I’ve noticed that within Arminian/Calvinist discussion circles, there’s a lot of ink spilled in discussion of the doctrine of “total depravity.” Sometimes this doctrine is called “total inability.” Regardless of the label given, the doctrine generally stands for the proposition that men are “totally depraved” and therefore have no ability within themselves to come to […]

”And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them inthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, […]

”For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them […]

There is no price that can be paid for salvation. There are different places in this world where you will hear some version of the following phrase: “IF YOU place your trust in Christ, he will save you.” Another version you might hear is “You must totally surrender your life to Christ if you want […]

“Believe to make it mine” is akin to “believe to make it real.” In both situations, one must assume and conclude that the thoughts of their own mind are what gives life/animation/effectiveness to the believed thing. Like when a child engages in “make believe,” it is the subjective thought that is causing the believed thing […]

Sin is a violation of the law which subsequently demands the legal determination of guilt. Guilt is a legal judgment/finding about an individual. That fact by itself is not the basis upon which the guilt of some has been imputed to Another, but is certainly vital to understanding the nature of guilt. We don’t often […]

The gospel is not the answer to a final exam. Acceptance by God is not conditioned on giving a right answer to the question of “what is the gospel?” An implication of Arminian/Calvinist teaching is that doctrine forms the basis for God considering one to be righteous – you need to have your theological ducks […]

This article is not intended to be an exhaustive response, but rather a somewhat high level response. I have sought my best to not deliberately misrepresent Mr. Kraft’s arguments. I am open to discussion of his article and my response thereto. A link to Mr. Kraft’s article can be found at the bottom of this […]

I sometimes hear people talk indirectly about the nature of believing something. Many people seem to teach or imply that there are, for lack of a better description, “levels” of belief. The implication seems to be that some people “believe” stuff, but others “believe sincerely.” This is nonsensical, as belief of an idea or proposition […]

“”Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can […]