For about a week now I have had in my MP3 collectiont the debate on Regeneration and Perseverance between Dr. White and Dr. Wilkin (for a mere $2.30 you too can own this mp3). This was the debate that my wife and I went to in Oklahoma City a couple of months ago. As I was driving around today, I decided to listen to it via my IRock (128MB) mp3 player (yes, I am attempting to live in the 21st century).
Apparently my note taking ability is dead or "ineffective" as Dr. Wilkin would define it. I had some ability to take notes, just not very well. The debate was worse than I remembered, or to be more specific, Dr. Wilkin was far worse than I remembered.
During Dr. Wlikin's opening statement, he said that being dead does not mean "inability but ineffective." He then seemed to think that the Reformed position is that men are spiritually insensitive. I am not sure what Reformed books Dr. Wilkin reads, but if he is reading books by say Hodge or Edwards or Owen, he simply has no reading comprehension.
He then demonstrates the term "dead" as used in the New Testament with the passage from Colossians in which Paul commands us to "put to death your flesh" as showing that you should not "give power to your flesh". So being powerless is equal to being dead according to Dr. Wilkin at this particular point. THAT'S RIGHT DR. WILKIN! Now be consistent. If man is dead or powerless, then he is powerless in his spirituality.
For Dr. Wilkin and most evangelicals this point must be driven home. Men are dead to God and totally unable to please God at all. Nor do they desire to do so. This however does not mean that men are not religious. Men are very religious. But they hate the truth. They surpress the truth (Romans 1). They hide their evil deeds from the light. Men love their religions and power. Men love their philosophy.
All of man's religions are about synergism or how God's power and man's power cooperate. Biblical Christianity will not allow God's power to cooperate with man in salvation. Men are dead, dead ,dead (Powerless by Dr. Wilkin's own definition!). This is why it can be asked, "Why did I believe and not Joe or Mary or someone else who goes to hell?" Am I better in some way? Am I more spiritually sensitive? Am I wiser?
To God Alone Be the Glory was the fifth cry of the Reformation. Soli Deo Gloria!
Weekend A La Carte (November 16)
1 day ago
2 comments:
Wouldn't it be true that the Reformed position is minimally that the unregenerate is 'insensitive' to spiritual things? The three counterevidences for that minimal attribute were Jn 16:8 the Holy Spirit convict(s) the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment; and Acts 10:1-5 & Acts 16:13-15. Where 'a man named Cornelius' was commended in the Scriptures for being 'devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly' and commended verbally by 'an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!...Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter." Also Luke describes a 'woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home.' To me these ideas seem to be different than the reformed understanding of the unregenerate. If you disagree fine. But a debate is a good opportunity to clear this stuff up. It seemed like White felt Wilkin was comparing apples and oranges: the reformed doctrine of total depravity and the scriptures that describe the unregenerate! Shouldn't there be more rapport between those two?
Howdy Flynn,
Thanks for your reply. It is good to have discussion on important issues.
"To me these ideas seem to be different than the reformed understanding of the unregenerate."
What ideas oppose the Reformed understanding? Reformed people have dealt fully with the texts you raised. Also, I find people who disagree with the Reformed
view use texts like the ones you brought up in order to defend a philosophical view. Those texts do not primarily deal with the subject of soteriology. Aside from Lydia's heart being opened, there is not much didactic teaching.
If we assume your position, then God saves those who are somewhat good and then opens their hearts? I do not see your understanding clearing anything up. Which is why we need to go to the clearer texts that deal with the topic at hand.
"If you disagree fine. But a debate is a good opportunity to clear this stuff up."
Agreed. I think a public discussion is extremely important. Calvinism is so misunderstood because of men like Adrianne Rogers. Pastors need to be held to
the highest accountability when they speak to God's people. I suppose God will do that.
I personally think when Christian Pastors are forced to exegete the texts, when they have their positions cross examined, God's people will eventually see the truth. This is a healthy thing.
God Bless
Howard
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