Calvinism's Total Depravity Vs. Historic Christianity (Answering TULIP)

In this video, we look at the novel teaching of Augustine in the 5th century, Total Depravity. We will explain what he taught, and how Calvin and Luther incorporated it into their theologies and spread it during the Magisterial Reformation.
This is the first in a series on the doctrines of TULIP

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Christopher's Twitter:

[nikokapanen]

I do not know why God is so unclear to many Christians but to many other Christians like myself, God was crystal clear, that the reason I am saved is that God saved me and He made me want Him first, without Him moving first, I would still be living in the world just like every single one of you.

[andrewmiles]

Total depravity is a misleading name, but the doctrine seems sound. I learned it a good while after I was born again and it sure did explain a lot - I would have never chosen to call Jesus LORD unless the Father first called me in his grace, and the Spirit worked to turn my heart to flesh.

That said I'm keen to hear you explain this position using scripture, and for example explaining why the scriptures you quoted as being useful for defending the doctrine, might actually be better explained a different way.

Thank you brother in Christ for working to defend the faith, grace and peace in the Lord to you.

[larrybedouin]

Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.
{Psalm 119:104}

[Liminalplace]

You're view of church history is defective. Martin Luther and the Lutheran confession (Augsburg Confession) drafted before John Calvin was thoroughly Augustinian. They don't call the doctrine Total Depravity but it's essentially the same teaching.

[manyhobbies]

Genesis 6: 5 but you think it was augustine?

[christophertaylor]

The Bible makes it extremely clear that we are unable to do anything to save ourselves and are lost in sin without the saving work of Jesus Christ. It uses words like "dead" and "unable".

[cecilspurlockjr.]

You give calvinism way too much credit my friend and augustine didn't invent it, Mani the mannichean gnostic priest is who unvented it .

[larrybedouin]

Total inability 🚫

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if *any man hear my voice* and *open the door* I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
{Revelation 3:20}

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
{Isaiah 55:6-7}

[EDD]

did John Calvin believe Jesus Christ was the son of GOD ?

[fcastellanos]

Maybe it was a mistake but I heard that Augustine introduced this total depravity concept in the fifth century?

[CoolSongs]

Regardless of Augustine's belief in Man's depravity, Augustine is not the one who created the doctrine. God is. The bible is clear. If you or anyone wants to make an argument against the depravity of Man, then come with scripture so that we can together discuss it. Your feelings about it mean nothing.

Secondly, we are born in sin - scripture is clear on this too. To say we are not born in sin is to make God's Word untrue. Original sin is not due to sexual intercourse! Sexual intercourse between a husband and wife is God ordained. If this was Augustine's claim, then he is wrong. Original sin comes from the fact that mankind sinned in Adam, and so every seed after its kind. We all then, are born with that seed, which if saved, has been made righteous, and justified and is sealed with the Spirit of God until we are home with Him.

If a couple had impure lustful thoughts - sinful thoughts - while having intercourse, then they have sinned, and fallen short. But that is not the beginning of original sin.

In the beginning - when I first found this contention between 'Calvinism and Armenians, I struggled greatly. I had been taught Armenian belief all my Christian life but didn't realize that's what it was. But the teachings were embedded in me. Mankind is special before God. My salvation depends on me. I have to choose first before God "can" do anything. In fact, God won't do anything until I choose to believe in Jesus. God died for everybody. Even all the people who will end up going to hell. God died for Pharaoh and all them Egyptians he killed in the Red Sea. God died for all the Assyrians that slaughtered Israel. God died for all the Babylonians who slaughtered Israel and took them into captivity. God died for Judas Iscariot, Cain, and every other vessel of wrath that He knew would never choose Him. I can resist God's grace. Hypothetically speaking, if God were to pour His grace directly on me, I can resist it. God has no power over my will. I determine my fate. And worst of all, they taught me that I can lose my salvation so I better watch out for my sins. God has an invisible line, and you never know when he's just gonna let you go because you've sinned too much.

That's all error filled doctrine, and leads to massive disobedience in the church; lack of peace, lack of faith in God, people being stuck in a guilt loop that is spinning out of control. But, worst of all, those false teachings lead people to be confused with scripture. There is no reconciliation for so many things that God say/teaches ... that Jesus Himself said when He was here. So, the church is taught to chalk that stuff up as a 'mystery'. God works in mysterious ways. We're not sure why God hated Esau but loved Jacob in the womb, before either had willed anything good or evil, or done anything good or evil. Who knows? It's a mystery. Why did God raise up Pharaoh, a human being? Didn't God die for Him too ... I mean of course millennia later. I mean Jesus died for everyone right? Or ... is it only people born after Jesus was resurrected? I mean if that's the case - either way - show us where scripture says that in such a way that it reconciles with the rest of scripture.

Armenian thought can't That's why I chose the doctrines of grace - TULIP. Which by the way were not necessitated by those who followed Calvin, but instead were responses to other beliefs that were attacking them. Others created the TULIP acronym, not Calvin. Read his Institutes.

Armenian belief struggles with accepting Man's depravity .... not because it's in scripture ... but because we are human, and we naturally want to be more significant than we are - prideful. It's why Lucifer fell. It's why Eve fell. It's why Adam fell. I pray we all believe what God says is truth. Don't just believe. Even the demons believe, and tremble.

[N]

Um I have alot of issues to what he said about “calvinism”. I hate the name as Calvin didnt make it up but straight up its biblical. With that said Augustine had an unbiblical view of sex so I will give him that and the biggest issue is unorthodox literally mean something is heresy. And yes salvation is literally an act of God even Molonist and Arminians have to give lip service to that.

[manyhobbies]

If you are not totally depraved easy way to prove it: stop sinning