1.       Total Depravity- 

a.        Man's Worthiness of Condemnation-  God is infinitely Holy and we are as sinful as we need to be in order to be worthy of complete condemnation (Romans 3:23.)

b.       Man's Rejection of the Gospel-

                                                               i.       People have a natural ability to chose almost anything (which is why the gospel goes out to all, and why those who reject fuller revelation are more accountable.)

                                                             ii.      People are morally hindered from believing the gospel, that is they do not come to the light because their deeds are evil (John 3:19-20.) 

                                                            iii.      Humans are blinded by Satan to the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4). 

                                                           iv.      The gospel is foolishness to sinful men (1 Corinthians 1:18.) 

                                                             v.      Therefore nobody can not come to Christ unless the Father draws him or her (John 6:44.) 
Note:  This is consistent with every passage where people reject the gospel in the entire Bible.  They are not a problem for me or any Calvinists that I know.  This is point 1 of our system.

c.        What we are not saying:

                                                               i.       Every person is as sinful as they possibly could be.

                                                             ii.      God makes people reject the gospel.

                                                            iii.      God does not love the world.

                                                           iv.      When people believe they are not exercising their will.

d.      How to Disprove

                                                               i.      Effective Proofs:

1.       Demonstrating clearly that people are not worthy of condemnation would disprove total depravity.

2.       Demonstrating that God is not just would disprove total depravity.

3.       Demonstrating that God is sinful would disprove total depravity.

                                                             ii.      Ineffective Proofs:

1.       Demonstrating that people believe does not conflict with Calvinism, it is accounted for in Irresistible Grace.

2.       Unconditional Election-

a.        God Foreknows the Elect- God elects those whom he will call to himself according to his foreknowledge (1 Peter 1:1-2.) 

b.      Scripture does not present the criteria of this foreknowledge as things that we would do (if it does, show me), but generally being foolish, weak, and despised in the eyes of the world (1 Corinthians 1:26-31.) 

c.       Scripture tells us of nothing humans do say think or believe that that factors into his election.  Rather Scripture tells us that God chooses individuals that suit his own purposes in order to glorify himself (1 Corinthians 1:27-29.)

d.       Double Predestination?

                                                               i.      The Minority position generally held by outspoken conference speakers: God not only elects some to Salvation, but he elects the rest to damnation.  (Romans 9:22 (with prepared taken in the passive voice), Proverbs 16:4, Job 21:30.)

                                                             ii.      The Majority Position: Since the pool of humanity is totally depraved, God's election understands that those whom he does not elect have already made themselves worthy of destruction.  God does not delight in their death, but still endures it and is glorified by it because it both shows his justice and accentuates his grace.

e.      What We Are Not Saying:  God does not know that people will believe in him.  Explanation:  Obviously God knows everything.  But Scripture never says that God's election is based on anything other than foreknowledge of a person.

f.        How to Disprove

                                                               i.      Effective Proofs:

1.       Demonstrate clearly that God chooses people based on the criteria of something they think, say, do etc.

2.       Demonstrate that the elect do not believe.

3.       Demonstrate somebody believing and subsequently being elected.

                                                             ii.      Ineffective Proofs:

1.       Demonstrating that the elect believe, which is done in 1 Peter 1 does not refute Calvinism.  We affirm that the elect will believe.

2.       Demonstrating that somebody believes in a context where election is not mentioned does not disprove election.  It simply means that the emphasis of the passage is not on election, but on something else.  It does not nullify the Biblical doctrine of election.  Not every salvation story recorded in scripture mentions everything about salvation (foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, sanctification, glorification, propitiation, faith, reconciliation, redemption, etc.)

3.        (Kellen's Position on) Limited Atonement- Sufficient for all, but having its affect on the elect

a.       Christ's Death has some affect on all of humanity but only has its saving affect on the elect (1 John 2:2.)  That is that Christ’s death is not limited in its value or power, but in its impact- for not everybody is saved.

b.      Christ’s death purchases in a general sense all of humanity and gives him the right to do what he wants with them. (2 Peter 2:1)

c.       Christ’s death purchases the elect/ believers for salvation. (Revelation 5:9)

d.      What I am not saying:

                                                               i.      That Christ’s death was insufficient in any way.

                                                             ii.      That Christ only loves the elect.

                                                            iii.      That God delights in the destruction of the wicked.

e.      How to Disprove

                                                               i.      Effective Proofs:

1.       Demonstrating that all of humanity will inherit eternal life.

2.       Demonstrating that no humans will inherit eternal life.

3.       Demonstrating that Christ’s death was not enough to propitiate the Father.

                                                             ii.      Ineffective Proofs:

1.       Demonstrating that God loves the world is not an inherent part of Calvinism.  However, scripture does present a sense in which God loves the world (John 3:16), but also hates the wicked (Malachi 1, Romans 9.)

2.       Demonstrating that Christ died for the world is also a part of Calvinism, which further notes that not all of the world will receive all of the benefits that come through the gospel.

4.        Irresistible Grace/ Effectual Call-

a.       At some point when the gospel is presented, God will overcome the elect's spiritual blindness and they will see the gospel as it is- the wisdom and power of God (2 Corinthians 4:6, 1 Corinthians 1:24.) 

b.      God calls the elect to salvation (for fuller understanding, see my article on call) and his call is the single thing which determines how people will receive the gospel (1 Corinthians 1:23-25.) 

c.       (If God does not call them, see point 1.) 

d.      Call precedes faith (Romans 8:30.) 

e.      Once God overcomes their spiritual blindness, people truly exercise their own wills in believing (hence all of the imperative commands to believe, and active narratives of people believing.) 

f.        Those who believe are declared to be righteous by God (Romans 5:1.) 

g.       What I Am Not Saying:

                                                               i.      God prevents people from believing.   (I do not need to say that because Satan and people take care of that one without God’s help, as seen in point 1.)  I am saying the exact opposite- that he prevents the elect from remaining blind to the gospel.

                                                             ii.      That any person who truly believes in Christ will be condemned.  Rather I am saying that if a person truly believes in Christ, that is an obvious evidence that they have been called. 

h.      How to Disprove

                                                               i.      Effective Proofs:

1.       Demonstrate God the Father calling (in the sense of summonsing) the elect to salvation and them resisting.

                                                             ii.      Ineffective Proofs:

1.       Demonstrating God calling (in the sense of speaking out or presenting the gospel) and people resisting is a part of Calvinism- Total Depravity.

2.       Demonstrating that people resist the Son or the Spirit does not disprove Calvinism because Calvinism does not claim anything of the sort.

3.       Demonstrating that people resist the gospel does not disprove Calvinism; It is part of the system- total depravity.

4.       Demonstrating that people abuse the common grace of God is a part of the system- (total depravity.) 

5.       Demonstrating that people resist the saving grace of God as revealed in the gospel does not disprove Calvinism, it merely indicates that they were not elected.

5.       Perseverance of the Saints

a.       Those justified by God will also be sanctified by God, and this is likewise solely the work of God, although people may truly exercise their will in accordance with God's work (Philippians 2:12-13, Hebrews 10:14.) 

b.      If God is not sanctifying a person, it is unclear whether or not He has justified them (Matthew 7:16-20.) 

c.       People leaving the church and espousing false doctrine is a pretty good sign that they were not justified and were never truly a part of the body of Christ (1 John 2:19, 2 Peter 2:1.)

d.      God sustains those whom he has justified in order to present them blameless in their glorification (Jude 24.)

e.      Therefore nothing can separate the love relationship between God and his elect that assures of salvation. (Romans 8:38-39.)

f.        What I Am Not Saying:

                                                               i.      People must do good works or they will lose their salvation.  (Rather: Good works are a clear evidence of salvation James 2:18.)

                                                             ii.      People can do good works on their own strength.  (Rather: It is God who does good works through us (Philippians 2:12-13) In our flesh we only sin, but when the Spirit works through us, it is a different story (Galatians 5:16-22.))

                                                            iii.      People have anything to do with their own perseverance. Rather, as with the rest of salvation, perseverance is entirely a work of God.

g.       How to Disprove

                                                               i.      Effective proofs:

1.       Demonstrate that people preserve themselves in their salvation apart from the work of God.

2.       Demonstrate that people preserve themselves in their faith apart from the work of God.

3.       Demonstrate that people do good works in their own strength apart from the work of God.

4.       Demonstrate that people sanctify themselves apart from the work of God.

5.       Demonstrate that the elect perish.

6.       Demonstrate that God’s sanctifying work should not result in good works.

7.       Demonstrate that one’s evil deeds are proof of their salvation.

                                                             ii.      Ineffective Proofs:

1.       Demonstrating elect individuals doing wicked deeds is not inherently a part of Calvinism, but Calvinists do not throw out Romans 6 and 7.  We are fully aware of the flesh-spirit civil war that is going on within us.

2.       Demonstrating people who seemed to be Christians but later leave the church does not disprove Calvinism.  It demonstrates that Satan sows wheat among the tares.  Calvinism agrees with John that those people were not elect/ true believers/ part of the body of Christ.