IS FAITH A GIFT? CALVINISM VS. THE BIBLE by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, July 5, 2012 at 3:57pm QUESTION: In defense of his belief in total depravity and irresistible grace, my Calvinist friend quotes Biblical passages that seem to say that faith and repentance are sovereign gifts of God, e.g., 2 Tim. 2:25, which says that “God may perhaps grant them repentance.” How may we understand such passages? ANSWER: Calvinism teaches that all human beings (except Christ) are born totally depraved as a result of Adam’s sin. This means that no one has the free will to decide to … Continue reading →