Christian Monthly Standard

Why I Am Not A Calvinist – Ezekiel 18:20

So I thought I would write some posts on reasons I am not a Calvinist or an Arminian. I will first work against the notion that every person is born in sin, sin that has been transferred from our parents all the way back to Adam’s sin. Formally, this is called Total Hereditary Depravity.

Ezekiel 18:20 The person who sins is the one who will die. A son won’t suffer punishment for the father’s iniquity, and a father won’t suffer punishment for the son’s iniquity. The righteousness of the righteous person will be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked person will be on him. (HCSB)

This is a pretty straightforward concept that we learn about how God treats sin. It is unjust for someone else to be accountable for my sins. Righteousness does not transfer to our children and iniquity does not transfer to our children. The person who sins dies. Punishment is not due to us because of our parents’ sins or because of Adam’s sin. Punishment is due to us because each of us has sinned ourselves. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), not all have inherited sin and fall short. If sinfulness is transferred to our children through birth, then Jesus must have been born with sin, unless we will take the Roman Catholic tactic that Mary was also sinless so that Jesus could not have inherited sin. But Jesus was sinless because he committed no sin. All people, except Jesus, are sinful because they commit sins and therefore God’s condemnation is just against each person, for all have sinned.

I look forward to post more passages about this topic in the days ahead.