by which the Spirit makes the sinner alive and gives him a new nature. Faith is not something man contributes to salvation but is itself a part of God's gift of salvation - it is God's gift to the sinner, not the sinner's gift to God.
Arminianism - Free-Will or Human Ability
Although human nature was seriously affected by the fall, man has not been left in a state of total spiritual helplessness. God graciously enables every sinner to repent and believe, but He does not interfere with man's freedom. Each sinner possesses a free will, and his eternal destiny depends on how he uses it. Man's freedom consists of his ability to choose good over evil in spiritual matters; his will is not enslaved to his sinful nature. The sinner has the power to either cooperate with God's Spirit and be regenerated or resist God's grace and perish. The lost sinner needs the Spirit's assistance, but he does not have to be regenerated by the Spirit before he can believe, for faith is man's act and precedes the new birth. Faith is the sinner's gift to God; it is man's contribution to salvation.
Free-Will or Human Ability
After the fall, man became totally lost and in slaved by sin. He is much more inclined to sin than to not sin. However, he still possesses ability to not sin, (posse non paccare). For proof of this one only has to look around him. Even the atheist doesn’t sin all the time. This does not mean they are saved. Without Jesus they are totally lost regardless of their works. Although he has the ability not to sin, it is impossible for him to never sin, (non posse non paccare). Man can not save himself. Salvation is only through God’s grace and his gift of salvation made possible by Jesus’ death and resurrection. Man chooses to accept God’s gift once offered.
:bible:
Arminianism and Calvinism beliefs have been debated for over 200 years. I believe the truth is somewhere in the middle.
This post will only cover the T. in T.U.L.I.P.
Calvinism - Total Depravity
Because of the fall, man is unable of himself to savingly believe the gospel. The sinner is dead, blind, and deaf to the things of God; his heart is deceitful and desperately corrupt. His will is not free, it is in bondage to his evil nature, therefore, he will not - indeed he cannot - choose good over evil in the spiritual realm. Consequently, it takes much more than the Spirit's assistance to bring a sinner to Christ - it takes regeneration by which the Spirit makes the sinner alive and gives him a new nature. Faith is not something man contributes to salvation but is itself a part of God's gift of salvation - it is God's gift to the sinner, not the sinner's gift to God.
Arminianism - Free-Will or Human Ability
Although human nature was seriously affected by the fall, man has not been left in a state of total spiritual helplessness. God graciously enables every sinner to repent and believe, but He does not interfere with man's freedom. Each sinner possesses a free will, and his eternal destiny depends on how he uses it. Man's freedom consists of his ability to choose good over evil in spiritual matters; his will is not enslaved to his sinful nature. The sinner has the power to either cooperate with God's Spirit and be regenerated or resist God's grace and perish. The lost sinner needs the Spirit's assistance, but he does not have to be regenerated by the Spirit before he can believe, for faith is man's act and precedes the new birth. Faith is the sinner's gift to God; it is man's contribution to salvation.
Free-Will or Human Ability
After the fall, man became totally lost and in slaved by sin. He is much more inclined to sin than to not sin. However, he still possesses ability to not sin, (posse non paccare). For proof of this one only has to look around him. Even the atheist doesn’t sin all the time. This does not mean they are saved. Without Jesus they are totally lost regardless of their works. Although he has the ability not to sin, it is impossible for him to never sin, (non posse non paccare). Man can not save himself. Salvation is only through God’s grace and his gift of salvation made possible by Jesus’ death and resurrection. Man chooses to accept God’s gift once offered.
:bible: