The Doctrine of Total Depravity
by
Roger Smalling, D.Min
This article corresponds to the book
available at Amazon Kindle
In recent years, some theologians have proposed the term total inability to refer to the concept
of total depravity. This avoids
giving the impression we think people are as bad a demons.
Total depravity, does not mean sinners are as wicked as possible
nor even want to be. Man has not fallen to the level of demons. This would be utter depravity. We believe GodŐs
benevolence prevented man from falling to those depths.
By total, we mean
all human faculties, including free will, are infected by sin and under its
domination.
By depravity we
mean nothing in a sinner is acceptable to God, including good works or virtues
because these originated in a corrupted source...manŐs sinful heart.
Total depravity means the sinner is unable to will or do anything to
convert himself to Christ or prepare himself for conversion because of the
controlling power of sin. Only a miracle of God through the gospel can enable
the sinner to choose Christ.
Implications
This doctrine is wonderfully interesting because it touches
on elements of human nature such as free will, the mind and perceptions.
Moreover, total depravity intertwines
with other biblical teachings like the fall of Adam, regeneration and election.
However, the terminology could be misunderstood. Some may
assume God is the source of the inability when, in fact, it is the corruption
of man. Depravity or inability are interchangeable as terms, though
both require explanation.
We recommend total
depravity to counterbalance the current influence of humanism that asserts manŐs
innate goodness. It strikes deliberately at pride and self-righteousness. In
view of biblical teaching about manŐs sinfulness, this term seems appropriate.
The issue: Did Adam fall
beyond his ability to believe and repent on his own initiative? The two main
branches of theology, reformed and arminian,[1] differ sharply
on this point.
The arminian view claims God stopped the fall short of the
point where man would lose the ability to generate faith, love and repentance
out of his own free will. The reformed view sees man as fallen beneath that
point. We will examine the evidence.
First evidence: The fall of mankind, Romans Chapter Five
Paul describes the fall of Adam in Romans Chapter Five. The word Adam means mankind in Hebrew.
He mentions four things we inherit from Adam: Sin, death, judgment and
condemnation.
No human faculty escaped these effects. This includes manŐs
will. Paul did not find it necessary to single out the will of man in order to
show it too became enslaved by sin. He demonstrates through the text that the
entire human organism is fallen.
Second evidence: Spiritual Death, Ephesians Chapter Two
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts.
Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. Eph 2:1-3
Paul apparently alludes to the divine threat to Adam in
Genesis 2:17 ... for in the day that you eat
of it you shall surely die. Though Adam did not die physically that day, he
died spiritually in his relationship with God and in his own ability to obey
Him. Paul describes this as a true enslavement. Notice his wordsÉ
á
Following the conduct
of the world.
á
Controlled by Satan.
á
Fulfilling the desires
of the flesh and of the mind. (Greek literally: doing the will of the flesh. This means the flesh determines the
condition of the will. The term ŇmindÓ here, NOOS includes perceptions.) Paul
alludes to the perceptions of the mind as controlled by sin so the mind
perceives the lusts of the flesh as preferable. The will follows suit.
á
A nature deserving the wrath of God.
The intent of the passage is to show why a sinner is no
more able to escape from his condition than a dead man can resurrect himself.
Third evidence: Effect of sin on the mind
Scripture depicts the mind as enslaved and controlled by
sin and Satan. We can deduce this includes the will since the will is a
function of the mind.
The natural man cannot perceive the things of God
The man without the Spirit does not
accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to
him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1Cor.
2:14
Satan has blinded the mind of unbelievers
The god of this age has blinded the minds
of unbelievers, 2Cor 4:4
Their understanding is darkened
They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of GodÉEph 4:18
The carnal mind is unable to submit to the law of God
Éthe sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to GodŐs law, nor can it do so. Rom 8:7
The sinnerŐs will is bound by the devil
Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. 2Tim 2:25-26
The mind of the sinner has a perception problem the Bible
expresses as darkness or blinded. The devil controls the sinnerŐs
will by controlling his perceptions. The sinner perceives the things of God as
foolish because he is blinded to his own moral condition.
Fourth Evidence: The carnal nature, Romans 3:9-20
Paul addresses the condition of all unsaved people as being
under sin, meaning under the power of sin.
Without Christ, there is noÉ
á
Righteous person. Even
the good works of the unsaved are as filthy
rags, unacceptable to God.[2]
á
Sinner who understands
his own moral condition. Here, the Greek term understand refers to insight.
None have spiritual insight into their condition without Christ, although they
may understand the fundamentals of the gospel.
á
Seeker after God. Religious types are in fact seeking to
establish their own righteousness. Romans 10:3
á
Sinner who does good.
The New Testament defines good as
obedience to God. Sinners do good works to substitute GodŐs requirement, rather
than as a sign of their submission to Him. All the works of sinners, however
good in themselves, proceed from a corrupted source, his sinful nature. If a
sinner really wanted to be good, he
would do the first thing God commands him to do...repent and believe in Jesus.
á
Sinner who fears God.
If they truly feared Him, they would seek to please Him.
á
Sinner at peace.
Drowning themselves in pleasures is a false peace.
Paul is talking about sinners before God draws them through
the gospel. When God draws a sinner, his perceptions change. Occasionally we
encounter a sinner who says he is seeking God. This could be sincere. God may
be drawing them by opening their perceptions through the gospel.
Conclusion
From the weight of biblical evidence, we conclude the
unsaved cannot will or do anything to contribute to their salvation or prepare
themselves for conversion. Their own will chooses wrongly because their
perceptions are blinded by sin and controlled by Satan. Therefore they perceive
themselves as good, the things of the Spirit as foolishness, and God as not
worth seeking. They see no reason to fear God and think their lack of peace is
due to a lack of pleasures.
From this article we learnÉ
á
Without God working
through the gospel, sinners are unable to will or do anything to contribute to
their salvation.
á
Through AdamŐs fall
mankind inherited sin, death, judgment and condemnation.
á
Sin and Satan blind
the mind of man, including his perceptions and will, so he cannot choose
submission to God.
á
The carnal nature of
man contains no quality that could lead him to obey God.
á
None of the good works
of a sinner are ultimately good because they are generated from a corrupted
source, his carnal nature.
á
Sinners will do good
works of all sorts. Without grace, the one thing they will not do is repent and
believe the gospel.
Smalling's articles and books are
available at www.smallings.com