I’m trying something new here on my blog: Theology Thursday. Every Thursday I’ll write about a theological topic and ask you, my dear readers, to chime in. Think of it as a Pub Theology group, only online . . . and you’ll have to supply your own beer (unless you’re at work).
Anyway, this week I want to talk about the Calvinist doctrine of Total Depravity. I keep going back and forth on this concept. On one hand, it makes sense. A few months ago I was reading Freedom of the Will by Jonathan Edwards. He said that human beings have the ability to make choices, but the choices we make are based on what we desire the most. And since we are sinful by nature, Edwards writes, we keep choosing ungodly things instead of godly things. It is only when God changes our hearts that we desire godly things, and therefore able to choose good.
That would definitely explain a few things. Before I started following Christ, I didn’t care about compassion or justice or mercy or love or anything like that. All I wanted to do was tell the world to go eff itself. It wasn’t until I started following Christ that I learned that the world actually does NOT revolve around me.
But on the other hand, what about people like Gandhi and the Dali Lama? What about the humanitarians of the world who aren’t Christians? If Total Depravity is true, then why were two non-Christians able to do so many good things? And for that matter, how can so-called "Christians" like Fred Phelps and Pastor Terry Jones be so hateful?
Now let me explain that I'm NOT talking about the need for salvation, or whether or not human beings are sinful. Far from it. We've all sinned. We're all broken. We all need a savior. So I'm not talking about the need for salvation. What I'm talking about is whether or not a person can do good deeds without Christ.
What do you think? Discuss in the comments below.
writing again
1 month ago
I come down with a very firm "No idea" on this one.
ReplyDeleteWhile Total Depravity has some great biblical support and makes sense, there are also things like Cornelius (a god-fearer) whose prayers and gifts to the poor were noticed by God in Acts 10.
I'm at the point now where having to decide which side of the line to stand on doesn't interest me so much as understanding that all of it is a work of God that I am called to be relational involved in. Beyond that it gets too messy for this little finite brain of mine.
Total depravity does not mean we are incapable of performing acts of kindness. We might be involved in various religious or humanitarian activities. But we are utterly incapable of understanding, loving or pleasing God on our own. That is why a person must be born again/born from above (regenerated) before they can repent (turn from sin) and place their total trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
ReplyDeleteRegeneration gives the person a new spiritual nature, a nature that loves God, whereas before they hated God, a new nature that hates sin whereas before they loved sin. So you see this new nature creates new desires in a person (in reference to what Jonathan Edwards was saying).
A person can do nothing to be born spiritually, just like they cannot do anything to be born physically. Salvation is totally of God, including the repentance and faith.
There will be many professing Christians that end up in Hell, and all non-Christians too, even though they seemed to be very nice here on earth.
If you want to know what a person desires, just look at how they like to spend their money and time, and who are their friends.
Travis:
ReplyDeleteYes.