What the Word of God says on Total Depravity

Matt.7:16
"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?"
The first point to understand in the doctrine of total depravity is that the nature of a person determines what fruit shall be manifested.

(17)"Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit." The "corrupt tree" refers to the nature of man as he is prior to conversion.

(18)"A good tree cannot bring forth-evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." Because individuals are born into sin and are by nature spiritually dead they need to be born "from above" if they are to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

(23)"And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity!"
Apart from regeneration, men face a certain judgment for whatever "goodness" they offer to God in place of gospel repentance. Their "goodness" will be unacceptable. The key concept to comprehend is that man, according to nature, is totally without merit in every facet of his soul and therfore is not known by the Lord.

Matt.12:33
"Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit."
The Gospel calls upon men to recongnize the true status of their hearts. An unclear understanding of the fallen nature will lead the unregenerate to minimize sin and the atoning work of the Savior.

Mark 7:21
"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders," From the natural heart proceeds the vilest thoughts leading to the most despicable deeds.

(22)"Thefts, covetousness, wichedness, deceit, lasciviousness, and evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:" While it is not flattering to men to conceive of themselves as evil by nature, the reality remains. From within the soul and apart from external compulsions comes all manner of wickedness.

(23)"All thes evil things come from within, and defile the man." The state of the natural soul is desperate because of inward defilement.

John 3:5
"Jesus answere, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." The innate defilement of the soul leaves it helpless to effect any part of personal redemption.

(6)"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."
By a natural birth individuals are corrupt and sinful and stand in need of regeneration in order to enter into the kingdom of God. Individuals can do nothing but what is carnal and sinful. They are totally incapable of doing that which is spiritual and good until born of the Spirit.

(7)"Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." Because individuals are born into sin and are by nature spiritually dead, having broken the laws of God, Jesus taught that all must be born "from above" if they are to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

(19)"And this is the condmnation, that light is come into the world, and men loveddarkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." If individuals are not born again, they will be left in their natural state, which is under a just judgment. Such a state is acceptable to the natural man for he loves the very sin that hardens the heart.

John 6:44
"No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." Because of the just judgment of God, because of a natural love for darkness, fallen individuals cannot come to Christ. By nature, souls do not have the powere or ability to prepare themselves for conversions. The only spiritual fruit of the natural person is unbelief and corruption.

(65)"And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father." The only way for the natural man to be saved is for the Father to give him a new heart, a new will, and a new mind with a renewed capacity to believe in Christ.

John 8:34
"Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin." To be the servant of sin is to be dominated by the same. Sin is the master of the soul of the unconverted. The terrible plight of man is that he has no poser to please the Lord while in the flesh and so he has no power to be saved.

(44)"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." Not only is man by nature outside the sphere of saving grace, under condemnation, and in love with sin, but also is his desperate condition made worse in that he is a child of Satan.

Just a few word from the Word of God on the Doctrine of Total Depravity.

I will post more later.

By His Grace
mike

 

A few more:
Rom.3:9
"What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin:" It is not just some men who are the servants of Satan but all. The reign of sin is extensive in that it is universal. All people are under the dominion of sin so that none is righteous.

(10)"As it is written, THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE:" There is none righteous, none that has an honest good principle of virtue or is governed by such a principle, none that retains anything of that image of God, consisting in righteousness wherein man was created; no, not one. This implies that if there had been but one, God whold have found him out.

(11)"THERE IS NONE THAT UNDERSTANDETH, THERE IS NONE THAT SEEKETH AFTER GOD." Unless God in sovereign grace had chosen certain ones to salvation, none whold have been saved; for no one seeks after God. The natural depravity of the heart leads to a natural turning away from the Lord.

(12)"THEY ARE ALL GONE OUT OF THE WAY, THEY ARE TOGETHER BECOME UNPROFITABLE; THERE IS NONE THAT DOETH GOOD, NO, NOT ONE." Despite the clear teaching on the desperate plight of man, there is a prevailing belief that man is his natural state is not totally depraved and so has the disposition or ability which enables him to repent, believe, and be saved if he so chooses. Nevertheless, the Word of God remains, "THERE IS NONE THAT DOETH GOOD, NO, NOT ONE."

Rom.5:12
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" Because of the transgression of Adam who acted as the federal head of the human race, all are born in sin and by nature are without spiritual life in the sight of God. If a person is to become a child of God and an heir of kingdom of heaven, the Holy Spirit must regenerate the soul.

(19)"For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." The sin of Adam has been imputed to his offspring, who have been made sinners by birth but continue to be sinners by choice. The natural man is an enemy of God with relish. There is an inbred distaste and disrespect for the perfections of God. The will of the natural man is contrary to God's will. The natural man is hostile to God's government of his life.

Rom.6:20
"For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness." As an offspring of Adam, as a child of the devil, as the servant of sin, the natural man is without any positive righteousness. He is free to act according to his nature, which is enslaved to evil. The natural man is not free to act righteously.

Rom.7:18
"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." The honest heart will confess that in the sphere of the flesh there is nothing of merit that pleases God. There is nothing that can become a basis for receiveing spiritual honor.

(19)"For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do." The honest heart will confess to a total lack of ability to do good in the flesh. And even after conversion there is still a struggle in the sanctified soul between grace and corruption.

Rom.8:7
"Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." The Scriptures press the point of the depravity of the natural man. The Scriptures declare that his very mind, the essence of his being, is hostil to God and refuses to be subject to the Sovereign.

(8)"So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." The natural man has absolutely nothing to offer God that is acceptable in His sight, for the corruption of the flesh is extensive and intensive.

Rom.11:35
"OR WHO HATH FIRST GIVEN TO HIM, AND IT SHALL BE RECOMPENSED UNTO HIM AGAIN?" If a soul is ever to be saved, every facet of the salvation process must be according to sovereign grace so that in the end it can be said that salvation is the gift of God apart from human merit.

(36)"For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." Because of the natural coruption of the heart, salvation is a gift that must be given. It is God and not man who is the epicenter around which salvation revolves.

I will post more later.

by His Grace
mike

 

1 Corinthians 2:14
"But natural man receieveth not the things of the
Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." The natural man does not generally consent to the concept that he is as bad as the Scriptures state or that he is the enemy of God. One reason for this lack of perception is an unwillingness to reflect upon spiritual matters, which appear foolish and not worthy of careful consideration.

1 Corinthians 4:7
"For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it , why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

2 Corinthians 3:5
"Not that we are sufficient (able, powerful engouh) fo ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God." The soul that is truly saved will never take one iota of credit for its conversion. The sufficiency of saving grace is in the sovereign Saviour.

I will post more later.

by His Grace
mike