The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Gods Character??

I should have been more clearand said in their own mind they thought they were being faithful to the Lord. But besides that, the scripture is clear that they had some desire to serve Him. Total depravity can not be concluded that all unregenerate are athesits who are burning churches and desecrating the name of the Lord. They sit in the pews every Lord's day. You know that TD is from God's point of view Pilgrim. If it wasnt, then all unregenerates would be vicious against the Lord and we know that is not true.

These men were not wrong at all. Unless they concluded that there is not one unregenerate or reprobate in the visible assembly. And I doubt they would have insisted that.

Lets look at Gill:

Matthew 7:21

Ver. 21. Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord,.... Not every one that calls Christ his Lord and Master, professes subjection to him, or that calls upon his name, or is called by his name; or makes use of it in his public ministrations. There are many who desire to be called, and accounted Christians, and who make mention of the name of Christ in their sermons, only to take away their reproach, to cover themselves, and gain credit with, and get into the affections and goodwill of the people; but have no hearty love to Christ, nor true faith in him: nor is it their concern to preach his Gospel, advance his glory, and promote his kingdom and interest; their chief view is to please men, aggrandize themselves, and set up the power of human nature in opposition to the grace of God, and the righteousness of Christ. Now not everyone of these, no, not any of them,

Judas, for one, was capable of pleading all these things; he had the gift of preaching, and a call from Christ to it, and yet a castaway; he had the power of casting out devils, and yet could not prevent the devil from entering into him; he could perform miracles, do wonders in Christ's name, and yet, at last, was the betrayer of him. These pleas and arguments will be of no use to him, nor of any avail to any at the great day. It may be observed, that these men lay the whole stress of their salvation upon what they have done in Christ's name; and not on Christ himself, in whom there is salvation, and in no other: they say not a syllable of what Christ has done and suffered, but only of what they have done. Indeed, the things they instance in, are the greatest done among men; the gifts they had were the most excellent, excepting the grace of God; the works they did were of an extraordinary nature; whence it follows, that there can be no salvation, nor is it to be expected from men's works: for if preaching the word, which is attended with so much study, care, and labour, will not be a prevailing argument to admit men into the kingdom of heaven; how can it be thought that ever reading, or hearing, or any other external performance of religion, should bring persons thither?


This is exactly what I am saying. In THEIR OWN MINDS they thought they were doing God's will. They had this desire. The doctrine of total depravity is not aginst this thought.

We tend to equate total depravity with some evil, horendous people who are marcging against God and flagrantly abusing His name, this is true for many, but some reprobate souls do attend to the supper and baptism, therefore show some desire to serve God.