Little ditty about Calvinism

You can and you can't,
You shall and you shan't;
You will and you won't.
You're damned if you do,
And damned if you don't.

This is the definition of Calvinism from Lorenzo Dow, a former methodist, who became an independant evangelist. It is in fact the origin of the phrase "You're damned if you do, and damned if you don't." He staunchly said that this was the essence of reformed thought. Despite some errors, I shall agree with him to a degree and address total inablity.

First, You can and you can't. This stems from the deceitful desires of the heart that entangle man's will to do what is evil. Repenting is the easiest thing in this world. For example, I can repent of doing crack cocaine. I turn and repent of it as easily as one says no to eating limabeans. This is because I have never touched that stuff. For me it would be as easy as pie. For someone entangled by it, it is an whole other story. I would have to say that sin is even more of a vice than any substance known to man. Sin is, in fact, the most addictive vice. There is no repenting of sin by throwing it off lightly. This includes repentence of the sin of unbelief. One can but one cannot. The problem lies with the person not with God or His perfection.

You shall and you shan't; You will but you won't. Man acts according to his desires. One desire, for example, is being rational. Another is selfishness. Another desire may be for another's benefit. Man does not come to decisions so lightly either; as to have nothing in the desire for an action yet do it. They are in fact our decisions. Desires may battle it out in our hearts and minds but be assured there is only one victor that is choosen. The will never defeats itself. Furthermore, People don't really act out of character. They only reveal their character in their actions. They only reveal what is strongest desire in their heart. This doesn't make us robots. It makes us human. The actions flow from the character of the person thus we are limited in our decisions by our own desires.

It is futile to change man's ways outside of God. It is God who changes man. No matter how much outer reform or appearance, one is still the same man with the same desires and without God. For even after religion, the evil will seek to escape any outward influence from the Holy Spirit. This is the state of natural man. The goodness of the will is broken. Though I may realize rationally that it is good to repent, my will in no way desires it. Likewise, it follows that anyone who desires unbelief and hates God, will not believe. Nor would tries to have religion by resolve gain anything. His original will shall prevail. One cannot be victorious against their self. This resolve would be motivated in and of itself by a selfish desire not befitting of the gospel. One cannot wish to love God. One can go through the motions but it amounts to nothing.

Next, the last phrase, damned if you do, and damned if you don't. It is certainly clear that you cannot for you will not. For you cannot effect salvation through deeds, good works, or church going. Your affections are in the way. Even a rash "decision for christ" means little because the natural heart is too deceitful and manipulative. The gospel is never a deceitful, manipulative twisting one's arm into an emotional and rash decision to assent to a truth. Some preachers try that. (revivalists*cough* *cough*) This emotionalism does not create conversions. It creates salamanders that thrive when placed under the fire of experiencies but expire easily at room temperatures. Such are not the eternal changes that make up a Christian.

Man must rest from his works and let God be victorious in all he does. Man's resolve alone is not great enough to keep himself from hell. It is not upon the man who strives or runs but upon God to have mercy. Even if a flesh-centered man desired to choose God; he would do so without real faith and trust in it. It is very possible that such a man only seeks to escape God. This choice would lessen his obligations to his soul. I would not trust even my own heart for such conversion. Man must be given a new heart.

Finally, The little saying would be more accurate if it said:

God can and you can't,
God shall and you shan't;
God will and you won't.
God damned you, even if you try and do,
but damned only if you aren't born anew.