Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20050403.htm

CHRIST'S PROPHETIC MESSAGE TO CONTEMPORARY EVANGELICALS
Part III: Christ's Appraisal Of Evangelicalism As Two, Offensive, Judging Factions
B. Christ's Evaluation Of Evangelicalism Detailed
2. Christ's Exposure Of The Factions' False Doctrines Behind Their False Judgments
a. Christ's Critique Of Errant Views Of Depravity And Their Grave Effects On Evangelicals
(Revelation 3:14, 17b[a])
  1. Introduction
    1. Having critiqued the errant judgments leaders of the two factions in Evangelicalism make, Christ details how they arrived at this shocking state due to the influence of their mutually errant BELIEFS!
    2. Rev. 3:14, 17b[a] is Christ's exposure of Evangelicals' false doctrines on depravity and their grave effects!
  2. Christ's Critique Of Errant Views Of Depravity And Their Grave Effects On Evangelicals, 3:17b[a].
    1. Jesus said both factions were "the wretched and pitiable and poor and blind and naked one" [one article, four conjunctions], (3:17b) in a description of factions that judge each other, hinting the 5 adjectives may be interrelated, U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966 ed., p. 845; A. T. Robertson, A Gram. of the Grk. N.T., p. 777.
    2. Well, Loraine Boettner, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination, p. 59 claims Calvinism's famed five points of belief are "not isolated and independent doctrines, but are . . . inter-related . . ." (sic)
    3. In viewing the adjectives in order, we see Christ critiqued the renowned 5 points of Calvinism AND its opposing 5 points of Arminianism with insight on the bad effects each system has had on Evangelicals:
      1. First, Calvinism asserts "Total Inability," that man's will is so bound to his depraved nature he can not author faith in Christ, so God gives the elect the faith to believe, Boettner, Ref. Doc. of Pred., p. 61ff.
      2. In response, Arminius held both man's will and nature are partly depraved so he has free will and thus cooperates in his salvation by giving faith to God, Bettenson, Docs. of the Chr. Chch., 2nd ed., p. 377f.
      3. However, Jesus criticized both views of depravity and their unedifying results in today's Evangelicals:
        1. The Laodiceans were first "wretched" (NIV); the Greek N. T. word it renders is talaiporos, and it exists elsewhere in the N. T. only at Rom. 7:24, cf. Moulton, Geden & Moulton, Concordance to the Greek Testament, 4th ed., p. 932; United Bible Societies Greek N. T., 1966 ed., p. 845, 547.
        2. Christ thus critiques Calvinism's view of depravity: (a) talaiporos in Rom. 7:24 pictures one who sins against his WILL (Rom. 7:15-20, 21-24), his will being SEPARATE FROM his sin nature. (b) Calvinists reply this state refers to carnal Christians, not the lost who are [allegedly] bound to will only to sin ; (c) yet, Christ's use of this word in the fivefold description of "wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked" that we [will] show in this lesson series refers to Calvinism's five points in order shows CHRIST holds the will and sin nature of the LOST are DISTINCT from each other ! (c) Calvinism errs in holding God must give the lost faith to believe!
        3. Likewise, Christ shows Arminians also err on depravity: (a) though man's will is distinct from his sin nature, Romans 7:15-24 shows one is unable in himself to bridle his sin nature! (b) So, opposite Arminianism, man can not cooperate with God to save himself as his sin nature is wholly depraved!
        4. In light of the Rev. 3:17 focus on carnal works that the Rev. 3:18 beliefs produce, Christ critiqued (a) Calvinists for trusting God's predestination to make them godly without responsibly relying on the Holy Spirit's power to live separate from the sin nature (Rom. 8:3-4) and (b) Arminians for relying on a supposed might of human faith instead of relying on God's Spirit; since faith is itself not a work and hence is powerless (Rom. 4:5), Arminians have lived via the sin nature!
        5. Accordingly, Evangelicals have exhibited sinful behaviors such as sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissension, factions, envy, substance abuse and wild partying via their sinful natures, Galatians 5:19-21 NIV.
Lesson: (1) BOTH Calvinism AND Arminianism have ERRED on the doctrine of human depravity, so (2) both systems have led to errant works as believers have been influenced by them EITHER NOT to RELY (as in Calvinism) or NOT to rely on GOD (as in Arminianism) for victory over the sin nature!

Application: We must abandon Calvinism's and Arminianism's errant views on the will and sin nature so we will RESPONSIBLY RELY on the HOLY SPIRIT for power over the sin nature, Romans 8:3-4!