Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Arminianism on Total Depravity

Many Calvinists misrepresent Arminians regarding the view on Total Depravity. Total Depravity is the T of the T.U.L.I.P., the five points of Calvinism. According to The Banner (a Calvinistic website),

The result of the fall is total depravity or corruption. By this is meant that every part of man is rendered corrupt. The Canons say that man "became involved in blindness of mind, horrible darkness, vanity, perverseness of judgment; became wicked, rebellious, obdurate in heart and will and impure in his affection." There was no part of his nature that was not affected by sin.



Actually, Arminianism holds this as much as Calvinism does.

One Calvinist said:

"Arminius believed that the fall of man was not total, maintaining that there was enough good left in man for him to will to accept Jesus Christ unto salvation."



But Article 3 of the Five Points of the Remonstrants says:

That man does not posses saving grace of himself, nor of the energy of his free will, inasmuch as in his state of apostasy and sin he can of and by himself neither think, will, nor do any thing that is truly good (such as saving Faith eminently is); but that it is necessary that he be born again of God in Christ, through his Holy Spirit, and renewed in understanding, inclination, and will, and all his faculties, in order that he may rightly understand, think, will, and effect what is truly good, according to the Word of Christ, John 15:5, "Without me you can do nothing."



Read about Roger Olson's book entitled, Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities by Roger Olson for more clarifications on Arminianism. God bless you!

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