Ezk. 18:20
A SYSTEM OF INFIDELITY
T. U. L. I. P.
I. TOTAL DEPRAVITY - Total inability.
“Because of the fall of Adam man is unable
of himself to savingly believe the gospel… His
will is not free but is in bondage to his sinful
nature… Therefore he will not – indeed
cannot choose good over evil in the spiritual
realm. Consequently it takes much more
than the Spirit’s assistance to bring a sinner to
Christ – it takes regeneration by which the
Holy Spirit brings a sinner from spiritual death
to spiritual life and gives him a new nature…
A SYSTEM OF INFIDELITY
T. U. L. I. P.
I. TOTAL DEPRAVITY
“Faith is not something man contributes to
salvation but is itself a part of God’s gift of
salvation – it is God’s gift to the sinner, not the
sinner’s gift to God…”
(The Reformed Faith by L. Boettner p. 25)
A. Denies FREE WILL
1. All admit Adam had free will
(Gen. 1:26-27).
2. God tells us what changed
(Gen. 2:17; 3:7, 22).
A SYSTEM OF INFIDELITY
T. U. L. I. P.
I. TOTAL DEPRAVITY
A. Denies FREE WILL
3. God said Cain still had free will
(Gen. 4:7).
B. Denies INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY
(Ezk. 18:20; Rom. 5:12, 14).
C. Redefines Faith (Rom.10:17; Jn. 20:30f).
D. Redefines Spirit’s work (Jn. 14:26; 16:13;
Titus 3:5; Eph. 5:26).
A SYSTEM OF INFIDELITY
T. U. L. I. P.
II. UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION - Predest.
“God’s choice of certain individuals unto
salvation, before the foundation of the world,
rested solely on His own sovereign will. His
choice of particular sinners was not based on
any foreseen response of obedience on their
part, such as faith, repentance, etc. On the
contrary, God gives faith and repentance to
each individual whom He selected. These
acts are the result, not the cause, of God’s
choice.
A SYSTEM OF INFIDELITY
T. U. L. I. P.
II. UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION - Predest.
“Election therefore was not determined by or
conditioned upon any virtuous quality or act
foreseen in man. Those whom God
sovereignly elected He brings through the
power of the Spirit to a willing acceptance of
Christ. Thus God’s choice of the sinner, not
the sinner’s choice of Christ, is the ultimate
cause of salvation.”
(The Reformed Faith by L. Boettner p. 26)
A SYSTEM OF INFIDELITY
T. U. L. I. P.
II. UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION
A. Ignores Context
1. Rom. 8:29-30 explained by 8:28.
2. Rom. 11:5-6 explained by 11:4.
3. Rom. 9:11-13 explained by 9:3, 6-8.
As individuals, Jacob served Esau
(Gen. 32-33).
As nations, Edom served Israel
(1 Chron. 18:12f).
B. Calvinism’s God choses ARBITRARILY.
But God foreordained that those who
follow Christ will be saved (Eph. 1:3-5).
A SYSTEM OF INFIDELITY
T. U. L. I. P.
III. LIMITED ATONEMENT
“Christ’s redeeming work was intended to
save the elect only and actually secured
salvation for them. His death was
sunstitutionary… in the place of certain
specified sinners.”
(The Reformed Faith by L. Boettner p. 26-27)
A. Christ Died For All:
1. Not just Christians (1 Jn 2:2; Jn 3:16).
2. All men (1 Tim. 2:4, 1-3).
A SYSTEM OF INFIDELITY
T. U. L. I. P.
III. LIMITED ATONEMENT
B. Christ’s Atonement Compared To “Pie
dough… the wider you roll it, the thinner
it becomes…” (p. 14).
1. Is Christ’s sacrifice INSUFFICIENT !?!
2. Is Christ’ power WEAKENED the further
it is used !?!
C. “Substitutionary”? While Christ
suffered on our behalf, HE DID NOT DIE
SPIRITUALLY or ETERNALLY!
A SYSTEM OF INFIDELITY
T. U. L. I. P.
IV. IRRISISTIBLE GRACE
“In addition to the outward general call to
salvation which is made to everyone who
hears the Gospel, the Holy Spirit extends to
the elect a special inward call that inevitably
brings them to salvation. The external call…
can be, and often is, rejected, whereas the
internal call (which is made only to the elect)
cannot be rejected; it always results in
conversion. By means of this special call the
Spirit irresistibly draws sinners to Christ.
A SYSTEM OF INFIDELITY
T. U. L. I. P.
IV. IRRISISTIBLE GRACE
“…God’s grace, therefore, is invincible; it
never fails to result in the salvation of those to
whom it is extended.”
(The Reformed Faith by L. Boettner p. 27)
A. Saved by a “special inward call” – so,
who is to blame if we are not called
(Rom. 1:16; Mk. 16:15)?
B. Cannot Resist the H.S. (Acts 7:51-52)?
C. Irresistibly Drawn & Saved (Jn. 6:44, 45;
Heb. 10:26-31)?
A SYSTEM OF INFIDELITY
T. U. L. I. P.
V. PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS
Once Saved Always Saved
“All who were chosen by God, redeemed by
Christ, and given faith by the Spirit are
eternally saved. They are kept in faith by the
power of the Almighty God and thus
persevere to the end.”
(The Reformed Faith by L. Boettner p. 27)
A SYSTEM OF INFIDELITY
T. U. L. I. P.
V. PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS
A. John 10:28-29 explained by 10:27.
B. 1 John 3:9 must harmonize with
1 John 1:6, 8, 10; 2:1.
C. If cannot fall, why all the warnings
(Gal. 5:2-4; Heb. 6:4-6; etc.)?
A SYSTEM OF INFIDELITY
T. U. L. I. P.
CONCLUSION:
NOT Total Depravity, But Total Accountability!
NOT Unconditional Election, But Conditional!
NOT Limited Atonement, But Available To All!
NOT Irresistible Grace, But Resistible!
NOT Pers. Of Saints, But We Must Persevere!
God Has Done What We Could Not…
Now We Must Do What We Can…