ZOMBIE-ism?

-Jon Irenicus

Some of the free-willers that I had conversation with consider the [Calvinistic] doctrine of Total Depravity as Zombie-ism (a term they use to make fun of the doctrine because it seems to deny free will).

The truth is, Zombie-ism is a fact according to the Scriptures!

1. Man's heart is evil (Mark 7:21-23)
2. Man's heart is sick (Jer. 17:9).
3. Man is a slave/zombie of sin (Rom. 6:20).
4. Man does not seek for God (Rom. 3:10-12).
5. Man cannot understand spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14).
6. Man is at enmity with God (Eph. 2:15).
7. Man is is by nature a child of wrath (Eph. 2:3).

Calvinism does not make a zombie out of a man, rather it exposes it. It is the concept of obedience that follow faith not reason that makes a zombie out of a man. Does Zombie-ism deny the FREE WILL of man? I don't think so.

Regarding Free will, the Westminster Confession of Faith rightly explains,

[9.1] God hath endued the will of man with that natural liberty, that it is neither forced, nor, by any absolute necessity of nature, determined to good, or evil.

[9.2] Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom, and power to will and to do that which was good and well pleasing to God; but yet, mutably, so that he might fall from it.

[9.3] Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation: so as, a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto. [Westminster Confession of Faith, Article 9]

In my previous article about Unconditional Election (Is God's election Unconditional?), I have already stated how I understand Free Will:

I insist, on the other hand, that Unconditional Election is not inconsistent with free will, that is, as I understand the term. I deny, however, that humans have free will in the Arminian sense. What Calvinists emphasize is that sin has removed, if not freedom, at least the ability to exercise that freedom properly. Loraine Boettner, for example, compares fallen humanity to a bird with a broken wing. The bird is "free" to fly, but is unable to do so. Likewise, "the natural man is free to come to God but not able...."

Man's freedom of will, therefore, is limited within certain boundaries:

1. Man's free will is limited within the boundary of God's sovereign decree. It can neither go beyond nor contradict what God has already planned. (click here for a more extensive study).
   
2. It is limited within the boundary of man's nature. For example, you can choose to fly like superman, but your human capabilities will not let you do so. In application, a sinner has freedom of will, but inclined only to do the evil desires of his sinful nature.
   

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An outline of the doctrine of Total Depravity

-Jon Irenicus

I first wrote this for myself in my notebook long ago before I actually embrace the whole of Reformed theology with all my heart (that was last year). I compiled the points of Total Depravity because I found it necessary for me to better grasp the whole concept of the doctrine in an overview, outline-like manner. Here are the points which I arranged myself (some points here, however, are not my own words but from certain Reformed articles that I read in the past). I hope this helps you too!

1. When Adam committed his first sin against God in the Garden of Eden, we also sinned with him (united with him in committing that sin) since he is the universal representative (head) of mankind (Rom 5:17-18). Therefore, every man is a sinner since birth (Psalms 51:5) and by nature “children of wrath” which also means “enemies of God” (Eph 2:3; Col 1:21). [It was Adam’s original sin that brought condemnation to all men (Gen 2:17, 3:1-24; Rom 5:17-18). The Fall is necessary and permitted by God so that He may demonstrate His mercy and grace through His Son (Rom 11:32).]
2. If Adam represented all men when he committed the First Sin, then all men are also by nature “slaves of sin” for whosoever commits sin is a slave of sin (Jn 8:34; Rom 3:9, 23). A slave of sin is someone who is in bondage to his sinful nature, hopelessly gratifying the cravings of the flesh and its thoughts (Eph 2:1-3).
3. Even though free and uncoerced, the fallen will has no desire for anything except to indulge the evil tendencies of the heart (Gen 6:5). As long as a person is inclined only to evil, he chooses only evil (Rom 3:9-12). Fallen humanity loves darkness and hates light (John 3:19). So whenever a person is confronted with a choice between darkness and light, he chooses darkness. He chooses what is attractive to him, what his free will desires (Rom 3:9-12).
4. Sinners are not as sinful as they can be. A sinner can also serve for his community, donate alms to the poor, and have domestic love, etc. But all these works, even if done sincerely, will not please God for it comes from a sinful heart (Isa 64:6; Rom 8:8). What we say is: sinners have wholly lost ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation (Prov 20:9; Rom 3:9-12; Eph 4:17-18).
5. Everything that proceeds not from faith is sin (Rom 14:23). Therefore, everything that a sinner does is abomination to the Lord for it does not proceed from a saving faith in Christ, and unless a sinner is grafted into the true Vine (Christ), he will never be able to bear fruits that are acceptable before God (Mat 7:17; John 15:5). Even his prayers shall be abominations unto the Lord (Prov 28:9)—even his thoughts (Prov 15:26). Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, because it cannot be. So then, they who are in the flesh cannot please God (Rom 8:7-8).
6. A sinner is someone who is spiritually dead (insensitive and unable). He cannot see spiritual things, and he cannot understand and perceive them. The natural [or unregenerate] person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned (Mat 13:13-15; 1 Cor 2:14).
7. All men have the responsibility to repent for their sins and turn to God through faith in Christ. But because they were blinded by Satan so “that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God,” sinners will consistently and willingly reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ unless God has enabled them through Spiritual Regeneration (Acts 26:18; Rom 3:11; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph 4:18).
8. There is none who is righteous in the sight of God, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away; they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one (Rom 3:9-12). Therefore, All men (without exception) deserve death and hell (Mat 5:48; Rom 3:23).
9. The reality of hell is God's clear indictment of the infiniteness of our guilt. If our corruption were not deserving of an eternal punishment God would be unjust to threaten us with a punishment so severe as eternal torment. But the Scriptures teach that God is just in condemning unbelievers to eternal hell (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9; Matthew 5:29, 10:28, 13:49, 18:8, 25:46; Revelation 14:9-11; 20:10). Therefore, to the extent that hell is a total sentence of condemnation, to that extent we must think of ourselves as totally blameworthy apart from the saving grace of God.

It is hard to exaggerate the importance of admitting the condition of all men to be this bad. If we think of ourselves as basically good or even less than totally at odds with God, our grasp of the work of God in redemption will be defective. But if we humble ourselves under this terrible truth of our total depravity, we will be in a position to see and appreciate the glory and wonder of the work of God for our salvation.

It is also helpful if we consider the confession of the LBC (1686) regarding the doctrine:

[6.1] Although God created man upright and perfect, and gave him a righteous law, which secured life for him while he kept it, and although God warned him that he would die if he broke it, yet man did not live long in this honour.

- Satan using the subtlety of the serpent to subdue Eve, seduced Adam by her, and he, without any compulsion, wilfully transgressed the law of their creation and the command given to them by eating the forbidden fruit. - And this act God, according to His wise and holy counsel, was pleased to permit, having purposed to order it to His own glory.

[6.2] Our first parents, by this sin, fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and we in them. For from this, death came upon all: all becoming dead in sin and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body.

[6.3] They being the root, and by God's appointment, standing in the room and stead of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed, and their corrupted nature conveyed, to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation. Their descendants are therefore conceived in sin, and are by nature the children of wrath, the servants of sin, and the subjects of death and all other miseries, spiritual, temporal, and eternal, unless the Lord Jesus sets them free.

[6.4] All actual transgressions proceed from this original corruption, by which we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil.

[6.5] During this life the corruption of nature remains in those who are regenerated, and although it is pardoned and mortified through Christ, yet this corrupt nature and all its motions are truly and properly sinful. [London Baptist Confession (1689), VI. 1-5]

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Can sinners do good works?

-Jon Irenicus

[Before reading this post, I would suggest you should first read my previous article entitled What is Total Depravity? (A summary of the Doctrine). It is important, especially if you are not so familiar with the doctrine, to have some basic background regarding the subject before proceeding to its details. Please take time reading!]
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We see many non-Christian people (unbelievers) today who seem to be living a morally upright life. We may have also encountered some friends who do not know Christ, but live out their lives as if they are Christians. Also, embarrassing and undeniable is the fact that many "professing" Christians today are sometimes even morally worse than those who don't have personal relationship with Christ!

Some may argue: If that's the case, then it is also logical to conclude that even though mankind is already fallen and sinful, we can still be good humans (since we can clearly see with our own eyes that even unbelievers can do good things). Therefore, after the fall, man became sinful, but not absolutely sinful to the point that he became as sinful as he can be. The immediate conclusion with this argument would be: Total Depravity is a LIE!

Before anything else, we must first specify what kind of good works Total Depravity is talking about regarding what men are incapable of doing so. Ofcourse we all know that a sinner can obey traffic laws, he can give alms to the needy, kiss and say 'I love you' to his mom, donate blood to the Red Cross, etc. These works are good in the sense that they were done to benefit others, and that is good. But the main question we must consider is if "God sees those works as meritorious and acceptable in His sight." The good works we are talking about here, therefore, is not merely what men see and commonly accept as good works, but what God accepts as works pleasing to His sight. After all, Total Depravity never say that sinners are as sinful as they could be, but rather they are completely affected by sin.

All Bible-reading Christians will surely agree with the fact that when Adam sinned against God, he died spiritually (Gen 2:17; Rom 5:17-18). It does not mean, however, that he lost his spirit and it ceased to exist. Spiritual death means separation from the Life-giving presence of God. Spiritual death also implies total inability to respond to God, to work for God, and to follow God (which we call spiritual insensitivity). Can a dead and rotten person stand up for himself and labor? Can he respond to those who call his name? Obviously not! Unless he is first resurrected by God, he can do nothing (Eph 2:1-6). Paul the Apostle clearly described how hopeless human race had become because of sin in his letter to the Romans,

• "What shall we conclude then? Are we any better ? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." Romans 3:9-12 (NIV)

The Jews, as well as Gentiles, are all under sin--there is no exception. "There is no one righteous, not even one," says Paul. Our main concern here is the particular statement of Paul which states: "there is no one who does good, not even one" (v. 12). This statement emphatically declares how sinners are totally incapable of doing any good works (or perhaps works that are pleasing and acceptable to God). Christ explained why such is the case:

• "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." Joh 15:5 (NIV)

• "So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit." Matthew 7:17-18 (NASB)

Whatever works done apart from Christ are not the kind of works that pleases God. The will of the depraved sinner is totally affected by sin that all his decisions are inclined only to do what pleases his flesh, and that is evil. In fact, anything that does not proceed from faith is sin!

• "...For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." Rom 14:23 (ESV)

God is absolutely holy, and anything that comes from a sinful, totally depraved heart are all wickedness in his sight. Even their thoughts are also abomination to the Lord (Pro 15:26), even their prayers (Pro 28:9)! All that the sinner does are abomination to God:

• "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Isa 64:6 (NIV)

• "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Gen 6:5 (NIV)

• "For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot." Romans 8:6-7 (ESV)

We have noted earlier that all sinners are spiritually dead (Rom 5:17-18), they are slaves under sin and in absolute rebellion against God (Rom 3:9-12), and in addition to that, they are by nature children of wrath (Eph 2:3). We Christians (I'm talking to my fellow Christian believers) are once like them and we were once with them. We were slaves unto sin and are hopelessly craving to satisfy the desires of our sinful nature. It is by grace that we are saved from that hopeless state of total depravity. Aside from Romans 3:9-12, Paul also explained Total Depravity in his letter to the Church in Ephesus,

• "And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins, wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience; among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest: - but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus:" Eph 2:1-6 (ASV)

• "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil." Jer. 13:23 (NIV)

It is by God's initiative that we are saved. We can do nothing to help and save ourselves from the power of sin. By God's grace, he made us alive (resurrected us) together with Christ so that we may be free to serve him and bear much fruit pleasant in His sight:

• "Ye did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you." Joh 15:16 (ASV)

Total Depravity demotes all men and promotes Christ. This doctrine shows us how hopeless we are as sinners, and that we need a Savior. For more information about Salvation, click here --> What must I do to be saved.

What is Total Depravity?: A Summary of the Doctrine

What is Total Depravity?
(from http://www.calvinistcorner.com/tulip.htm)

Sin has affected all parts of man. The heart, emotions, will, mind, and body are all affected by sin. We are completely sinful. We are not as sinful as we could be, but we are completely affected by sin.

The doctrine of Total Depravity is derived from scriptures that reveal human character: Man’s heart is evil (Mark 7:21-23) and sick (Jer. 17:9). Man is a slave of sin (Rom. 6:20). He does not seek for God (Rom. 3:10-12). He cannot understand spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14). He is at enmity with God (Eph. 2:15). And, is by nature a child of wrath (Eph. 2:3). The Calvinist asks the question, "In light of the scriptures that declare man’s true nature as being utterly lost and incapable, how is it possible for anyone to choose or desire God?" The answer is, "He cannot. Therefore God must predestine."

Calvinism also maintains that because of our fallen nature we are born again not by our own will but God’s will (John 1:12-13); God grants that we believe (Phil. 1:29); faith is the work of God (John 6:28-29); God appoints people to believe (Acts 13:48); and God predestines (Eph. 1:1-11; Rom. 8:29; 9:9-23).

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Are sinners capable of having faith in Christ?

-Jon Irenicus

Can a sinner actually believe and trust Christ as his Lord and Savior?"

Naturally, your response to this question would be "Yes." Why in the first place would Christ command his disciples to preach the Good News to all nations if the hearers are incapable of responding to the Word of God by faith? If that's the case, then how did I became a believer when I was yet a sinner? These are the basic arguments that I used before to disprove the doctrine of Total Depravity. But I was wrong.

The Bible clearly teaches that all sinners (the unregenerate ones) are Totally Depraved and incapable of believing the Gospel. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2:14,

• The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1Co 2:14 (ESV)

• For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Romans 8:6-7 (ESV)

All sinners are slaves unto sin (Rom 3:9-12). They are totally hopeless under the bondage of their sinful nature (Eph 2:1-5). All sinners are spiritually blind and deaf because they are under the power of Satan (Acts 26:17-18; Eph 4:18). It is Satan who makes them spiritually blind, so that they will never understand and receive the truth of the Gospel. As it is written,

• In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Cor 4:4 (ESV)

Even in Christ's earthly ministry, many of His hearers rejected His teachings. They heard Christ's words, but they did not understand (Jn 8:43). They saw His miracles, but they did not believe. Why? Because they are totally depraved! Christ explained this matter in Matthew 13:13-14,

• That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don't really see. They hear, but they don't really listen or understand. This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, 'When you hear what I say, you will not understand. Matthew 13:13-15 (NLT)

When Christ asked his disciples about what other people say who the Son of Man is, His disciples answered: "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets" (Mat 16:14). Obviously, these people were totally mistaken in their understanding of who Jesus Christ is. They simply don't know the truth. But when the Lord asked His disciples regarding their own understanding about the identity of the Son of Man Simon Peter replied:

• He [Jesus] said to them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am? Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Matt 16:15-16 (AMP)

Peter said the right thing! He has the correct understanding about the true identity Jesus Christ. Then immediately, Christ answered:

• Then Jesus answered him, Blessed (happy, fortunate, and [d] to be envied) are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood [men] have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven. Mat 16:17 (AMP)

Therefore, the reason why some believe and others don't lies in the fact that by man's own ability, he can never fully discern (with conviction) any spiritual truths from God unless it was revealed to him by the Father. This revelation is given only to those who are unconditionally chosen by God eversince the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4-5, 11; Phil 1:29; 2 Thes 2:13).

It is clearly taught in the Bible that all unregenerate men (the sinners to be exact) are totally unable to respond to the Good News by faith. They are spiritually dead, meaning they are totally incapable of discerning the mysteries about the Gospel of Jesus Christ ("the dead know nothing"). Therefore, if the sinner is totally unable to have faith in Christ, then God must take the initiative. Christ said in John 6:65,

• He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him." Joh 6:65 (NIV)

This special enablement from God is Spiritual Regeneration (Jn 3:3). A spiritually dead person can never see and respond unless he is first resurrected from being dead (Eph 2:4; Col 1:13). The unregenerate person is a sinner whose heart is totally hardened, and unless it is replaced with another heart, he can never turn himself to God:

• Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Eph 4:18 (KJV)

• And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: Eze 11:19 (KJV)

Genuine Faith and Repentance are gifts from God (Acts 11:18, 18:27; Eph 2:8; Phil 1:29). Christ reveals himself to those whom he wills to reveal himself:

• "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Mat 11:27 (NIV)

• And he said to them in answer, To you is given the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. Mat 13:11 (BBE)

Conversion to the Gospel is a gift of God that leads to salvation. To the reprobates, this gift is not given but to the elected ones alone (1 Cor 1:18, 21). That's the reason why when we share the Gospel, some believe, and others do not. Christ explained why,

• "For many are invited, but few are chosen." Mat 22:14 (NIV)
  

Those whom God has chosen from eternity and has given to the Son will eventually come to Him (have faith in Him):

• All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Joh 6:37 (KJV)