Introduction
Total depravity, a term often associated with Calvinist and Reformed theology, refers to the extent of humanity’s innate sinfulness due to the fall. This doctrine posits that sin has affected all parts of a person’s being and that people are unable to come to God or do good without His divine intervention. In exploring this concept, we delve into various biblical passages that reflect on the human condition post-fall, highlighting the depth of human sinfulness and the need for divine grace.
The Fall of Man and Its Effects
The biblical narrative of the fall in Genesis describes the origin of human sinfulness and its pervasive effects.
• Disobedience and Its Consequences: Genesis 3:6-7 (ESV): “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.”
The act of disobedience by Adam and Eve marks the entry of sin into the human experience. This moment signifies a fundamental shift in humanity’s nature, introducing a knowledge of good and evil and a separation from God’s direct fellowship.
• Sin Entering the World: Romans 5:12 (ESV): “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—”
Paul traces the origin of sin and death in the world back to Adam. This passage suggests that the consequence of Adam’s sin – death – was not limited to him but extended to all humanity, indicating a universal corruption.
• Dead in Trespasses: Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV): “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—”
Paul describes the state of humans as being ‘dead in trespasses and sins.’ This spiritual deadness encompasses all aspects of human existence, illustrating total depravity’s effect on people’s ability to relate to God or do good.
• The Heart’s Deceitfulness: Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV): “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”
Jeremiah highlights the deep corruption of the human heart. This deceitfulness and sickness of the heart underscore the pervasive nature of sin, affecting even the core of human emotions and decision-making.
Humanity’s Inherent Sinfulness
The Bible presents a clear picture of humanity’s inherent sinfulness and moral inability.
• Sin from Birth: Psalm 51:5 (ESV): “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.”
David acknowledges his sinful nature from birth, indicating that sinfulness is an inherent aspect of human existence. This verse implies that human depravity is not just a result of personal sins but a condition present from conception.
• No One Righteous: Romans 3:10-12 (ESV): “as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.'”
Paul quotes the Psalms to emphasize the universal nature of human sinfulness. This comprehensive lack of righteousness and goodness among humans illustrates the total impact of depravity.
• No One Does Good: Ecclesiastes 7:20 (ESV): “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.”
The Preacher in Ecclesiastes states that no one is completely righteous or free from sin. This universalizes the concept of sinfulness, reinforcing the idea that every human is inherently flawed.
• Righteous Acts as Filthy Rags: Isaiah 64:6 (ESV): “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”
Isaiah poignantly describes even the righteous acts of humans as ‘polluted garments.’ This metaphor indicates that, due to inherent sinfulness, even seemingly good deeds are tainted by sin.
In the next part, we will explore the incapacity for spiritual good without divine intervention, the necessity of God’s grace to overcome depravity, and the relationship between total depravity and free will.
The Incapacity for Spiritual Good
Scripture highlights the human inability to achieve spiritual good or come to God on their own, emphasizing the depth of total depravity.
• No One Can Come Unless Drawn: John 6:44 (ESV): “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”
Jesus states that coming to Him requires divine initiation. This verse underscores human inability to seek God or embrace Christ without God’s prior action, reflecting total depravity’s impact on spiritual capacity.
• The Mind Hostile to God: Romans 8:7-8 (ESV): “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
Paul describes the natural human mind as hostile and rebellious against God, incapable of submitting to His law. This inherent opposition to God illustrates the extent of depravity, rendering humans incapable of pleasing God in their natural state.
• The Natural Person’s Inability: 1 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV): “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”
The ‘natural person,’ unaided by the Spirit, is depicted as unable to comprehend or accept spiritual truths. This inherent limitation highlights the necessity of spiritual regeneration to understand and embrace the things of God.
• Can a Leopard Change Its Spots?: Jeremiah 13:23 (ESV): “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to doing evil.”
This rhetorical question by Jeremiah emphasizes the natural impossibility of changing inherent characteristics. It suggests that without divine intervention, those accustomed to evil are unable to do good, further illustrating total depravity.
The Necessity of Divine Grace
The Bible underscores the essential role of God’s grace in overcoming human depravity and enabling believers to come to faith.
• Made Alive by Grace: Ephesians 2:4-5 (ESV): “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—”
Paul highlights God’s mercy and grace as the agents that bring spiritually dead individuals to life in Christ. This passage demonstrates that salvation and spiritual awakening are entirely the result of divine grace, not human effort.
• Apart from Christ, Nothing: John 15:5 (ESV): “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
Jesus uses the vine and branches metaphor to illustrate the believer’s total dependence on Him. The inability to bear fruit apart from Christ reinforces the idea that any spiritual good or productivity stems from a vital connection with Him.
• Justified Freely by Grace: Romans 3:23-24 (ESV): “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”
This passage acknowledges universal sinfulness and the consequent justification that comes solely through God’s grace. Justification, despite total depravity, is presented as a free gift through Christ, emphasizing grace over human merit.
• Saved Not by Works but Mercy: Titus 3:4-5 (ESV): “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,”
Paul explains that salvation is a result of God’s mercy rather than righteous works. The washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit is presented as a divine act of mercy, highlighting the insufficiency of human effort.
Total Depravity and Free Will
The doctrine of total depravity raises important questions about the interplay between human free will and spiritual inability.
• Dependent on Divine Mercy: Romans 9:16 (ESV): “So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.”
Paul asserts that salvation does not hinge on human desire or effort but on God’s mercy. This indicates that, due to total depravity, human beings cannot choose God or good on their own, underscoring the necessity of divine intervention for any positive spiritual response.
• Granted by God to Believe: John 6:65 (ESV): “And he said, ‘This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.'”
Jesus teaches that coming to Him, a choice for salvation, is only possible if enabled by the Father. This highlights the limitation of free will due to total depravity, as humans are incapable of choosing Christ without God’s enabling.
• God Working in Believers: Philippians 2:13 (ESV): “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
This passage shows that even the will to act according to God’s desires is a result of His work in believers. It suggests that human will, corrupted by depravity, is renewed and redirected by God’s active involvement.
• Life and Death Before You: Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (ESV): “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,”
While this Old Testament verse presents a choice between life and death, it’s in the context of a covenant relationship with God. It implies that the ability to choose rightly is contingent upon the relationship with and revelation from God, especially in light of the New Testament understanding of human depravity.
Response to Total Depravity
Christians are called to respond to the reality of total depravity with faith, repentance, and reliance on God’s grace.
• Transformation by Renewing the Mind: Romans 12:2 (ESV): “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Paul calls for a transformation that counters the effects of depravity. This transformation involves a renewal of the mind, enabled by the Holy Spirit, leading to a life aligned with God’s will.
• A New Creation in Christ: 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV): “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
This verse highlights the radical change that occurs upon coming to Christ. The ‘new creation’ reflects a profound spiritual transformation that overcomes the innate depravity of the old self.
• Drawing Near to God: James 4:7-8 (ESV): “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”
James emphasizes the need for submission to God and resistance to evil, actions that are possible through the empowering of the Holy Spirit. Drawing near to God is both a remedy for and a response to total depravity.
• Confession and Cleansing: 1 John 1:9 (ESV): “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
John assures believers that confession leads to forgiveness and cleansing. This process is essential for dealing with the consequences of total depravity, relying on God’s faithfulness and justice.
Hope Beyond Depravity
Despite the bleak picture of total depravity, the Bible offers hope and redemption through Christ.
• Grace Abounding Over Sin: Romans 5:20-21 (ESV): “Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Paul presents a hopeful contrast: as pervasive as sin is, God’s grace is more abundant. This grace, available through Jesus Christ, overcomes the reign of sin and death, offering eternal life and righteousness.
• Power Perfected in Weakness: 2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV): “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
In the context of depravity and human weakness, God’s power is shown to be perfect. His grace is not just adequate but is fully realized in our weaknesses, demonstrating that the depths of human depravity are not beyond the reach of divine grace.
• Christ Bore Our Sins: 1 Peter 2:24 (ESV): “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
Peter highlights the redemptive work of Christ, who bore our sins and provided healing. This act addresses the core issue of total depravity, offering a path to die to sin and live in righteousness.
• Believing in Christ for Eternal Life: John 3:16 (ESV): “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
This famous verse encapsulates the gospel message. Despite the reality of total depravity, belief in Jesus Christ opens the way to eternal life, showcasing God’s immense love and the power of His redemptive plan.
Conclusion
Total depravity paints a stark picture of human nature, emphasizing our deep need for God’s intervention. The Bible, while affirming this condition, also offers a message of hope, highlighting the transformative power of God’s grace through Jesus Christ. It calls believers to a life of continual repentance, faith, and reliance on the Holy Spirit. In Christ, the bonds of depravity are broken, paving the way for a life of righteousness, purpose, and eternal hope.
