Responding To John Piper - Do We Have A 'Total Inability' To Believe?

Leighton Flowers will often point out that if Calvinism is true, then even his rejection of Calvinism has been ordained by God. In this video he explains the different ways that Calvinists like James White and french philospher Guillaume Bignon respond to this critique.

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[primeobjective]

The Apostle Paul didnt believe in total depravity.

Romans 4:4-5, *"Now to the one who WORKS, his wages are not counted as a GIFT but as his DUE. And to the one who does not work but BELIEVES in Him who justifies the ungodly, his FAITH is counted as righteousness APART from WORKS."*

God counts the faith of people as righteousness as a *GIFT* apart from works. To those who *WORK* apart from faith, those actions are counted as wages DUE.

John Piper fails to differentiate 'faith & works' , and fails to understand the righteousness that comes from the faith of people, is actually a *"gift"* from God, not *"wages due"* as Piper teaches.

[obrien]

Well said. Calvinists think Faith is a work unless it’s forced on only some with partiality while being withheld from the rest, even though scripture contrasts the two countless times.

[renealeman]

Let me be helpful here - look at the instance (Matthew 16:16-17) when Jesus, standing in front of Peter, asks him: "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answers, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus then says: "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven." It seems to me that this verse unequivocally says God intervenes in our lives, while we are unaware, but we see the fruits of His work in our lives when we believe. When we exercise faith, it's because God first reached out to us, giving us the desire to respond. Now, I deviate from our Calvinist brothers in that I believe we can resist God's call. But, it's abundantly clear to me that God gives us (individually and in His time) the desire - it's like a combo of admitting our sins (repentance) and trusting Him as Lord.

[minorsingingairhead]

5:17 Trust is not the same as allegiance. Trust can be described as relying on the integrity, strength, ability, etc. of a person or thing. Allegiance describes loyalty, devotion, or faithfulness to something or someone. Faith/Trust puts the spotlight on Jesus and what He did for me. Loyalty/Allegiance puts the spotlight on me and what I have to do for Jesus to be saved (you might as well replace allegiance and say obedience straight away). There is a good reason why it is called "sola fide" and not "sola fidelitatis." I'm a stickler for these details because I think salvation by faith alone is important and a treasured truth that can be easily perverted by the most well-meaning Calvinists and non-Calvinists alike. I'm all for allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ, but let's be accurate with the words we use, please.

[dawnalaia]

I fell away from the faith after being born again but after 30 years of new age lies I came back to the Lord. Does that mean the Lord called me back or did I do it on my own idk but once I discovered Hebrews 6:4 which says one cannot be brought back to repentance once they fall away. So did I just come back on my own which defies what so many pastors think or was I drawn back through sickness and Hebrews 6
Doesn’t mean what it says ????

[StudioGalvan]

Everyone who want to go to heaven, tries to climb the rope.
🤔 The question is ... Who or What enables the rope climber to understand he is unable to climb to the top.
According to scripture, it is the Holy Spirit who reveals this, who teaches to us.
Who does the HS choose to reveal it to? To HIS Chosen.
John 6:39
"And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of ALL which HE HATH GIVEN ME I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day."
Don't trust your "Prayer of Salvation"
TRUST/BELIEVE - THE SAVIOUR

[brentonstanfield]

There are two problems with the analogy:

(1) The claim that faith is “just” trusting in another. It isn’t “just” that for the man in Somolia, the Sudan, or Pakistan whose entire family is Muslim and for whom faith means death of total isolation from family and community.

(2) Next is the fact that the last thing men want to do is admit their total need for and dependence on God to climb anything. The belief in libertarian free will (ie a will independent of God) is proof of that.

[philblagden]

What is the hope for someone who is currently resisting the gospel? Is it the hope that they will change their own mind and heart? Or is it the hope that God has the power to change minds and hearts and does so anytime he pleases?

2 Timothy 2:25 "He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth."
So the hope of salvation depends on God changing men's hearts and minds, because the bible tells us that left to their own devices, men do not seek God, they are hostile in their minds towards God, and cannot come (in faith) to Christ unless drawn by the Father.


The only thing an unbeliever needs to hear is they are guilty before God, and that Jesus is a perfect saviour for everyone who will repent and believe.
Whosoever wills may come and drink freely of the water of life.
The Holy Spirit is more than able to convict of sin, and grant someone that might have been strongly opposed to the gospel a repentant and believing heart.
He can open people's hearts to the gospel as He did for Lydia in the book of Acts. God is mighty to save.

The reason you get so upset about this issue is that you don't believe deep down that God is mighty to save.
You really think that Reformed theology is going to confuse people and prevent them from coming to faith because deep down you believe salvation depends on man and what we do.
This is unbelief on your part, whether you realise it or not.
If salvation is "of the Lord", and it most certainly is, then we need to get back to a more biblical method of preaching and we need to show God that we utterly depend on him by praying much more and getting our own hearts in order.

[garycasebier]

The question I have is receptiveness toward Christ and recognizing the need for him true justifying faith or is that developed after a response is made. I look the parable of the four soils, I look at Judas. Seems like Christ develops faith and receptiveness is our part of the equation.

[ManassehJones]

Luke 8:15
But that on the good ground are they, which in an (A) honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

(A) Cross Reference of a honest and good heart: Total Depravity: Luke 18:13

Luke 18:13
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

Luke 18:14
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

[bravebarnabas]

A person has no interest in "the rope" and hates "the rope", left to themself.

[danielangelmelgarejosolis]

total misunderstanding of Piper's view. Strawman argument...

[mikelyons]

Scripture: You've been given a measure of faith (Ro 12:3) All are drawn (John 12:32) The Holy Spirit convicts the WORLD (John 16:8) You were created for fellowship & given redemption via Jesus (Acts 17:26-31).

Calvinism: You aren't given faith to believe/receive Jesus as Savior unless you've been arbitrarily chosen in eternity past to irresistibly be regenerated...thats not the Gospel, that causes doubt & fatalism, therefore it needs refuted. Jude 3 (go GLS)

[bock]

My image Of Dr Flowers.... The scene opens in a Dojo tightly Focused on Flowers training with Bo Staff as he manipulates it. Spinning it and himself deftly round and round. Pausing only to land repeated blows on unseen fighting dummies just off screen to the viewer's left and right. As the camera pulls back during this ongoing action and the sounds of Flowers rhythmically timed breaths and landed blows on the imaginary foes, the dummies slowly come into view. Upon full retreat the camera reveals Flowers' feverish attacks on dummies with the faces of JMac and Piper taped on them. Between his kiai's and wild lashing with the staff he can be heard to Yell Calvinism must Fall! Calvinism Must Fall ! The Camera's falls even further back revealing two gentlemen peering in the window of the Dojo. Says one to the other " Its a shame he spends so much energy fighting off imaginary foes instead of just fellowshipping with the brothers. The second man answers " I just hope he is ok with the new carpet in the sanctuary".

[anthonythomas]

You don't get it. Adam lost that "power" when he sinned. We loose that power because we are children of Adam. This is why regeneration precedes faith and repentance. If you were a biblicist you would have known this.

[mebsteve]

Flowers is just as wrong as Piper. I challenge you… Believe IN your heart right now. Increase your Faith in the Lord right Now. Love God more right now.

You Can’t! No one can. But let Matthew, Mark, Luke or John lift up Jesus to you and Faith and Love and Trust WILL Begin to Come Alive in you… ‘IF’ you don’t Reject the Word of God.

Flowers is wrong because it’s The Word of God ALONE that transforms a man’s Heart. Not the man’s response, nor his choice, not his decision.

God did the Work of Salvation in and through Christ and He completes it in you and me.

Pipers wrong because man does Freely Choose to Reject God. It’s not God Sovereignly Preventing it.

But it is God Sovereignly Saving all those that Believe. And that doesn’t mean we choose to believe. It means the Spirit of God at Work in the Gospel Convinces us, Convicts us, Transforms us from the Inside Out.

Stop minimizing The Work of the Gospel. It’s Powerful! Proclaim it and men WILL BE SAVED if they don’t reject it.

We don’t choose to be Saved but we do choose to reject Gods Salvation.

[joefrescoln]

For all have sinned and fallen short of the ability to believe the gospel. 🤔