Total Depravity...and biking...

"It is a sad, harmful, and evil characteristic of sin not to recognize how serious it is and to excuse it by treating it lightly." - Dr. James Montgomery Boice

I am excited I finally finished the "Amazing Grace - The History & Theology of Calvinism" DVD. It was very helpful in helping me to understand even more about the doctrines of grace. I warned ya'll that I'd be writing more about calvinism. There is a lot concerning total depravity that I could touch on (many sermons and chapters of books are devoted to this).

Total depravity meaning we are completely unable to do any good in the eyes of God including believing the gospel. Each person is sinful and not right with God, this is all caused by the fall. There was one part that really hit me though and it is the difference between the words can and may.

Can is a word of ability. May is a word of permission.

This is important to take into consideration when looking at John 6:44-45

John 6:44-45 (ESV) 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—

See in verse 44 Christ says that no one can come... Knowing that can is a word of ability, this verse is saying man cannot choose whenever he is ready. If it were left up to us on our own to follow Christ or not, we would never choose him because our hearts are full of sin. God draws people to himself, and that is the reason people are able to come.

Another installment of "When interns get bored" (still which almost never happens)....
Before the "M" here in Lakeshore and before I had gotten my car back from the shop my co-worker Greg gave me a gift. A gift that once the bosses left site I had a great deal of fun on. If only ya'll could come watch me make a fool of myself on my rusty old child's bike...