Total Depravity

1. Total Depravity Matt 7.17-18

2. Augustine 354 - 430 …while indeed Adam was created by God in a state of perfect righteousness, nevertheless the fall brought such consequences upon Adam and upon his posterity that man became totally incapable of doing any good at all - of any kind. It was this fierce struggle which finally brought Augustine to understand with a profound awareness that the grace of God which delivers from sin is sovereign and irresistible, overcoming and defeating all our resistance, accomplishing a work the Author of which is God alone.

3. Martin Luther 1483 - 1546 In his book “Bondage Of The Will” Luther wrote, “…even the will of man is completely enslaved by sin. Adopted the teachings from the writings of Augustine although he never actually incorporated these beliefs in his theology.

4. John Calvin 1509 - 1564 …our nature destitute of all good ... fertile in all evils ... cannot remain inactive In other words, sin affects all areas of our being including who we are and what we do. It penetrates to the very core of our being so that everything is tainted by sin and “…all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” before a holy God

5. 1618 The Synod of Dordrecht Reformed churches of Netherlands / Europe Answer to Arminians 5 statements of doctrine Became known as the 5 points of Calvinism (Canons of Dordt) As a result of Adam’s sin every part of man is corrupt mind/will/flesh Heresy: man born without sin, exercised human will to sin after a time, can turn to God

6. The Nature Of Transgression Adam's sin of eating of the forbidden tree therefore, was a sin which he committed against God. He chose to represent Satan; to aid Satan in Satan's nefarious scheme to steal this world from its Creator. He deliberately turned his back on the God of heaven and earth with that one act of disobedience. That made his sin so horrible. It was committed against God. Death and total depravity are synonymous. … He made him a slave of sin with the whole of his being and nature. That was the punishment for sin. And it is in terms of the punishment for sin that we must consider the truth of total depravity. Because sin is so terrible, it deserves such terrible punishment. That punishment is the total depravity of man's nature. All men therefore are totally depraved.

7. Choices • 1 Tim 2.13-14 – Adam • Gen 5.22-24, Jude 14-15 – Enoch • Gen 4.4, Heb 11.4 – Abel If Adam had the ability to make a choice before he sinned then why could he not do so afterwards? If mankind was incapable of good then why are Enoch, Abel and others referred to as faithful to God ?

8. The Mind Of Man • Corruption of the nature of man by God • Minds of children and adults is different • Matt 18.3 – except ye become as … • 1 Cor 13.11 – when I was a child … • 1 Cor 14.20 – be not children in understanding • 1 Pet 2.2 - grow

9. Volition • Josh 24.15 – choose you this day … • Deut 30.19 – I set before you this day life and death Throughout the scriptures we find that mankind was faced with the decision to be faithful to God or to depart. If we are incapable of making this decision then why is there so much emphasis placed on making the right decision to obey God in the Bible ?

10. What The Scriptures Teach • Rom 3.23 – all have sinned • 1 Cor 10.13 – common to man • Rom 5.12-14 – had not sinned after similitude • Ezek 18.20 – son shall not bear iniquity of father • 2 Cor 5.10 – all shall give account • John 4.23 – Father seeketh such …