Calvinism's TULIP pt. 3

Now, on to the effects…

David Crowder’s recent release ‘A Collision’ carries the subtitle 3+4=7. He explains this formula to represent the collision between God’s Divinity and man’s depravity. (If you have a few moments on your hands, his website offers a pop-up window that has a song-by-song explanation of the album. It’s a very interesting read, both thought provoking and humorous, as we would expect from Crowder. To find the window, go to his main page here and then click on the little ‘A Collision’ album cover on the right side of the screen.)

For my thinking, the effects of Total Depravity, and more particularly God’s intervening in my total depravity to regenerate me (bring me to life), are the beautiful collision Crowder sings about. One example: In the song ‘Wholly Yours’ – a song we’ve sung often at Christ’s Church – we sing ‘from the broken earth, flowers come up, pushing thru the dirt’. In poetic terms, that is life springing fourth from where there is no life – the collision of our depravity and His Divinity.

That beautiful collision, Divinity having been added – better having remedied – my depravity, guarantees my hope. I cannot lose my salvation. It was accomplished in the collision. I was regenerated (brought to life). Am I confusing you?

You see if it began with my choice, as some who oppose the doctrine of Total Depravity assert, than it could logically be undone by my choice too. I mean, if I ‘choose to believe in Christ’, seems to reason that I could at some point ‘choose not to believe’. If I grabbed the ladder (going back to part 2), who’s to say I couldn’t at some point let go?

But if God did the first work, God’s Divinity has brought me to life – I cannot fall away. It doesn’t matter what I do, actually (bet that statement will scare folks, huh?), because it is not ME who has saved ME. It’s Him.

Further, as Radio Active Jam suggested in comments on Part 2, the effects of my depravity extend beyond my ‘inability to choose Christ’ apart from His enabling. I am also not capable of following after Christ apart from His giving new life and grace. We’ll develop this more as we go on, but suffice to say here that His Divinity not only awakens me but also sustains me, so that it doesn’t matter what I do (I know, I said it again just for shock value!), it’s about what He’s done and what He’s doing in me.

{In my best cheesy announcer voice} BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!
Next, we’ll move on the ‘U’. Can’t wait, eh?

Technorati Tags: Calvinism, Total Depravity, A Collision, Eternal Security, Assurance of Salvation