Why I can't be a Calvinist (hint: it's because of Scripture!) 

My thoughts exactly. This video is pure gold!

Be careful, the heart is wicked above all things (Jer 17:9)!

Thanks, brother!

This is why it's so helpful that when Jesus was on earth he started a Church with the authority to interpret Scripture and break interpretive "ties" which cannot be escaped under Protestantism/Sola Scriptura.

Forget Calvinism and Arminianism. Check out Jim Brown at grace and truth ministries and learn Greek and Hebrew and get all the tools you need so you can read the Bible for yourself.

John 3:16 crushes the premises of Calvinism. It says plainly that Jesus died for all. Not merely the elect; you can argue God had the foreknowledge of those who would accept this gift of salvation, but that doesn’t change that he died for ALL, nor does His foreknowledge mean it was predestined. It could very well still come down to free will.

That is a fair conclusion. I have no desire to talk anyone out of their Reformed views...just to show that that is not the *ONLY* way to read Scripture, as some of the more dogmatic Reformed popularizers tend to teach. This is why I don't attack Reformed theology like some Arminians do either. I will *critique* it, but I recognize that it is a *possible* approach (just one that I don't find persuasive or necessary to begin with). Cheers and thanks for the interaction!

@@DiscipleDojo I agree. The Reformed way to understand this matter is not the only way, and it is obvious. The debate is still ongoing among faithful believers. Like you, I don't seek to change another believer's point of view. I am not the Holy Spirit. And like you, I find it useless and unproductive to take a hard line approach about this issue whether it comes from a Reformed Theology perspective or an Arminian perspective. Watching your content makes me think and I have learned lots from your videos!!! Thank you! :)

I dunno…I just watched a debate between White & Flowers, and the spirit of it left something to be desired, IMO. Maybe that’s a bad judgment on my part, but I actually came here to listen to episodes on it because I knew the tone is completely different…more charitable and winsome. If anyone enters the Dojo, it should be someone that shares this gracious spirit. I’m currently in a church that has folks who hold to both Calvinistic and Arminian thinking and trying to better understand both sides so I can lead Bible studies in such a way as to maintain the unity of the Spirit. Appreciate the work here to that end.

Thanks for watching!

If he rejects a point, it would probably be the L, not the U. Most Baptist Calvinists do not accept L. I believe he was cited in Zondervan's Counterpoints series on Eternal Security. If he has changed his views since the 90s, I'd be interested to know.

Feel free to share them and help us change that! 😁

@@DiscipleDojo I'm not saying the message is bad but the presentation is not RU-vid friendly. A 40 minute sermon with very little visual activity is not going to go viral. And yes. I know the point is not to go viral but if you want more views and more subscribers you need to make shorter (10 minutes?) videos with engaging imagery.

Same

@@SaltLight7 disagree. there are many of us who just listen and do boring chores so can't watch whatever the imagery is. the length of videos should be whatever is appropriate to do justice to the subject.

@@KatyaLearningForeverToInfinity I'm not speaking about accuracy or appropriateness of the content. I was replying to why the video doesn't get more views especially given how good and enlightening the content is.

We do exist. 😁

Thanks for watching!

I don't think I have the handouts that they used when I taught it, because it was so long ago. But if you have questions on any of the books mentioned I'm happy to point you to them.

Haha, great minds think alike brother! 😁 Blessings on starting your channel! Let us know when it's up and running!

@@DiscipleDojo Will do, thanks! Keep up the content. It’s good stuff!

I think sin still continues to try and reclaim us as its slave until the day we go to be with the Lord or until His return, whichever comes first. But the indwelling Holy Spirit gives us the means to resist sin's siren call and leads us in victory as we abide in Him. However, the Holy Spirit can be grieved, quenched, resisted, and even blasphemed. So it is not an automatic process by any means, nor do I believe it is one that a believer can't choose to walk away from entirely.

@@DiscipleDojo Ooh, so basically after being saved, the Holy Spirit enables us, He's like a weapon but we have the choice to use the weapon or not

It's definitely a helpful resource. I'm not a Classical Arminian, but he makes a lot of great points and shows some of the misconceptions many Calvinists have about Arminianism.

Thank you. I try to be fair to my Calvinist brothers and sisters and not strawman their views.

Did you watch my presentation of Calvinism in the prior video in this series? Most of my Calvinist friends and viewers said that it was fair and an accurate portrayal of Calvinism.

You are taking Romans 9:22-24 out of context, keep reading the verses that follow..."I shall call Not My People, My People. And she who is unloved, Beloved." Incidently I think Calvinist thinking divides the church. The REALLY amusing thing is most Calvinists think they are the Elect, it is everyone else that is suspect.

@@naps3386 I understand that Arminians read Rom. 9 differently than Calvinists, I just don’t understand how. That’s kind of what I was getting at. I have read the entire book of Romans dozens of times, so your comment about reading it out of context isn’t particularly helpful. Sorry. When you’ve been taught to read something through certain lenses, it can be hard to read it differently unless someone carefully walks you through it. I’ve been part of Calvinist circles for over two decades, and I don’t know a single one who would say that they are the only ones who are elect and that everyone else is suspect. So, I’m not sure where that comes from.

Earlier in Revelation there is a warning that people's names can be blotted out of the book of life. So, either way, this concept doesn't say what Calvinism says.

@@DiscipleDojo thanks

Hi David, thanks for watching and for sharing your thoughts! To answer your question, I always look at 4 books when reviewing study Bibles (Gen, Exod, Rom, Rev) because these are the places at which a study Bible's theological & hermeneutical leanings are usually most readily apparent. :-)

@@DiscipleDojo Ah! Thanks for clarifying JM… James. Down here, apart from the minor Christian based religions, the main theological divide is simply between Catholicism and Protestantism… hence me never looking into TULIP… :) Enjoy your day/night sir.

@@pappywinky4749 Ben Witherington, NT Wright, Michael Gorman, and Jason Staples.

@@DiscipleDojo thank you :)

You can't "lose" your salvation...because it's not a 'thing' you own to begin with. It's a *relationship*...and you can always walk away from a relationship. That doesn't "undo" anything you experienced in the past; it simply entails (to use NT language) a "shipwreck of faith."

It just says God knows when that happens to the sparrows...not that He *makes* it happen to them. That's an assumption Calvinists bring into the text. And if it's "all kinds" of people God "drags" in John 12, then that also fits John 6 just as well. To demand otherwise is special pleading, I would suggest. :-)

@@DiscipleDojo The scripture does not say that God just "knows" when the sparrows fall from the sky. It says that does not happen "apart from the will of your Father" that is, it only happens *if* it is the will of your Father, that is, God ordains it to come to pass or it would *not* happen. Jesus is teaching the disciples about the sovereignty of God here plainly and comforting them with that. If He just knows when that happens that doesn't help them or anyone else whatsoever and contextually is obviously not the case. Yes, it necessarily must mean all *kinds* of people in John 12 or you would have to be a universalist, again by necessity. And I would have no problem applying that same logic to John 6:44 *if* it said "all" anywhere there, which it does not, because He doesn't draw all to Christ and all will not be saved.

​@@anchorintheveil The problem with what you said about John 6:44 is John 6:45. The second half of the verse. Those are conditions. There are 2 of them. It's ironic, that one verse later, says who Jesus means. Don't you read your bible?

@@shredhed572 That's no problem at all. It's kind of interesting though, that you think it would be. Yes, all who hear and learn from the Father come to Christ, that is, they do actually come to Christ. Not that they might come to Christ, they *do* come to Christ and are saved. How many times did Jesus say "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."? The Father is the One who opens our ears and our eyes to the truth of the gospel so we *can* come. (Jn 6:44) Not that we may come, or might come, that we can come, and the Father must enable us to come. “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” John 6:65

It was a presentation I did at a Methodist campus ministry, so there weren't many Calvinists there. But who knows since posting it online? 🙂

Yes, but *individual Israelites* were not.

Don't forget about molinism!!!

You don’t have to pick between the two.

Yeah, it's always interesting when people drop their assumptions about what Calvinists believe and actually read primary sources. The Reformed confessions are full of affirmations of free will as well.

The concept of a person reaching a point where they "know to choose the good from the bad" is certainly present in the Hebrew Bible...but it is never spoken of as a certain age, and certainly not depicted as the same for everyone. When it comes to that question, I simply echo Abraham: "Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?" and leave the particulars up to God, who knows the heart of every person and loves them more than I ever could.

One of the biggest problems dividing the church today is the false dichotomy being created between the requirement for man to believe for salvation on the one hand, and God's choice in salvation on the other - there are many teachers who would say that the Bible teaches an either/or approach to salvation where the one camp emphatically states that "we must believe to be saved" while ignoring God's sovereignty over salvation, while the other camp states "God chooses who will be saved" while ignoring the requirement for man to believe. What people in both of these camps need to realize is that the Bible does not present an "either/or" proposition between these two ideas. The truth is a "both/and" scenario: We must believe for salvation, and it is God who chooses who will be saved, and in time, grants him the ability to believe; if you are willing (Isaiah 1:19), it is only because God has made you willing (John 6:29, 37, 44, Acts 13:48, Philippians 1:29). As for "free will," the Bible never talks about man’s freedom in the sense of having the ability of contrary choice. Rather, whenever scripture speaks of man’s freedom, it is in reference to Christ setting an individual free from his slavery to sin (cf. Galatians 2:4, 5:1, 13, Hebrews 2:14-15, John 8:32-36, Romans 6:6, 16-20, 8:15, 2 Corinthians 3:17). There is no freedom for man once he is set free from sin however, for either he is a slave to sin, or he is a slave to God (Romans 6:17-18, 22, 1 Corinthians 7:22, 1 Peter 2:16, Ephesians 6:6, Colossians 3:24). Since a slave is not the master of his own will, but instead does the will of his master who owns him, and scripture says that the slave desires to do his master’s will, cf. Psalm 40:8, John 8:44, and that his desire is from God (1 Corinthians 15:10, Philippians 2:13), therefore any notion that suggests that man has a free will in the libertarian sense (the ability of contrary choice) is an unbiblical notion.

@@lawrencestanley8989 "It is for freedom Christ has set you free..." Be careful of calling unbiblical what is actually assumed throughout. When Paul uses the metaphor of "slavery to God", he is building upon the Exodus image of Israel being freed from "serving" Pharaoh in order to "worship" YHWH (same word in Heb). He is not making a philosophical axiomatic claim, as many later Reformed interpreters assume.

@@DiscipleDojo So God set individuals free from their slavery to sin to then serve no one?

@@lawrencestanley8989 Luke 7:30 "But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him". Apparently it can be rejected. Luke 10:31. Jesus says "by chance". 1 Sam 23 David is told by the Lord that he will be delivered to up to Saul, and he and his men leave. God knew what was going to happen but He can allow men's plans to change. Preknown by God is not set in stone, He has all the bases covered

Watch the whole video. I specifically address Romans 9 and how it is talking about *corporate* election rather than *individual* salvation.

In the OT God told beforehand how 'an individual' (Pharaoh) would be hardened. In the NT Jesus foretold of an individual 'born to perdition' (Judas).

@@DiscipleDojo what do you mean by corporate ? please elaborate on this

When we look at Acts 4 v 27, we are informed that God chose 4 'parties' to deliver up Jesus to crucifixion (2 'corporates' and 2 'named individuals'). We are told "they did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen". (v28). It was all determined beforehand.

@@karinapillay874 Election to service. God chose Abraham's lineage, Israel, to bring forth the Messiah.

If you are asking whether I believe someone can "fall away" (Heb 3.12), "make a shipwreck of their faith" (1Tim 1.19) or be told "away from me, I never knew you" (Matt 7.23) ...yes, yes I do.

@@DiscipleDojo So that person suddenly becomes unregenerated? He or she is no longer a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17 ). The Holy Spirit no longer indwells that person (Romans 8:9, 1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Eph. 2:2)? Jesus says that the Spirit will be with us forever (John 14:16). Even if a true believer falls away and is in grevious sin, Paul talks about delivering that one to satan for the destruction of their flesh that this Spirit can be saved (1 Cor. 5:5). I don't see a true Christin becoming unborn again from the Scriptures. If they apostasize, they were never truly saved (1 Jn 2:19).

Nope. Lifelong Wesleyan Methodist here. But I have much love for my Calvinist/Reformed brethren (and sistren). :)

Yes, I feel like that is made quite clearly in the video.

Amen.

@@DiscipleDojo How do you interpret that passage as a non-calvinist?

See my Top 7 Recommended Study Bibles video here on the channel.

Unfortunately this has been my experience as well.

Two ways of interpreting this passage, either of which accorda with Marshall's point: 1. The suffering Paul endured was for the sake of God's chosen people *corporately*, that they might obtain salvation in the eschaton (i.e. run the race, not make a shipwreck of their faith, reach the prize of the upward calling, etc.). Salvation always has past, present, and future senses depending on context. 2. Paul is alluding, with not a little irony, to the Jewish people who have not yet heard the news of their Messiah. Israel *corporately* was the elect, and Paul's ministry was "to the Jew first" in bringing them the good news (gospel) of their King. So, no, Paul is not a liar, and the elect is not talking about chosen *individuals* in Scripture, but rather a chosen *people* and corporate community.

Galatians 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, Galatians 1:16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: Paul thought he was pre selected.

Yes. Ornton Wiley, Roger Olson, and Thomas Oden are a few off the top of my head.

This guys sermon is a prime example of poor biblical scholarship. Even a basic course in hermeneutics, teaching the literal-historical-grammatical interpretation of scripture will teach you that interpretation is not reader based, but author based. What did the author mean? Along with this comes a full study of entire chapters, background, complete verses not paraphrased and taken out of context (e.g. Romans 7), order in which Paul's letters were written, original languages, etc. I've no doubt that this gentleman is a genuine born again believer, but before you buy his sales pitch, read the fine print of scripture surrounding his proof texts, entirely. If you want to read another Apostle and also read Christ's own words, read John 1, 3, 10, 15, 17. Jesus' own words cannot be more clear. BE DILIGENT IN YOUR OWN STUDIES.

@@brentmccain7737 “what did the author mean” you can claim it’s author based (regarding to Protestantism) but all leaders in Protestantism are miniature popes using their own reasoning to try and understand the Bible instead of listening to the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church Jesus Christ Himself built. You’re in my prayers 🙏🏻

@@TheProdigalCatholic Sorry, my friend, I'm a reformed 5 Solas guy.

@@brentmccain7737 that’s why I said I’m praying for you 🙏🏻

@@TheProdigalCatholic to whom are you praying? 🤪

But notice that Scripture never says this...and the book of Hebrews assumes the opposite.

Ok.

See our video here on the channel where we look at Romans 7 in detail. It's in the Viewer Questions playlist. No one is arguing that any part of our salvation is not on God. This is a common error Calvinists make regarding non-Calvinist soteriology and has been addressed countless times by non-Calvinist theologians.

Are you under the impression that these verses can only be interpreted in a Calvinist manner?

@@DiscipleDojo Not necessarily. How would you tackle these passages?

How does that follow? Disease doesn't have free will.

@@DiscipleDojo Disease is because of the curse of God upon the sinful human race. God chose that man would be inflicted with suffering. It is the purpose of God that sinful man should suffer.

@@timothykeith1367 super duper.

Along the same line, why do we pray for God to change someone's heart?

@brentmccain7737 Because we want God to influence a person in such a way as to change there heart.

On Pharaoh's heart, see the video I did on that topic specifically (I even quote Augustine and other Reformed heroes in it!). :-) Your other points, IMO, hinge on selective literalism unevenly applied ("dead" is a figure of speech, but "seeing the Kingdom of God" is literaly chronology, etc.) As for your question, where does the Bible say that God was merciful from all eternity? I'd say God "became" merciful as soon as there were objects of mercy toward whom to express His eternal loving nature...just as He "became" incarnate during the incarnation. I reject concepts of divine immutability which reduce God to an unchanging essence rather than the personal God we meet in Scripture. What you are suggesting sounds more like Islamic conceptions of God than a Hebrew view of YHWH. But I don't expect a single RU-vid video to win over someone who's been teaching Reformed Theology for decades and is comfortable in it. :-)

@@DiscipleDojo Likewise, my comments aren't going to change anyone's opinion. :) I don't see how you can reject divine immutability. If that is not true, then that means that there is something in creation which causes him to change; something outside of God causes a change within God. I can't fathom that. James 1:17 settles that one for me. Oh, well. One of us will have some 'splainin' to do when we meet the Lord. ;) I am still trying to get to your video on the parallels between the Jewish War and Revelation. If only I didn't have a job! :)

But if Christ in you doesn't bear fruit...then is Christ actually in you? Scripture gives a resounding "no" to that question, I believe. Not having assurance is better than having false assurance and hearing, "Away from me. I never knew you."

@@DiscipleDojo what about the Corinthian believers who was in sin, abusing the Lord supper, paul said for that reason ( their sin) some of them was sick, some sleep ( died)… what about Ananias who lied to the Holy Spirit and died because of it. God will chastise every son he receives but he absolutely will not take away their salvation… the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, he will not change his mind… Jesus said we HAVE eternal life the moment we believe, if it’s eternal it lasts forever. He said we are in his hand and in the fathers hand, we will never perish. Jesus said, the one who doesn’t believe shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. He didn’t say you can see life and then lose it. Nothing can separate us from the love of God… We’ve passed from death unto life etc etc. good message overall apart from I disagree with losing salvation.

It’s a little baffling why people quote that verse and miss the word “us” Especially someone that’s older should know better.

@@aletheia8054 why would God need to be longsuffering to us-word if we're already preordained? calvinist convolution.

@@jayahladas692 Because of what the children of God are preordained to. This is not good for an old person not to know this. I would spend some time checking out Jim Brown at grace and truth ministries. He’s taught on predestination more than any other pastor alive. ….. and probably the dead ones tor.

@@aletheia8054 you should listen to the wisdom of an old person.. you're missing my point: If the children of God are preordained to heaven why would God need ro be longsuffering to them? Calvinism is illogical and a twisting of scripture by the devil. Wise up! leaving now out of town

Patently incorrect.

@@DiscipleDojo John 6, Ephesians 1 and Romans 9 are laughing!

@@thomasglass9491So is the satan laughing at you!

Nothing I said denies that the Spirit brings us to life. The question is, are we unable to desire it beforehand? Beware of using words like "clearly" on issues where faithful Christians have disagreed for 2000 years.

I am not, but I'm always happy to connect. :-)

Please do

@@DiscipleDojo 2nd that. Maybe review S101 and followup with how you may differ. Your TULIP vs S101 PROVIDE acrostic. Would also love a video on sanctification. Your have a great presentation style.

I disagree. Scripture itself never makes that equation when discussing the Gospel. I believe Calvinism is incorrect, but does not qualify as heterodoxy in the sense Paul is speaking of in Galatians 1.

@@DiscipleDojo sad way to live not knowing if you have salvation living in doubt till the end is not trusting in the finished work of Christ. Stay blessed ✝️🙏🏽

If you are a child of God then you are “divinely determined” to be a child of God through the hearing of the word. That’s the purpose of preaching the gospel, to find the elect. It’s not some thing that’s mentally hard to understand at all. The elect are held until Faith comes. Galatians 3

Did you actually watch the video? Calvinists aren't the only ones who believe in election or being chosen...they just think it's unconditional. Note the Old Testament background to what Peter is calling the church and what it meant for Israel. It was never individual election in the OT. It was corporate...just as it is in the NT.

@@DiscipleDojo We are chosen, called, elected, individually, into the corporate body of the Lord Jesus Christ unconditionally. God is sovereign in all matters, including, and especially, in salvation. For He said, I will have mercy, on whom I will have mercy.

Peter was talking to Jews who understood where this Scripture originated. Jews are a chosen people to bring forth the Messiah and proclaim God to all nations. Non Jews are grated into this people through Jesus the Messiah. Peter was not a Calvinist. 😃

@@DiscipleDojo You are most mistaken. Abraham, Noah, Joseph, Moses, all the major and minor Prophets, the 12 Disciples, were "chosen" individually by the power of the Holy Spirit - not corporate. Together, they make up the corporate.

People who copy and past walls of prooftexting without interacting with the points made in what they are commenting on are either dishonest, or trolling...or both. Don't be like johnnyanglo6709, folks.

UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION Adam's transgression left mankind as guilty sinners, fallen creatures with no desire for fellowship with God. They do the will of their father, the devil. Therefore, before the foundation of the world, God chose certain individuals out of the fallen world to be the objects of His love and undeserved favor. God could have saved everyone or no one; He was under no obligation to show mercy to anyone. God's choice of saving certain sinners was not based on their known future actions but on God's good pleasure and sovereign will, based on His eternal purpose. Those not chosen for salvation are left to choose based on their evil desires. Man has no right to complain to God for Him sovereignly determining to provide salvation for some. Some verses follow that teach of God's unconditional election: Psa 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh, the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance. Psa 65:4 Blessed is one whom you choose, and cause to come near, that he may live in your courts. We will be filled with the goodness of your house, your holy temple. Psa 106:5 that I may see the prosperity of your chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance. Mat 11:27 All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him. Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few chosen." Mat 24:22 Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened. Mat 24:31 He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. Luk 18:7 Won't God avenge his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them? Rom 8:28-30 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. (29) For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (30) Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified. Rom 8:33 Who could bring a charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who justifies. Rom 11:28 Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sake. Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; 1Th 5:9 For God didn't appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 1Th 5:9 For God didn't appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 1Pe 1:1-2 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the chosen ones who are living as foreigners in the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (2) according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood 1Pe 2:8-9 and, "a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense." For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed. (9) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Rev 17:14 These will war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings. They also will overcome who are with him, called and chosen and faithful." Eph 1:4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without blemish before him in love; 2Th 2:13 But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth; 1Th 1:4 We know, brothers loved by God, that you are chosen, Rev 17:8 Those who dwell on the earth and whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see that the beast was, and is not, and shall be present. Rom 9:11-13 For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls, (12) it was said to her, "The elder will serve the younger." (13) Even as it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." Rom 9:16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy. Rom 10:20 Isaiah is very bold, and says, "I was found by those who didn't seek me. I was revealed to those who didn't ask for me." 1Co 1:27-29 but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong; (28) and God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that are not, that he might bring to nothing the things that are: (29) that no flesh should boast before God. 2Ti 1:9 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before times eternal, Eph 1:11 in whom we also were chosen to an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of the One working all things according to the counsel of His own will, Eph 2:10 for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God before prepared that we should walk in them. Joh 15:16 You have not chosen Me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and should bear fruit, and your fruit remain, that whatever you may ask the Father in My name, He may give you. Act 13:48 And hearing, the nations rejoiced and glorified the Word of the Lord. And as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. Act 18:27 And he having intended to go through into Achaia, having been encouraged, the brothers wrote to the disciples to welcome him; who, arriving, helped much the ones who were believing through grace. Php 1:29 because it was granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer on His behalf, Php 2:12-13 So, then, my beloved ... cultivate your salvation with fear and trembling, (13) for it is God who is working in you both to will and to work for the sake of His good pleasure. 2Th 2:13-14 ... brothers, having been loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, (14) to which He called you through our gospel, to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jas 2:5 Hear, my beloved brothers, did not God choose the poor ones of this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to the ones loving Him? Rom 11:7 What then? What Israel seeks, this it did not obtain, but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened; 2Ti 2:10 Because of this, I endure all things on account of the elect, that they also may obtain salvation, the one in Christ Jesus, with everlasting glory. Exo 33:19 ...And I will call out the name of Jehovah before your face. And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. Deu 7:6-7 For you are a holy people to Jehovah your God. Jehovah your God has chosen you to be for a people to Him, a special possession out of all the peoples that are on the face of the earth. (7) Jehovah did not set His love on you or choose you because you were more in number than any people, for you were the fewest of all peoples. Mat 20:15 Or is it not lawful for me to do what I desire with my things? Or is your eye evil because I am good? Rom 9:21-24 Or does not the potter have authority over the clay, out of the same lump to make one vessel to honor, and one to dishonor? Jer. 18:6 (22) But if God, desiring to display wrath, and to make His power known, endured in much long-suffering vessels of wrath having been fitted out for destruction, (23) and that He make known the riches of His glory on vessels of mercy which He before prepared for glory, (24) whom He also called, not only us, of Jews, but also out of nations. Rom 11:5-6 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. (6) And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. Eph 1:5 having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, Job 42:1-2 Then Job answered Yahweh, (2) "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be restrained. Psa 115:3 But our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he pleases. Psa 135:6 Whatever Yahweh pleased, that he has done, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps; Isa 55:11 so shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing I sent it to do. Jer 32:17 Ah Lord Yahweh! behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm; there is nothing too hard for you, Mat 19:26 Looking at them, Jesus said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Or better yet, to DiscipleDojo's rebuke, rather than being dishonest, the pertinent Scriptures posted inform those with the mind of Christ on how God views the topic at hand. Because Scripture is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness, it does not return void to the reader. Those granted eyes and ears to see and hear can understand and draw conclusions on their own because the "walls of proof-texting" are God repeatedly reaffirming, in this case, the inability of fallen mankind to do good, seek out God's forgiveness, receive spiritual truths, repent, and thereby please God. Unfortunately, on the topic of Total Depravity, the video provided no Scripture supporting the Arminian view to refute. The video has someone saying at the 4:40 point in defense of Arminianism, "God lifts us up out of the muck and the mire and shows us His beauty . . .He gives us the choice whether we want to go back to what is comfortable, good, and fun, or go with whatever is more beautiful and better." The video states, without proof or regard to the volume of Scriptures that refute such a belief, that spiritual regeneration is NOT needed in man; anyone can choose the good, which is to repent and believe. It goes on to say the biblical phrase "dead in our sins" does NOT mean you are incapable of responding positively to God's salvation. These are statements without proof-texts. They are just declarations of the way Arminians want things to be, which is, if one must make an assessment, dishonest and trolling an audience in hopes they will not recognize the lie. To that point, Eph 2:1-10 says, "You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins . . . But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) . . .For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them." The Total Depravity proof-texting wall is God's reply to the false Arminian idea that the spiritually dead will, out of their supposed spark of spiritual life, seek salvation and choose God. Rather, to be "dead in sins" means just what God says: To be lost in the futility of their mind, to be darkened in their understanding, alienated from God's truth, and willfully ignorant with their hearts (spirit) hardened toward God. Eph 4:17-19 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, (18) being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their hearts; (19) who have become callous gave themselves up to lust, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But for the true believer, this was the "former way of life, the old man" (vs 22), who was working in "all uncleanness and greediness" (Vs 19). Yet, because the believer is God's workmanship, He has "renewed in the spirit of your mind," according to Paul, and made the believer "put on the new man," which is the new regenerated spirit, which Paul says is now "in the likeness of God," meaning is compatible with the mind of God rather than antagonistic against God. Because according to Paul, the believer "has been created in righteousness and holiness of truth." The believer is a work of God, being His new CREATION made in His likeness. The new man with a perfected spirit now possesses a relationship of kinship with God, an affinity for Truth, and is made able to receive the things of God. The necessity of the new birth, which Nicodemus feigned not to understand, is the work of God that precedes a person's change of mind (repentance) and is integral in salvation, such that the word of God is afterward received by faith. Faith is a part of the gift of the Spirit as God's truth informs the person and brings forth out of a new spirit the fruits of the Spirit, the evidence of salvation. The elected individual can now walk in faithful obedience as a new creation in Christ because of Christ's atonement and because of the Spirit's application. This is the only way the lost are made a "good tree with good fruit" that is pleasing to God. Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Eph 5:8-10 For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, (9) for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, (10) proving what is well pleasing to the Lord. The video presented the Arminianist deception of a choice. In this, Scripture is turned upside down. Now, God can only try to woo a person into His camp, and if the person decides to join God's team, they do so, and God "saves" them. Or, if they would rather, they can choose to go back to their life of debauchery, freely choosing to live or die based on their willpower. An autonomous decision, they would say, that God will not violate. The Arminian makes many such declarative assertions, but they turn to vain rubbish if compared to Scripture. If you can read and understand what God says in the wall of proof-texting, which is how God thinks about the state of mankind, then you will note the profound differences between God's Truth and Arminian dogma. The Arminian can say all day that you have free will and salvation is your choice (making you the kingmaker in your salvation and God a sideline actor powerless to affect change), for they are proof of the pretentiousness of rebellious mankind. Rather, God says the lost are in bondage to sin and dark rebellion, hating the Light (Christ), hating God's Truth, and it is only because God transforms a person into a "new man" (or woman) that anyone can believe unto salvation. The Arminian wants you to believe that a rotten tree will produce good fruit, that a rotten spirit will turn to God and believe. Therefore, since God is regenerating to life certain individuals (not everyone), the next truth follows logically: God has Elected some of the fallen humanity to receive the new birth in Christ. It is those who will be eternally saved (those chosen by the Father are given to Christ to redeem, having the sins removed) and whom the Holy Spirit then grants spiritual life in being "born from above" and indwells them, empowering the person to receive the truth and believe. So, read further about God's Unconditional Election if you want to understand the beauty of God's salvation program.

You would think an account named "Reality Check" wouldn't misrepresent what was said in a video they are criticizing. You would think...

Fair is sending us all to hell. Is that what you want?

@@brentmccain7737 Sending me to Hell for WHAT?

@@davidgagnon7806 non-conformity to God: sin. Romans 1 explains it, specifically starting with v18, but it's always best to start at the beginning of any chapter/book. Context.

@@brentmccain7737 Read the entire Bible three times. On my fourth time now. I'm into Mark now.

@David GAGNON very good, sir. Mark's gospel to the romans.

1. There was no sermon in this video 2. There were no prooftexts in this video 3. I teach hermeneutics. 4. You just suggested reading isolated chapters of one book of the Bible. Ironic, no?

@@DiscipleDojo 1. sooooo, what am I listening to starting at 1:06? 2. There are plenty of proof texts and paraphrasing in this video. 3. Brother, plenty of people teach hermeneutics, but that doesn't automatically me that the author's intention is properly understood. 4. Ironic? No. I simply gave some broader options than simply tossing out a few isolated texts.

1. You're listening to a lecture given at a college leadership gathering. 2. There are no prooftexts. Prooftexing is taking passages out of context and stringing them together without commentary. That is not done in this video. 3. It does mean that your claim that I need a 'basic course in hermeneutics' is rhetorical bombast rather than accurate critique. 4. You literally tossed out random chapters, as if reading those is something ONLY Calvinists have ever done. If you'd like to critique specific points, feel free to do so. But take a cue from the other Calvinists in this comments section who have engaged with thoughtfulness and charity in disagreement rather than making baseless claims and flippant dismissals. Don't be a "cage stage" Calvinist; be a thoughtful and humble Calvinist.

My brother, it is apparent I have struck a nerve, as indicated in your agitated response, especially when someone gets into name calling. I want to apologize sincerely for doing so. Black and white words do not always convey the intent or attitude of the writer. Again, I want to apologize and ask for your forgiveness. I would like to continue a discussion with you and want to take some time to relisten, take notes, and offer some alternative thoughts to what you have offered your listeners. I've only listened twice, at the moment, so I haven't cataloged all my thoughts. This will take some time, but I would like to present them to you. A full time job, dad of four kids, two of whom are about to begin their next semester at Master's U (which includes mom and dad studying with them), prepping for church teaching, and a household to manage, I can only allow so much time for peripheral stuff. I would like continue by private email, or I can coalate my thoughts into a Google Doc and share the link for all to see. The ball is in your court, bro. Sincerely, a brother from another mother.

Did you watch the video? Because each of those points are addressed in it from a non-Calvinist perspective as well. So just stringing assertions together doesn't really get to the root of the differences in how they are interpreted by Calvinists and Non-Calvinists, I'm afraid.

@DiscipleDojo Calvinists are simply a different branch of Arminians... both believe man does something to merit their salvation. So, I already know what would be in this video, as I have sat in churches from both points of view, and they all have the same foundation for salvation...something in and of one's self is responsible for being saved. And I just typed out what flowed from within...all Bible...from Yeshu, to Paul, to Peter...even Isaiah and if my cat hadn't required my attention I think more would have kept flowing out of me like rivers of living waters... the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned. If a man is not born of the Spirit faith has not come as it comes by hearing (understanding) and hearing (understanding) by the word (rhema) of God. But, thanks for asking. Videos are well done, but I won't hear anything I haven't already. Those who believe they are saved by ANYTHING of themselves are not saved. That's all. All glory be to God and God alone. Amen.

Of course I can deny it, because it's a bogus premise to begin with. There is no boasting when it comes to receiving a gift that someone else chooses to reject. No one would ever say that such a thing is a possibility...except 16th century theologians looking to justify their doctrinal construct. :-)