Dr. James White - Total Depravity vs Free Will

[@edwardelliott5756]

Excellent. That’s the first sermon of his I’ve ever heard the entire sermon and it was great!

[@eddie0009]

Free will.....I wish He would take mine away. All I do, is freely sin.

[@billbarrie551]

If I can try to give you a word of encouragement, I thought the same thing, & my pastor said something to me that helped me, he said Bill, God doesn't have to make you a robot to get u to where He wants you to go, trust Him that the good work He's started in you He's also able & willing to finish (Phil 1:6)

[@eddie0009]

@@billbarrie551 , bill that's my only hope. But a robot sounds great right about now. I want to be holy. I'm tired of being sinful. But I agree.

[@billbarrie551]

@@eddie0009 well based on your answer the Spirit "IS" working in you, or you would even care about this stuff, and also "REMEMBER" that if we ask "anything" according to "HIS WIIL" He "hears" us (1 Jn 5:14) read 2 Thess 5:22-24, and be encouraged, is it His will we love Him with all our heart, mind, & soul?? yes then don't quit asking for it because it is His will (Matt 22:37) and He knows & "HEARS" the desire & cries of your heart so if your asking to be more obedient then that's coming from your heart (Matt 15:18a,)

[@billbarrie551]

@@eddie0009 Also go watch the video by Jeff Durban from Apologia Studios called "Hope for the struggling Christian"

[@eddie0009]

@@billbarrie551 I appreciate your counsel, I'll take that

[@joelpelton7027]

Excellent teaching! Thank you Dr. White!

[@jonathankotyk3075]

I recommend you read A.W. Pink's book the Sovereignty of God, it really opens your eyes to free will and enslavement to sin.

[@mixedupjo]

Amen!

[@billbarrie551]

Great book, I own a copy,soo eye opening

[@treythompson4103]

AMEN

[@ryangallmeier6647]

As a Calvinist, I believe 100% in the biblical doctrine of Human Libertarian Free Will. Any Reformed Christian who holds to either the Westminster or 1689 Baptist Confession, etc., must have a proper definition of human free will. Jesus gives us a two-part definition in Jn. 8:31-38 --- Human Free Will is: 1) a will that never assents to any errant propositions, lies, deceptions, falsehoods...etc.; and, 1) a will that never wills to do anything other than that which is good and well-pleasing to God (with respect to His Law). Jesus in His earthly walk was the freest human being ever! He never assented to error, but rather combatted error with truth. He never committed any sin; He was impeccable. Just ask any synergist whether or not Jesus was "free" (as in, possessing 'the power of contrary choice'). Just ask any synergist whether or not the glorified saints [in the eschaton] will be 'free' (as in, possessing 'the power of contrary choice'). The Reformed affirm the former, and deny the latter. *Soli Deo Gloria*

[@lowellmayfield5736]

"to them who are the called..." I never realized that these things were so complicated. I've read the Bible from cover to cover many times in my life but I don't go to church and I never have, and until very recently I never cared to know the difference between a "Calvinist" and a "Mennonite" and an "Episcopalian", it all just seemed above my pay grade as a simple Bible believing Christian. That being said, I'm starting to realize how much I do not know about the reasons why God has done what He has done for me. I always just thought that he calls everyone, and those who answer His call are the wheat, and those who ignore His call are the tares, but it appears that there is more to it than that, and I should have expected as much, considering my testimony. After the military I was homeless for a few years in South Florida, working construction and just drifting around. God was the farthest thing from my mind. I had always believed in God, I don't remember ever not believing that He exists, but I also didn't care about Him and didn't want anything to do with those "hypocrites" who profess to be His followers. Although I believed, I pushed Him out of my mind. No man witnessed the Gospel to me. Like I said, I wasn't interested anyway, and I would have dismissed all comers immediately. But all of the sudden, and for no reason that I can pinpoint, I started to hear His voice calling to me. What I now know as the voice of the Holy Spirit was shaking me out of my sleep, and I allowed His voice to speak (I chose not to reject it, kind of like turning up the volume), and He began to walk with me. It's as simple as that. I didn't ask for Him to come into my life, He seemed to "choose" me. I never allowed myself to verbalize this until now, it sounds so arrogant to say God "wanted" me, but that is what happened. At the time I didn't know you could buy a Bible, I thought you had to go to church and be issued one, lol. I certainly did not want to go to any church, so I wandered about for months, just walking in the Spirit, walking and talking with the Lord, and sometimes when I asked a question a pamphlet would blow up to my feet with the exact scripture I needed to answer my question, or I would overhear someone say the verse of scripture. Believe me or say I'm a loon, I know this sounds fanciful, but it is exactly the way it happened for me. Eventually I bought a Bible, and I read it, but even then the Lord would answer my questions directly, but through His Word. For example, I was walking along the North New River Canal one night, thinking about the nature of God, and I asked Him if Jesus was God, or "merely" the Son of God, and all of an instant 3 verses popped into my head and I had to walk another mile to the nearest street light before I could look up the verses He gave me (I only remember one of them now, forgive me but this has been 25 years ago, and one of the three verses was the part where Thomas calls Jesus "My Lord and My God!" My middle name is Thomas, so this seemed to apply directly to me.) My walk with Him has been like this, and although I've squandered these years He's given me, He still instructs me when I'm teachable. He seems to carry me when I am not teachable, and He always carries me back to a place where we can walk together and just talk. I don't know why He chose me. I know better people than I am who flatly reject Him, and I've always wondered why these people are so blind to what is plainly all around them. I guess I could be like that devout Pharisee who prays "Thank you God that I am not like other men!" but more and more I realize that none of this was my doing, except that I didn't ignore His voice when He called out "Come up hither!" to me. I also don't know if that's what James White means by "elected", my guess is that he means some high minded theological concept that just went way over my head. But I thought I'd share, anyway.

[@JesusWordApologetics]

Your testimony is similar to mine and reading it brings back many memories. Thank you for sharing, It brightened my day. God bless brother!

[@lowellmayfield5736]

@@JesusWordApologetics -Thank you for your kind words! Writing it all down has made me nostalgic for those simple days when it was just Him and me walking together. I was homeless, but it was the best and richest time of my life. I was truly free! May God bless you!

[@JesusWordApologetics]

@@lowellmayfield5736, brother we share a lot in common. Just love the Lord and give God respect is the Christian walk. Follow your heart. God bless!

[@billbarrie551]

Thank you, God bless, I had a similar experience in that I'd heard the Gospel but didn't want I, and to make a very long story short, about approx 3 yrs later I'm sittin in my room all by myself watchin secular tv, ok. then all of a sudden I had an overwhelming sense of my own guilt before God. This went on for a matter of hours, and I remember thinking if He'd been standing there in the flesh I would have decked Him, I did not want Him,, well He would not take no for an answer and I tried to resist (Rom 9:19b) and I eventually had to give in and turn the tv off & bowed my head & said, God I believe I'm a sinner I believe Jesus died for my sins I pray you'll forgive for my sins & come into my heart. well I guess God gets what He wants, I guess that's what makes Him God eh? lol

[@billbarrie551]

@KTTGHMTJWYCBLAC Thank you

[@CBALLEN]

If we miss what total depravity in man means,then it's like putting the wrong button in the wrong button hole of a shirt, the rest will be wrong as well.

[@georgeluna9729]

WHITE IS A LOST CASE

[@michaelcolthart4006]

Asserting non-scriptural propositions then contorting the Bible to fit those propositions is a button in the wrong button hole……several actually.

[@believein1]

“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” - Romans 10:17 Do Calvinists even read the Bible?

[@CBALLEN]

@believein1 Right, faith certainly comes by hearing the gospel, but if you aren't given the ears to hear it never has any saving effect.This is why God must take out our heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh , this brings with it , eyes to see and ears to hear.

[@ssendikwanawajasper6940]

'What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. ' 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 As the Lord assigned to each... GOD GIVES THE GROWTH

[@CBALLEN]

After the Lord makes one born again and His spirit teaches us about His Sovereignty, it changes our whole world. I can no longer listen to any ,Freewill preachers ,preaching how the Lord wants so much to do this or that,but His hands are tied by His creatures ,and how He dare not violate His creatures wills because He loves them just too much to interfere with their freewill. Its just sickening to me,but then I realize, this god doesn't exist,its an idol imagined by the R.C.C, that was brought by natural men into the Protestant church and sold as the God of the Bible.

[@mattmsharp44]

Amen.

[@raysonraypay5885]

Helpful

[@MrFredoesfly]

Salvation is of the Lord....Jesus said; I have chosen you..you have not chosen me..My sheep follow me..you do not believe on me because you are not my sheep. john 6;37 44 65. Acts 13;48 It is God that shows mercy .not of him that runneth to achieve.: ie good works..Regeneration precedes faith. eph 1;4 chosen in him before the foundation of the world.

[@jerrymontes6270]

It is disappointing that the strength of White's arguments depends so much on his misrepresentation of the opposing view. R.C. Sproul, in his series on "What is Reformed Theology", is much more satisfying to learn from, he is mature and confident in his delivery.

[@steved.2685]

From Genesis to Revelation it's all about making the right choices. The Lord repeatedly admonishes man, starting with Adam-and-Eve all the way through to the end to choose life and not death. Whites examples of God intervening in the lives of kings and other people simply shows that God is sovereign and he can step in any time. He has not lost His sovereignty - He can do anything he wants, even override us anytime he wants to.

[@JesusWordApologetics]

Hi Steve, does God learn?

[@steved.2685]

@@JesusWordApologetics No. He's all knowing.

[@billbarrie551]

Amen

[@ManlyServant]

weak as a jelly,the argument of impression is one of the weakest argument to support Libertarian free will,we NEED exegesis,we NEED statement, impression is coming from the heart of man,and the bible tells us the heart of man is deceitful,just because you have option of choosing something doesnt mean you are ABLE, Augustine believe that the option exist,but we just not able,the bible and augustine teach us that we have Libertarian free will before the fall,this is sad to see how freewillers is going to assume everything,Romans 9 is the answer for those people Romans 9:16 So then IT DEPENDS NOT on human WILL or exertion, but on GOD, who has mercy.

[@steved.2685]

@@ManlyServant You are a prime example of what happens when people mix man's worldly philosophy with The Bible. And you cant even see it. You talk about exegesis and Saint Augustine? Saint Augustine could not even read the New Testament in Greek.

[@ryangallmeier6647]

Human Free Will is not 'the power of contrary choice,' according to Scripture. Human Free Will is assenting to the truths of what God has said, and the inability to sin (impeccability). This happens in Glorification only. Synergists have a woefully deficient definition of human "free will". Their definition may be acceptable to modern [unbelieving] philosophers, but it is opposed to the biblical definition of it. *Soli Deo Gloria*

[@jeffstarrunner1]

I believe every verse, from the one that says "choose you this day whom you will serve." to the one that says "you have not chosen me but I have chosen you." It may have to do with God's different placement in time... or something I don't even understand yet. But in application I have no doubt it's right. Because if you only believe in predestination then you wouldn't feel the need to go to the ends of the earth. But if there was goodness in man then why the cross?

[@JesusWordApologetics]

What your articulating is called compatibilism to which most Calvinists hold to that view.

[@johnholland2963]

The "choose you this day" verse doesn't say anything about choosing God though.

[@ManlyServant]

@KTTGHMTJWYCBLAC "whom you Will serve" where is that in the verses?

[@jilesherron]

@@ManlyServant Right there is verse 15. Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV) 14 “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

[@jilesherron]

@@johnholland2963 you don’t think this passage is referring to choosing God? Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV) 14 “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

[@believein1]

The Bible never says that man is so depraved that he is unable to respond to the gospel. On the contrary, Scripture declares that it is how one receives faith, not by “election.” That goes against any common sense one had before being brainwashed by Calvinism. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” - Romans 10:17 Not from “election”. That would be a false gospel.

[@paulpowell6418]

Faith comes from hearing. And who opens the ears to hear, you or God ?

[@ezequielarce8079]

Exactly, God gives the sight, hearing and makes the crippled walk.

[@WhosoeverMayCome]

​@@paulpowell6418 The Gospel is the power of God to salvation. The gospel is strong enough to open blinded eyes.

[@paulpowell6418]

@@WhosoeverMayCome Yes by God

[@CBALLEN]

​@1PETER315. Absolutely, in the scriptures are Spirit and Life, but why do some believe while others don't, that's the real question and the answer is not found in the individuals who believe vrs the reprobates who don't. The answer is God's grace alone,He causes the new birth in those who believe, to cause their belief, the Gospel will always, only harden those who never believe because God doesn't give them His Grace to believe ,because Jesus didn't die for them.

[@bendelgado8429]

The Bible says even a babe can understand, why can’t you understand in all your intellect,that Jesus came that all men may be saved,who so ever will believe shall be saved.I truly believe that you are sincere but sincerely wrong.I do hope that you are saved and you sound like a good preacher.God be with you!!!Amen!

[@edwardelliott5756]

So, he saves everyone? Your vast intellect and wisdom decided to allow God in your life?

[@perttisuorsa4678]

​@@edwardelliott5756 The Bible does not teach that He saves everyone. The Bible teaches that He calls everyone and to those who respond to His call He gives the strength to become His children.

[@CalvZynist]

He didn’t come to save everyone He came to save those the Father gave to Him in eternity past

[@CalvZynist]

@@perttisuorsa4678wrong

[@perttisuorsa4678]

​@@CalvZynist Read John 1:12 ! There are verses in the Bible which seem to support Calvinism but there are also verses which very clearly speak against it.

[@robertfvolk2694]

I simply can not get on board with this, even though Dr. James White is a very brilliant man. He spoke about 'becoming' the enemy of God, as if there was a choice. If we are totally depraved, becoming an enemy of God was never a choice. Setting my mind on the things of the flesh was never a choice. These choices were made for me, before I was born. And then, right at the 22:00 mark, he speaks of the Holy Spirit taking out the heart of stone and putting in a heart of flesh. But under total depravity and unconditional election, the heart of stone will only be removed if God wills it. So again, having a heart of stone is by no means the choice of man, under this theology. It is imputed to man before he was conceived, and it will be held against him when he dies, and never did that man have a choice.Again, he mentions 1 Cor. 1:18, and that the 'word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing...", but total depravity reminds us that man must perish, there is no other choice, outside of the will of God, so that man is not perishing because they rejected God, but because there was never any choice to accept God.

[@JesusWordApologetics]

+Robert F Volk, What Dr. White is stating is that everyone is effected by the fall of Adam, even God's elect. Without God's taking out that heart of stone and putting in a heart of flesh we continue in our sin. God foreknew us, and He then predestined us in time, He then called us during our lifetime through the gospel by the Holy Spirit, He will then Justify us, and He will glorify us in the end. This is what we see in Romans 8:29-30, For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified."

[@JesusWordApologetics]

*Your assertion:* Romans 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God. Ephesians 6:9 ...neither is there respect of persons with him. 1 Timothy 2:3,4 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. *My reply: Tom, is that all you have to prove your position? Phrases such as “the world,” “all men,” “all nations,” “every creature,” and "whosoever/whoever" were used by the New Testament writers to emphatically correct the false notion that salvation was for the Jews alone. These expressions are intended to show that Christ died for all men without distinction (i.e., he died for Jews and Gentiles alike), but these phrases are not intended to indicate that Christ died for all men without exception (i.e., he did not die for the purpose of saving every unbeliever). Think about what your implying. If Christ died for all men without exception, and unbelief being a sin, then Christ's blood was also a propitiation for the sin of unbelief. Therefore, unbelievers would escape the wrath of God, because Christ was a propitiation for the sin of unbelief. We know this isn't true. I’m sorry, but your simply deceived into believing in this liberal Roman Catholic notion of that man chooses Christ, not that Christ chooses those who will serve Him.* *Your assertion:* Without labouring the point, God isn't fussy about whom he chooses. Therefore, if Matthew 22:14 teaches that God is choosy about people, it contradicts the rest of the bible. In short, predestination as it is understood today destroys people. It gives people excuses for their failures. Instead of taking responsibility for their failed marriages, businesses, families, health, and everything else in their lives, they come up with all sorts of excuses and blame it all on God. *My reply: Who has taught you such non-sense? First off, Calvinism teaches that man has a free-will. What your espousing is called Hyper-Calvinism which is made up of about 5 people in the world. Therefore, Hyper-Calvinists do believe every action by man has been predestined by God. Calvinism believes what Jesus taught in Romans **8:28**-30, And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined He also called, those He called He also justified, those He justified He also glorified.* *Your assertion:* Folks are taught they have no control, that everything is meant to be. So they blame their failed marriages on God, they blame their failed businesses on God, they blame their failed health on God, because it was all meant to be. Put your noses into this dogshit of predestination and take a good sniff. It is a stinking lie. Sure, God will light our path so we can see where we are going, but we have control of our own lives and over which paths we walk. The decisions we make determine our successes and our failures. If we fail, it is our fault, not Gods… *My reply: Again, Calvinism teaches man that has a free-will. What your espousing is called Hyper-Calvinism which is made up of about 5 people in the world. Therefore, Hyper-Calvinists do believe every action by man has been predestined by God. Calvinism believes what Jesus taught in Romans ****8:28****-30, And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined He also called, those He called He also justified, those He justified He also glorified.*

[@eddie0009]

God says we were the enemy of God. Natural man is at enmity with God. Its how He sees us that is the truth, not what we feel or what our opinions are. He is the truth, we are liers.

[@treythompson4103]

God doesn't have to cause sinners to be totally depraved sinners, we willingly and willfully do it on our own.

[@eddie0009]

@@treythompson4103 you are correct. We are evil, and do it willingly, but we cannot be anything other than evil before God, hence the need for Christ

[@hipfammedia]

James White is the master of straw man arguments! He creates a false definition of “free will” and argues against that. No true Christian believes what he said - that man’s will is autonomous and makes them equal with God. Of course that seems silly and laughable

[@RationalGaze.BingChillin]

I mean this literally and with all respect. Do you know what the meaning of those words are? Autonomous for example

[@Zaloomination]

Please define your terms then so we can have a conversation. What do you mean by free will. What do you mean by autonomous

[@Over-for-now]

​@@Zaloomination our free will is corrupted by adams sin. That's why Jesus came for SINNERS. He didn't come for free willers

[@Vedioviswritingservice]

James is a very good preacher too. By the way, I don't agree with his theology at all. Yet I never miss a single dividing line. I wonder if there are others like me?

[@paulfoor7388]

Cyric London Same! I really like James White. I listen to a lot of his debates and dividing lines. But I'm not a calvinist. There are some major contradictions i think that calvinists overlook or just dont seem to worry about. Still, White is a great teacher

[@JesusWordApologetics]

Hi Paul, what major contradictions that Calvinists overlook or just don't seem to worry about???? List all of them, and we can see what you're talking about. Looking forward to your response. If I may, allow me to highlight one synergist inconsistency that I believe destroys any synergistic argument. In order for human free-will to be true, God cannot affect you in any way. If God hasn't affected you, then this means you were absent the Holy Spirit. Absent the Holy Spirit is Paul's definition of being in the flesh. Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote: "The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God." Paul says the mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God, nor can the mind governed by the flesh summit to God's law. How would you answer this question?

[@treythompson4103]

How do you say that you respect James as a good preacher and at the same time call him a false teacher? Can't have it both ways.

[@robertfvolk2694]

See, right at 34:45, he talks again of our creaturely free will, whereby we have free will to do according to our sinful nature. But again, under the concept of total depravity, it is utterly impossible to do anything else. There is effectively no choice in the matter, the choice was made for man already.

[@JesusWordApologetics]

+Robert F Volk, What Dr. White is stating, is that there is creaturely free-will while at the same time there is God's determinism. You see this in Genesis 50:19-20, "But Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place? "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive" Joseph and his brothers had creaturely free-will, but the brothers actions caused Joseph much pain and anguish, but the result was the exodus. We also see this compatiblism in Acts 4:27-28, "For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur." So, I'm not sure what your getting at???

[@robertfvolk2694]

+Jesus' Word (Apologetics) Well, I am getting at exactly what you wrote. Al of the biblical figures you mentioned, to include Joseph's brothers, Pontius Pilate, and Herod, had to do what they did. Under the Calvinistic doctrine, they never had a choice to do anything else; their actions were predetermined before they were born. And because of total depravity, they never had a choice to even want to do anything other than what they were predestined to do. So, in effect, they had to perform evil against Joseph, they were required to mean evil against Joseph, and at no time were they ever given the choice to perform any other action.

[@JesusWordApologetics]

Robert F Volk, *Your assertion:* Well, I am getting at exactly what you wrote. Al of the biblical figures you mentioned, to include Joseph's brothers, Pontius Pilate, and Herod, had to do what they did. Under the Calvinistic doctrine, they never had a choice to do anything else; their actions were predetermined before they were born. And because of total depravity, they never had a choice to even want to do anything other than what they were predestined to do. So, in effect, they had to perform evil against Joseph, they were required to mean evil against Joseph, and at no time were they ever given the choice to perform any other action. *My reply:* What does Jude v4 state: “For certain persons have *crept in unnoticed*, those who were *long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ*.” Who are these persons who crept in unnoticed? Matthew 13:24-30, “Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. “ *But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away*. “But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. “The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ “And he said to them, *An enemy has done this!* The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ “But he said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. ‘Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.” You can say, well this is just a parable and can mean anything. But Jesus explains the parable: Matthew 13: 36-43, “Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. “So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. “The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. “Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” There is no equal measure among people in the world. There are two groups, those of the Kingdom, and those who will be gathered up and burned. There is no ‘everyone has the propensity to be good,’ and if I just sit down and explain the gospel to them, then they will believe. Only those who respond positively to the gospel and persevere to the end are God’s elect. There is no choice, in that a weed can become wheat, or that wheat can become a weed. Romans 8:28-30 sums it up well for those who are not perishing: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” God does all for His own. Trust and believe in Him.

[@eddie0009]

It's not utter depravity. Total depravity means a corruption of the core of human heart. Whereby, all your desires are somehow influenced by this corruption. Even Hitler was not utterly depraved. He had family that loved him. Listen to the lecture by RC Sproul on total depravity. He calls it radical corruption, I've never seen anywhere a calvinist calling it utter depravity. We don't believe that.

[@annem5318]

this man is preaching original sin the philosophy of augustine, adam guilt passed on to a baby, guilty by birth, dose a baby have a developed fleshy carnal mind that sins, do you baptize babies in your church, do you tell them to repent and believe the gospel, yes man in his nature needs gods help and under the sentence of death but we die for our own sins not the sins of another, and as we grow from babies to adults we have no power to resist sin, and develop a carnal fleshy mind, but are babies guilty sinners for being born, this man being a calvinist also believes, another augustine's doctrine predestination, was there not a reformation on the doctrines of men, till you prove that the guilt of sin is by birth and not an act of a developed carnal mind, you have proven nothing.

[@paul.etedder2439]

Psalm 51:5. 58:3

[@annem5318]

is that so, then how was Jesus protected when he was born. don't tell me you believe in the immaculate conseption your reading into the text it says nothing about all men, "For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham" (Hebrews 2:16). How could He partake of Abraham's seed if He took on Him the nature of unfallen Adam? The emphasis here is that He did not take on some exotic, sinless nature such as angels or holy Adam might have had but the same nature that Abraham's children possessed. They had sin-weakened bodies and minds. So did He. This does not involve guilt. To be subject to sin is not to be guilty of it. He was tempted in the same way we are, yet He never once yielded to or entertained sin. He never developed any propensities toward sin by giving way to it. He remained undefiled by sin and was always totally pure and holy. "Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God" (Hebrews 2:17). Why Human Nature? Why was He born in the same flesh and nature we have? So that He could be understanding of our weaknesses and inclinations toward sin, and be a merciful High Priest for us. Do the words "in all things" really mean "in all things"? Of course. Paul declared that Jesus "was made of the seed of David according to the flesh" (Romans 1:3). It would be contrary to reason for these words to be interpreted to mean that Christ inherited a holy, unfallen nature from Mary. Whatever David's seed was like after the flesh, our Lord partook of the same. All of those descendants of David, except one, yielded to their hereditary inclinations and committed personal sins. Jesus, like all others, inherited the nature of David after the flesh, but He did not yield to the inherent weaknesses of that nature. Although tempted in all points like we are, He did not respond by a single degree of indulgence to any of those temptations. His life was a constant fortress of invincible spiritual power against the tempter. Again, we read, "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same" (Hebrews 2:14). Notice how the inspired writer emphasized the sameness of the body of Christ with man. HE-ALSO-HIMSELF-LIKEWISE. These four words are used consecutively even though they are repetitive and redundant. WHY? In order to impress us that Jesus really did enter into the SAME nature man possessed. Just like children partake of the same flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took the same! How can this unambiguous language confuse anyone? Jesus Had Hereditary Weaknesses Incidentally, these inspired words definitely tell us that Christ took part of the same nature as the children who "are partakers of flesh and blood." Doesn't this tell us without question the kind of nature Christ possessed? Did Adam have any children born before he sinned? Not a one! The fact is that all the children who have ever been born in the world have inherited the same fallen nature of Adam, because they were all born after Adam sinned. The book of Hebrews declares that Jesus "himself likewise took part of the same." The same what? The same flesh and blood as children inherit from their parents. What kind of flesh do children inherit from their parents? Only sinful flesh. Has any other kind of flesh except sinful flesh ever been known among the descendants of Adam? None whatsoever. If Jesus partook of the same flesh and blood as the children, it had to be sinful flesh and blood. There is no other conclusion to be drawn. Yet, He Himself was sinless! Paul's declaration that Jesus partook of the same flesh and blood as children receive from their parents. That is referring to heredity also. If Christ had been born with Adam's unfallen nature, the very suggestion of hereditary influence would be ridiculous in the extreme. There could be no place for any kind of inherited tendencies in a holy Adamic nature that had never known either birth or ancestry. If He had no inherited weaknesses, why would the writer of Hebrews say that He partook of the same flesh and blood that children receive from parents? Certain it is that the Creator did not incorporate any inherent weaknesses into the original creation. Adam had no battles to fight against hereditary tendencies. He had the power in himself to choose always not to sin. Did Jesus as a man claim to have that kind of power? No. He said, "I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things" (John 8:28). Repeatedly, Christ spoke of being dependent on His Father for what He said and what He did. Does this mean that He possessed no deity and omnipotence as the Son of God? On the contrary, He was truly and wholly divine, just as He was truly and wholly man. But those two natures apparently were not amalgamated into some hybrid personality that stood apart from either God or man. He was fully God and He was fully man. He could draw upon either of these distinct natures while living here in the flesh. But the really important thing for us to remember is that He did not exercise His divine power to save Himself from the weaknesses and temptations inherited from His human ancestry. He chose to live His life here as a man in the same way we have to live it. To save Himself from sin and the perils of the flesh, He depended constantly and solely upon the power of His Father. It was in this way that He overcame the devil, closed every avenue of temptation, and lived a life of perfect obedience. By never yielding to the inherent appeal of the flesh, He set an example of the kind of victory that may come to every child of Adam through dependence on the Father.

[@paul.etedder2439]

Anne M Here are a couple of verses that might help you. psalm 51:5 , 58:3-6

[@jonathankotyk3075]

The immaculate conception is the dogma that Mary was, through an act of grace, preserved from original sin and remained sinless for her entire life. It is a Catholic dogma and not believed in by by non-Catholic Christians, nor is it taught by scripture.

[@raysonraypay5885]

Anne M if the virgin birth doesn’t give u a hint then clearly u don’t see as a child would the kingdom

[@GhostBearCommander]

The issue is not about free will vs total depravity. The issue is misunderstanding Sovereignty. Calvinists wrongfully believe that “Sovereignty” means Theological Determinism. If Sovereignty does not equal Determinism, then there is zero reason for a so-called “tension” between sovereignty and free will. Problem solved.

[@DjSostre7]

All things are decreed man. Everything. Proof? Did God know who would and wouldn't believe before he created them? Yes. Did he created them anyhow? Yes. There you go. Also, did God know who would rape and murder before he created them in the womb? Yes. Did he create them anyhow? Yes. There you go. And yes, I've got scriptures for that.

[@CBALLEN]

What does Proverbs 16:4 and Roman's 9:22-23 teach us?

[@GhostBearCommander]

@@DjSostre7 Perfect knowledge of the future is not, necessarily, causal in nature. That’s a logical fallacy. If I know with 100% certainty that a man will commit adultery tomorrow, this doesn’t mean I caused it to happen. Plus, if you’re saying that God causes all things, aren’t you implicating Him as guilty for all sins?

[@GhostBearCommander]

@@CBALLEN Proverbs 16:4 teaches us that God “works out everything for His purpose, including the wicked for the day of destruction.” So? Where’s the determinism? “Works out all things” does not mean “causes all things.” If I “work out” a problem to find a solution, that doesn’t mean I necessarily caused the problem in the first place. “Work out” does not mean “cause.” It means God uses the evil situations and evil people he allowed in order to accomplish His purpose.

[@GhostBearCommander]

@@CBALLEN Romans 9:22-23 is teaching us that God used the rebellious Israelites to bring about the promise of the Messiah. That’s the real theme of Romans 9. Still no determinism detected. On another note, you do realize that believing in determinism makes God out ro be the author of all evil, right?

[@Arman_Kaymakcian]

God is sovereign, sovereign enough to enable people to make choices, God intervenes into Hid creation where He sees fit. God is not bound by the actions of man to the contrary God is so awesome that He accomplishes His purpose using people, prayers, miracles and any number of other means, allows free will and still gets a people for Himself that truly love him. It’s the same way you love your wife you could love your spouse without the ability to choose her. If you forced her to love you in would be meaningless and empty. You commit have love without choice that’s why it is completely necessary and why calvinism is a false doctrine of the flesh. If Calvinism were true it would be the best possible excuse for sin, God made me do it, I was born this way, homosexuals say that pretty frequently don’t they ?

[@jcol317]

So if Calvinism is a good excuse for sin then what is a bad excuse? Its my fault not Gods? This is assuming a relationship to sin that is choice, like you get to choose whether or not you sin. Are you a sinner? Why do you sin without the excuse of a Calvinist?

[@believein1]

Unfortunately, that isn’t even the definition of sovereignty. Being sovereign means that one can act outside of influence from others. What they do with that sovereignty depends on the person or being. God clearly gives man the free will to choose to follow and obey or not. In His sovereignty. You don’t honor God by lying about Him or by confounding Scripture.

[@leave412]

I know this is a different video however you blocked me from writing on your other video. How Come? Did I offend you? If I did then I apologize. You're still my Brother in Christ even though i strongly disagree with you're Traditions.

[@JesusWordApologetics]

+Ivan Omara, No. I turned off comments, because I'm tired of responding to people that say they are Christian, yet don't act like it. It had nothing to do with you. In fact you were one of the more decent people I have dialoged with.

[@leave412]

+Jesus' Word (Apologetics) Well Then i'm sorry to hear that. Yes I know I've read some comments that were a little to harsh to read, some Christians even use profanity which blows my mind. Just Pray for them!

[@JesusWordApologetics]

Ivan Omara , I've deleted most of the posts that use profanity. How can a person profess Christ and speak like the world.

[@leave412]

+Jesus' Word (Apologetics) Ya I know it's mind boggling.

[@Solideogloria00]

Many claim to be Christian, but fresh water and salt water can not flow from the same spring. James 3:10-12

[@WhosoeverMayCome]

Keep proof texting g JW and ignoring the context. Typical Calvinist

[@Zaloomination]

JW routinely preaches through and exegetes entire chapters, so what are you talking about?

[@WhosoeverMayCome]

@@Zaloomination lol so he is not proof texting? I also preach VBV. I look at the Greek etc.. but I’m not a Calvinist.

[@Zaloomination]

@@WhosoeverMayCome first of all, proof texting is a good thing, all our beliefs ought to come from scripture and scripture in context. So don't express contempt for supporting positions with concise portions of scripture that just happen to be so decisive that it throws a monkey wrench into your own ideas. Secondly, this is a short talk where James seeks to combine a logical flow of passages to show the clear theme of man's inability and need for a savior that saves. It's not my fault that you haven't watched or listened to more of JW or reformed teachers more lengthy expositions on these passages and their surrounding context. So don't complain to me that you aren't getting what you cynically desire because that isn't the purpose of this talk. Thirdly, I don't care if you can read Greek. I wish I could too, but evidently not enough that I care to put the work into it because I don't believe God has gifted me with that intelligence anyway. The world has no shortage of super smart and educated people who start at the wrong place and end up at the wrong place despite seeing the same evidence. Still, I can show you grace that you are a sincere brother who believes differently. Lastly, if you are a Christian then someday you will meet James face to face. Don't you think you should be more polite and charitable to other calvinists so that when you brush shoulders in heaven there isn't that initial awkwardness and apologies?

[@CalvZynist]

@@WhosoeverMayComewhat do you not believe about Calvinism

[@WhosoeverMayCome]

@@CalvZynist Everything. I was a Calvinist for 32 yrs

[@jimmattson8008]

You bypass verse 18 which debunks exactly what you want to sell. Our FREE WILL TO BELIEVE ON JESUS. You have the tongue of Satan! 😜

[@georgewieg4033]

This Dr. White is a poor speaker; no joy in his preaching or conclusions. Bah! 34:27

[@anonymousmouse505]

He's entirely correct however

[@dannymcmullan9375]

I think he's a very good speaker.