• The Catch-22 for Calvinists

    A Christian writes:

    Matt Slick provides a verse for most of his arguments, but he offers no such Bible reference when he says "...this total depravity means that the unregenerate will not, of their own free sinful will, choose to receive Christ." In other words, if there was such a verse to justify it, he would have referenced it. Calvinism is built upon the premise that fallen man is "too far gone for even God to be able to reach him [and thus necessitating an Irresistible Grace]" and yet, there is no Bible verse to support this conclusion.

    I always ask the Calvinist, "Is God powerful and righteous enough to enable an unregenerate sinner to receive Him, without using an Irresistible Grace?" If Calvinists say, "yes," then the "total depravity" argument becomes moot, and then it's no longer a matter of man's depravity, but man's accountability, when enabled by God's prevenient grace. However, most Calvinists answer, "no," that God has "total inability" to enable an unregenerate sinner to receive His grace, and thus the Calvinist is shown that his position is one that denigrates God's power.

    They shift the depravity of man to follow after the grace given so the grace is not sufficient, but if the grace comes in after the depravity then it can be sufficient for all. Clearly grace follows the fall, so that man is not totally depraved.

    "If any man eat...my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" (John 6.51). "Not wishing that any should perish" (2 Pet. 3:9). You are "without excuse" (Rom 1.20). "If ye be willing and obedient" (Is. 1.19). "Choose you this day whom ye will serve" (Joshua 24.15). "Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life" (Rom. 5.18). "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2.4).