• Total: An amount obtained by the addition of smaller amounts.The whole amount of something; the entirety
• Depravity: Moral corruption or degradation
• Total Depravity: Man’s nature is totally corrupt as a result of the Fall

Depth Of God’s Love

Total depravity teaches that as a result of the fall of Adam and Eve, all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are incapable of saving themselves from sin and death. While this concept can be difficult to accept, it ultimately leads us to a greater understanding of the depth of God’s love and the incredible gift of salvation that is available to us through faith in Jesus Christ.

Appreciation For God’s Gift

By recognizing our sinfulness and our need for a savior, we can fully appreciate the power of God’s grace and the hope of redemption that is offered to us through Christ. The Bible teaches that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and that “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Total depravity ultimately leads us to a greater understanding of the depth of God’s love and the incredible gift of salvation that is available to us through faith in Jesus Christ. By recognizing our sinfulness and our need for a savior, we can fully appreciate the power of God’s grace and the hope of redemption that is offered to us through Christ.

Without Christ, We Are Spiritually Blind

In John 9:39-41, Jesus says, “For judgment I have come into this world so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
The Pharisees, who were listening to Jesus, asked if they were blind, to which Jesus responded, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”

Those who do not recognize their spiritual blindness are more guilty than those who do.
Why?
Because they are claiming to have knowledge and understanding of spiritual things when in reality they are blind to them.

In 2 Corinthians 4:4, Paul writes, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

Showing that Satan is actively working to blind people to the truth of the gospel.

Without Christ, We Are Spiritually Deaf

This is defended by several passages in the Bible, including Matthew 13:13-15, where Jesus says,

“This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’”

This indicates that those who do not have a relationship with Jesus are unable to hear or understand spiritual truths because their hearts have become calloused and they have closed their eyes and ears to the truth.
In John 10:27, Jesus says,

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

This proves that those who belong to Jesus are able to hear his voice and follow him.

Without Christ, We Are Spiritually Dead

Without a relationship with Jesus Christ, we are spiritually dead and separated from God.

In Ephesians 2:1-5, Paul writes, “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 flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

This shows that before we come to faith in Christ, we are spiritually dead and separated from God because of our sin.
We are under the influence of the devil and follow the ways of the world, gratifying our fleshly desires and deserving of God’s wrath.
We are saved by Grace Alone!

In Colossians 2:13, Paul writes,

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins.”

This passage reinforces the idea that without Christ, we are spiritually dead and unable to save ourselves. It is only through God’s grace and forgiveness that we can be made alive.

Apart From Christ, We Are: LIARS, SICK & PATHETIC

Apart from Christ, we are liars.

The Bible teaches that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

Sin is not just a behavior, but it is a condition of the heart that separates us from God.
In John 8:44, Jesus tells the religious leaders,

“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

This passage teaches us that lying is a characteristic of the devil, and those who are not in Christ are under the force of the devil and are inclined to lying.

Apart from Christ, we are sick.

Sin has brought sickness and death into the world. In Romans 5:12, Paul writes,

“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.”

This passage teaches us that sin has brought physical and spiritual sickness into the world. Apart from Christ, we are spiritually sick and in need of a Savior.
In Matthew 9:12-13, Jesus says,

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Apart from Christ, we are pathetic.

Apart from Christ, we are lost, hopeless, and helpless.
In Ephesians 2:12, Paul writes,

“Remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.”

This passage teaches us that apart from Christ, we are without hope and without God in the world.

We are pathetic in our sin and in need of a Savior.
Pathetic: A state of being without hope or purpose, or lacking a sense of fulfillment or meaning in life.

Without Christ, we are lost and disconnected from God.

We Are Either Slaves To Sin Or Slaves To Righteousness

In the New Testament book of Romans, chapter 6 it discusses being dead to sin and alive to God through Jesus Christ.

In verse 16, it says,

“Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?”

This verse emphasizes the assertion that we are all slaves to something.

The passage goes on to explain that before we became followers of Christ, we were slaves to sin.

However, through faith in Jesus, we have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
This means that we are no longer controlled by our sinful desires, but rather by the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live a life that is pleasing to God.

We Can’t Be Slaves Of Sin And Slaves Of Righteousness, We Can’t Sit At Two Tables

In Matthew, chapter 6, verse 24:

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

This verse proves that we cannot serve two opposing forces at the same time.

The term “Mammon” is derived from an Aramaic word that means “wealth” or “riches.”
In the Bible, Mammon is associated with materialism and the love of money.

In the New Testament, Jesus warns against the dangers of serving Mammon instead of God.

This passage emphasizes that we must choose between serving God or serving material wealth and possessions, which leads to greed and selfishness.

We cannot serve both sin and righteousness at the same time.

The passage in Romans 6, which discusses being a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness, also
emphasizes this idea.
In verse 18, it says, “and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.”
This verse emphasizes that we have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. We cannot serve both sin and righteousness at the same time.

Regeneration By The Spirit Makes Our Soul Alive And Gives Us A New Nature, In The Spirit

“Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’” John 3:5-8 ESV

This passage is part of a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a Pharisee who came to Jesus at night seeking answers to his questions.
Jesus tells Nicodemus that in order to enter the kingdom of God, one must be born again, or born of the Spirit.

The phrase “born of the Spirit” refers to the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration.

Regeneration is the act of God by which he makes our soul alive and gives us a new nature in the Spirit.

This new nature is necessary because our old nature, which is born of the flesh, is corrupted by sin and cannot enter the kingdom of God.

The passage also emphasizes the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit in regeneration.

Jesus compares the work of the Spirit to the wind, which blows where it wishes and cannot be controlled by human beings.
In the same way, the Holy Spirit works in the hearts of believers to bring about regeneration and new life.

Regeneration Proceeds Faith

John 3:3-6, where Jesus tells Nicodemus,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

This statement emphasizes the need for regeneration, or being born again, in order to enter into the kingdom of God.

Another passage that supports the idea of regeneration as the first step in salvation is found in Ephesians 2:4-5, which states,

“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.”

This passage emphasizes that salvation is a work of God, and that it is through his mercy and love that we are made alive in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 states,

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

This passage emphasizes the transformative nature of regeneration, as it describes the believer as a new creation in Christ.

Regeneration is the first step in the process of salvation, followed by faith, justification, sanctification, and then glorification.

Faith is not something we contribute to salvation; faith is a part of God’s Free Gift of Salvation
Salvation is God’s gift to the sinner, not the sinner’s gift to God.

Ephesians 2:8-9, which says,

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Salvation is not something that we can earn or contribute to through our own efforts or good works.
It is a gift of God’s grace that is received through faith in Jesus Christ.

This means that faith itself is not something that we can boast about or take credit for, but is a part of God’s free gift of salvation.

Another key passage that supports this is Romans 3:21-24, which says,

“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 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.”

All people are sinners and fall short of God’s glory, and that salvation is available to all who believe in Jesus Christ.

Faith itself is not something that we can contribute to our salvation, but is a part of God’s free gift of salvation.

Poem: Fell From Grace, Saved By The Light

Scriptures

Who Coined The Term?

The term “total depravity” was not coined by a single individual, but rather emerged as a theological concept within the Reformed tradition of Christianity, which includes Calvinism.

TOTAL DEPRAVITY’S ORIGINS

The concept of total depravity can be delineated back to the writings of early church fathers such as Augustine of Hippo, who emphasized the fallen nature of humanity and the need for divine grace to overcome sin.

Augustine of Hippo

Augustine of Hippo was a prominent Christian theologian and philosopher who lived in the 4th and 5th centuries AD.
He is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in the development of Christian theology and his teachings have had a profound impact on the beliefs and practices of many Christian denominations.

Augustine believed that this original sin had corrupted human nature to such an extent that people were incapable of achieving salvation on their own and required divine grace to overcome their sinful nature and be saved.

Popularized by 16th & 17th Century Theologians

However, the term “total depravity” itself was likely popularized by theologians in the 16th and 17th centuries who were part of the Reformed tradition, such as John Calvin and the Puritan theologian Jonathan Edwards.

In his sermon, Jonathan Edwards paints a vivid and terrifying picture of the fate of sinners who fail to repent, comparing them to spiders hanging by a thread over a fiery pit and warning that they could be cast into the flames of Hell at any moment. He stresses the importance of accepting God's grace and turning away from sin to avoid this terrible fate. Edwards' sermon is still widely studied as a classic example of Puritan preaching and as a reflection of the religious and cultural values of colonial America.

- "The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours."

- "The bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood."

- "The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours."

- "Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell; and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider's web would have to stop a falling rock."

No One Is Righteous

No one is righteous apart from God, and all deserve His judgment.

No amount of good works can earn salvation.

Only by being given the gift of salvation can one be saved.

Who Adheres to This Doctrine? What Denominations Believe In Total Depravity?

The doctrine of total depravity is primarily associated with the Reformed tradition of Christianity, which includes several denominations that hold to this belief. 

These include: 
1. Presbyterian Church (USA) 2. 
Christian Reformed Church in North America 
3. United Reformed Churches in North America 
4. Reformed Church in America 
5. Free Reformed Churches of North America 
6. Orthodox Presbyterian Church 
7. Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church 
8. Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America 
9. Cumberland Presbyterian Church 
10. Dutch Reformed Church 

Total Depravity means Original Sin/ Radical Corruption.

Since the Fall of Man, all people have been impacted by sin, compromising their ability to choose goodness over evil in spiritual matters. 
It is associated with the theory of Original Sin, in which it is believed that all people are born with a predisposition towards wickedness and that this tendency is inherited from one generation to the next. This doctrine holds that no portion of a person is spared from sin's influence, including the mind and the will, and that humans are entirely corrupted, not just partially. 
It does not suggest that humans are as bad as they can be, yet it does mean that they are enslaved to sin and unable to make beneficial spiritual decisions without God's grace.

It is rooted in the Bible and is a central tenant of Christianity. 

Total Depravity is an essential part of our faith and an important reminder of our need for a savior. 

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” – Romans 3:23

God is the standard; anything below that measure is putrid, in contrast.

“The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately wicked; Who can understand it? “I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind…” – Jer. 17:9-10

The Hebrew phrase “desperately wicked” has a deep meaning, “n a’v.” It covers a range of emotions from weakness to hopelessness. In its ‘Qal’ form, it means incurable, and in its past participle form, it describes something as very sick or woeful. This word emphasizes human depravity and the need for redemption.

Paul says: “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh;” – Romans 7:18

“The wicked are estranged from the womb; These who speak lies go astray from birth.” – Psalm 58:3

“I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” – Psalm 51:5

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead.
— Ecclesiastes 9:3