Walter Ralston Martin Made the Same Mistake as Norman L. Geisler Regarding Total Depravity

Walter Martin was great in so many areas, but he was wrong on some terms with regard to the heresy of Calvinism though he did denounce Calvinism. See the 6 major sins of Calvinism. Likely, he did not give it deep enough thought because he was so busy fighting the kingdom of the cults.

In a radio broadcast, Walter was asked what he thought of the 5 points of Calvinism. As a typical Baptist, he held to Total depravity and Perseverance of the saints without realizing these terms are contradictory with the other 3 points he rightly held (conditional election, unlimited atonement, resistible grace). The contradiction is proven in Choose a Theology. Now let me clarify. Not just 3 or 4 points of Calvinism are false, but all 5 points.

I will state boldly, all 5 points of Calvinism contradict all 5 points of OSAS Arminian; and the Roman Church's non-OSAS Arminianism is irrelevant because it is plainly false since initial salvation is not by works, nor can man keep his salvation. You can't be a 2 or 3 point Calvinist and a 2 or 3 point OSAS Arminian. It doesn't work. The Bible says be "not doubletongued" (1 Tim. 3.8). Contradictions are not allowed!

Nobody is Totally depraved, for God provides sufficient grace to us all and we all remain in God's image. How can you be Totally depraved if God provides you sufficient grace to give you the enabling choice and wooing of the Holy Spirit to believe on Jesus? After all, Martin admitted that he believes in conditional election, unlimited atonement and resistible grace. If it is conditional, unlimited and resistible, then you would need to have the sufficient grace to have the choice.

Total depravity is Satan's lie. Make no mistake about. If a person is Totally depravity then God has to irresistibly impose salvation on some and deny others the opportunity to be saved. As Dave Hunt says, What Love is This?

And the saints can't persevere to keep themselves saved, but we whom are saved have given our lives to the God who keeps, knowing we can't keep ourselves; so, the terminology should be "Preservation of the Saints." Praise the Lord! Amen.

I hope this helps Norman Geisler to stop making this same mistake Walter Martin made. I don't mean to be unkind, for I hold both Norman and Walter in high regard, but a mistaken assumption is nonetheless a mistake that sows the seeds of deception and gives Calvinists food for fodder when you accept Total depravity and/or Perseverance of the saints.

Incidentally, the pride is obvious with Total depravity thinking oneself irresistibly selected; but Perseverance exists in Calvinism because the Calvinist doesn't really know if he is saved or not because it was never his choice to receive the Lord, so he works for it and hopes it works out: he perseveres rather than being preserved.

Praise the Lord for this discernment!