Featured Romans 3:10-20

Yes, your perception was correct, that's EXACTLY what every Christian is really like:

18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not Ro 7

Yes. When they see us sowing to the flesh, which we all do to varying degrees. It was true before Christ:

24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, even as it is written. Ro 2

..and it's just as true today. Whenever Christians sin have always been the excuse for the enemies to speak evil of God:

14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of Jehovah to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. 2 Sam 12

Nothing new or earth shattering here, What's your point?

 

???

 

Your point is wrong. Your obsession with Calvinist slaying blinds you to plain scriptural truth.

18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not Ro 7

 

18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not Ro 7

18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good save one, even God. Mk 10

Glory MB, glory! You're not like the rest of us! You're good! Like God!

You're great MB.

And yes, your hatred of Calvinism blinds you in a big way.

 

Can anyone get saved without God?
The Apostle Paul also wrote, ". . . .That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: . . ." -- Ephesians 2:12. The Greek translated "without God" is atheos from which we get the English term atheist.

Without God intervening no one would be saved.

 

18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not Ro 7

Does MB inherently have some good thing in him?

18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good save one, even God. Mk 10

Is MB good like God?

In this case Calvinists promote what the scriptures clearly say.

 

The gospel is part of God's intervening. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4. Matthew 7:21-23.

 

I still hold Romans 3:11 shows what is called, your agreement not needed, the total depravity of man. ". . . if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; . . ." -- 2 Timothy 2:25.

 

But UNLESS the gospel is presented, is there even a slight presentation in Scripture that a person will of their own innate self be redeemed?

The answer presented is a resonating, NO!

What you are disputing considering total depravity (which means totally sinful, no righteous) is what the typical Calvinists present. The person, without the direct and purposed work of God, is completely incapable of being saved.

As such, without the direct and purposed work of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit, no person would be redeemed, and therefore total depravity and inability are certainly taught in the Scriptures.

Just as you indicated by stating, "Salvation cannot be had with out Him."

 

Partially true. You neglected to point to HOW one comes to believe? For the quickest answer, look at Romans 10:

14How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?c And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”16But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”17So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
​

The "choice" of belief is not really the question one should consider. Rather, the results upon those who do hear. In that same Romans 10 it states:

20Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,
“I have been found by those who did not seek me;
I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”​

See, it is not a matter of "choice" but of God's first choosing those to whom He will redeem.

Acts 28:28 does not state they will ALL listen to him. It states the principle found in passages as I showed above.

Perhaps you need to consider at what point is a person innately capable of becoming self righteous?

If a person was totally capable to be redeemed without hearing, without faith from God being implanted, without the work of the Holy Spirit creating life PRIOR to the expression of belief, then all that is ever needed was offered by the OT sacrificial system.

As far as "Scriptures backing up total depravity," might I suggest you ponder upon this simple presentation by Paul in Romans 3:

9What then? Are we Jewsa any better off?b No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;
11no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12All have turned aside;
together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
13“Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
15“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16in their paths are ruin and misery,
17and the way of peace they have not known.”
18“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”​

Perhaps you can find a smidgen of non-depravity, of capability in that Scripture in which the unbeliever is depicted.

Would you point it out?

It is so very to write as some might, "the Bible never uses the words 'total depravity' and 'total incapability.'"

That is just poor excuse making, and not worthy of one who engages in proper critical thinking skills.

​

 

Quite a bit, in my estimation.

Here are a few examples:

Romans 1:18-32.
Psalms 10:4.
John 3:19-20.

Much of it can be found in the Psalms and Proverbs, contrasting the wicked and foolish ( the unbeliever who is not born again ) with the righteous and wise ( the believer who is born again ).
I assume that you have a copy of God's word.

It's all in there.

 

Then why are there at least 10 people who post on this forum ( and another 45 or so that I've marked from older threads ), never having met one another ( in many cases ) who read Scripture and see it the same, or almost the same, way?

I'd say your statement is more relative than not.
Respectfully, just because you do not see Scripture developing individual election, predestination, calling and so forth, does not mean everyone sees it that way, MB.

Try stepping back for just a minute, and consider that your far-reaching assertion does not apply to everyone on this forum.
As an example, I can make the same statement against "free will theology", and many here will tell me that I am wrong...
Many already have.

Furthermore, my opinion is that no one has ever proven "Calvinism"...to you.
Despite some of my best efforts, you apparently remain steadfast in your disagreement of the Scriptures that I use to prove "TULIP".
To me, it seems that you are not satisfied with what is posted, and that is, of course, your prerogative.

But I post Scripture and many here see it exactly ( or close to ) as I see it.
Why?
Because we all went to the same church and learned it the same way?
No....

MB...we're spread across the continent of North America and some are in England and other places...
I know of many who believe and teach the "doctrines of grace" and have a similar testimony as mine.
Do you really think we all take our cues from John Calvin's "Institutes"?
I've never read it except for the section on "predestination", and that only after I saw election for myself in God's word.

I've also never met, face to face, any of the over 50 "Calvinists" that post ( or have posted ) on this forum, and have only corresponded privately with 5 of them...
All in the past year or less.
I think you might want to re-evaluate your statement, sir.


May God bless you.