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    Total Depravity and Free Will
    Total Depravity and Free Will
    Total Depravity and Free Will
    Ebook98 pages1 hour

    Total Depravity and Free Will

    By Robert Alan King

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    About this ebook

    Total Depravity and Free Will by Robert Alan King is a book with 23,700 words. Many in the church today are confused about what the Bible really teaches on the subjects of human depravity, free will, and God's plan in the salvation process. King explores the biblical text for a thorough understanding about the true condition of fallen man. He will discusses important issues such as the history and nature of fallen man, the responsibility of man, the work of the Holy Spirit, free will, and God's will. King will also expound many key biblical passages used as proof texts by others to support their views. Robert Alan King is an ordained minister through Calvary Chapel.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRobert Alan King
    Release dateMar 1, 2012
    ISBN9781465796363
    Total Depravity and Free Will
    Author

    Robert Alan King

    Robert Alan King is an ordained minister through Calvary Chapel who has written numerous theological and inspirational articles for a variety of publications, including Advocate, The Church Herald & Holiness Banner, Companions, The Priest, Proclaim, Pulpit Helps, Vista, War Cry, and Decision Magazine. He also has authored numerous printed books and dozens of eBooks.King has a Master of Arts Degree Sum Cum Laude in Psychology from Touro University Worldwide with an 4.0 institutional GPA, a Bachelor of Science Degree Cum Laude in Bible and Theology from Lee University with an 4.0 institutional GPA, and an Associate of Arts Degree with an emphasis in Science from Coastline Community College. He has a total of at least 256 units of education from universities, seminaries or colleges. This includes at least 130 units of Bible and theology related classes from Lee University, Calvary Chapel Bible College, and Chafer Theological Seminary.

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      Book preview

      Total Depravity and Free Will - Robert Alan King

      Total Depravity and Free Will

      by Robert Alan King

      (Originally published under penname Ira Benjamin Hezekiah)

      Smashwords Edition

      Copyright 2003 by King & Associates. All Rights Reserved.

      Published by King & Associates

      Casa Grande, Arizona

      Scripture taken from the New King James Version.

      Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

      Used by permission. All rights reserved.

      For a complete catalog of books and publications by Robert Alan King, visit BibleCommentator.com. This site also provides you with news on his upcoming titles. In addition, you can read many other articles by King on a wide variety of biblical issues.

      ****

      Table of Contents

      Introduction

      The History of Fallen Man

      The Nature of Fallen Man

      The Responsibility of Man

      Work of the Holy Spirit

      Free Will and God's Will

      Refuting the Arguments

      Problems with Total Depravity

      The History of Total Depravity

      Conclusion

      Footnotes

      Bibliography

      ****

      Introduction

      The true nature of fallen man has been the focus of great controversy over the centuries as Christian theologians have struggled to comprehend the exact degree of man's depravity since the fall of Adam, as well as the true extent of free will in light of that depravity. At times, the arguments have been extremely intense with fervor of great religious zeal.

      While taking into account the myriad theological disagreements and arguments about total depravity and free will, this book will focus primarily on the inspired writings of Scripture for an attempt to understand what God has revealed about these important subjects.

      There are four crucial areas for inquiry in this matter: (1) what exactly happened to man's nature after the fall; (2) what part man plays in his salvation; (3) what part God plays in man's salvation; and (4) how man's will interacts with God's will. This work will attempt to dissect and examine these somewhat complex issues.

      In my study of writings on these issues I have found that one of the greatest causes of error in understanding what God has revealed is the failure to place biblical passages in their proper historical context. It appears that many who debate these subjects just like to pluck out verses and apply their own meaning to them rather than trying to discover the point that would have been understood by the original recipient(s).

      To correctly understand biblical statements today it is absolutely crucial that we strive to comprehend the historical context of the words and to mentally imagine ourselves as the person(s) being spoken to or written to. What would it have meant to us in that historical setting?

      Another major cause of erroneous interpretation is ignoring the original meaning of Old Testament passages that have been quoted in the New Testament. It's as if a different meaning can somehow be worked into them now by wishful thinking. For example, Romans is full of Old Testament quotations, but it is quite obvious that many who comment on their meaning have simply failed to research the initial passages from where the quotes originated or they could not have come to the interpretations that they have. Unless a passage is prophetic with a dual meaning, it will not have a different point than that intended by the original writer; various applications, yes, but a complete change of the original meaning, absolutely not.

      As we go through the crucial biblical passages related to total depravity and free will, I will attempt to isolate the original intended meaning of those key passages so we can properly understand their applications. We will discover how some passages that at first may seem obscure are really very simple and precise in their meaning. The real condition of fallen man can be easily understood when all Scripture is taken into account and interpreted in its proper historical context.

      My primary reason for writing this book is that both my heart and my intellect long to help resolve the internal conflict for at least some of those who are struggling with these issues. How a Christian believes on these matters has a drastic influence on how he understands his God, and this will of course influence his attitude toward him. When Christians differ with such contrasting views about the extent of God's interaction in the salvation of mankind, their understanding of God can also differ greatly, which sometimes may hinder or even cast a dark shadow on their relationship with him.

      There can only be one true objective nature of God with only one genuine theological truth regarding total depravity, free will, and God's interaction in the salvation process, and my effort here is to present the truth as found conveyed in the Bible.

      ****

      The History of Fallen Man

      As God breathed the breath of the spirit of life into the man he had formed from the dust of the ground, man became a living soul. After creating Eve from the side of Adam as a helper and companion to the man, God was pleased with the first man and woman of his creation, and they became the father and mother of all human beings on the earth today.

      The Bible tells us that Adam and Eve were created in the very image of God (Genesis 1:27), and that they were very good along with the rest of creation (Genesis 1:31). These first humans were not corrupted with a sinful nature, so they were not inclined nor compelled toward sin as we are. We simply cannot fully comprehend the breadth of this nature they possessed since our condition is that of fallen man.

      The Change in Fallen Man

      Almost all Christians know the history of the fall of Adam and Eve, and though God pronounced the pain of woman in childbirth and the toil of man in his work, much more happened that day they chose to willingly disobey God. But what was it that really happened to the nature of man? What changed? The variant views fluctuate from a belief of absolute total depravity where a man cannot even seek God by his own efforts, to another opposing belief that man does not suffer from any depravity at all.

      Among those who hold a view of absolute total depravity, there are further variations within this position. Some of them believe that God draws everyone internally by his Spirit, which enables them to use their free will to believe or reject the truth even in their depravity. Others maintain that God uses his Holy Spirit to irresistibly draw and regenerate only his elect, which then enables those selected individuals to believe and be saved.

      The main view in opposition to total depravity is that man is not totally depraved, and that he still possesses within his fallen and sinful nature the genuine ability to seek out God.

      To sum up what I consider the four main positions for your review, they are:

      1. Man is not totally depraved, and he can perform good actions and think good thoughts, including seeking or desiring God.

      2. Man is depraved in all parts of his nature, but not in the absolute sense since he is still able to accept or reject the offer of salvation from God.

      3. Man is depraved in an absolute sense but God internally draws all men, which enables all to believe if they chose.

      4. Man is totally depraved in an absolute sense but God selects some men and regenerates them so they

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