Total Depravity: Dead in Our Trespasses and Sins
Does man naturally seek after God? Does he have any natural affinity for or desire to pursue the Almighty? To what degree is man affected by sin? These are just some of the questions Christians are faced with when reading Scripture.
Throughout human history, many have spoken authoritatively regarding the nature of man and his relationship to sin. False religions since the dawn of time have asserted their positions about humanity's dilemma. And though there seem to be a plethora of views when it comes to the issue of man and his sin, further examination of Scripture proves that the idea of man's innate goodness and desire to seek God is entirely unfounded. While the world says, "Man can seek after God and earn his way to God," Christianity boldly proclaims, "Salvation is of the Lord!"
Sadly, in the church today, there are still many believers who are convinced that although salvation was accomplished by God, through the finished work of Christ, it is not initiated by God. As we will see, it is entirely impossible for a person to receive the gift of eternal life apart from God's monergistic act.
In Ephesians 2:1, we see the apostle Paul pen these words, "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins." With this powerful statement, he shatters all human arrogance, worldly wisdom, and any attempt at works-based salvation. For what can a dead man do?
The daughter of the synagogue official, the widow's son in the city of Nain, and Jesus' friend Lazarus had no ability to raise themselves from the dead, and neither can we. Yet when it comes to receiving spiritual life, that is, being raised from spiritual death, many believe that man can initiate this process.
If Scripture is clear on anything, it is clear on the fact that man, in his fallen state, is totally depraved. This doctrine of total depravity affirms that every fiber of man's being is contaminated and affected by sin—his mind, will, and emotions. This does not mean that man is as bad as he could be, but rather that the whole of his person is tainted by sin. His mind and emotions are hostile toward God, and in his unregenerate state, he lacks the will to choose God.
Every rational being acts in accordance with his greatest desire and since it is never man's greatest desire to choose God, he therefore never seeks God. While many hearing these words may have an initial visceral reaction, we must humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God's Word and ask with the apostle Paul, "What does the Scripture say?"
First, man is conceived in sin (Psalm 51:5). Under the inspiration of the Spirit, David testifies that "in sin [his] mother conceived [him]." This verse does not indicate that his mother committed sin in conceiving her son, but rather, it refers to the transmission of sinful nature that takes place at conception. From the moment when life begins, every aspect of each freshly formed human being is contaminated by sin. David received his sinful nature from Adam, as humanity's federal head.
Secondly, man lives "in the lusts of his flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and [is] by nature [a child] of wrath, even as the rest" (Eph. 2:3). Paul demonstrates here the root and fruit of man's sin. Humanity's exhibition of continuous habits of lust and sinful indulgence reveal the deeper issue: mankind is by nature a child of wrath. And just in case a reader of Paul's letter thinks this described only a particular group of people, Paul includes the words, "even as the rest." Man by virtue of his sin is a child a wrath, which manifests itself by serving the master of sin by pursuing his lust.
Thirdly, and even more explicitly, is Paul's evaluation of mankind in his letter to the Romans. In Romans 1, Paul condemns all Gentiles by explaining that they had all suppressed the truths of God for lies and had exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling man. In chapter 2, he switches to condemning the Jews, stating that although they were given the oracles of God they had broken the law and dishonored God.
As he proceeds to the third chapter, Paul indicts all of humanity by, among other things, affirming: no man is righteous, no one understands, no one seeks for God, man is full of deception, cursing, and bitterness, and man does not fear God (Rom. 3:9-18). Apart from God's initiating intervention, no one in their own nature understands spiritual things, no one pursues a relationship with the true God, no one esteems God, and no one lives with true righteousness.
In Romans 8, Paul continues to paint a more vivid picture: man is hostile toward God, man does not and cannot subject himself to God's law, and man cannot please God (Rom. 8:7). Mankind does not want to please God, and will never seek to please God. Even if he should have this desire in his fallen state, he does not even have the ability to please God.
Lastly, and in a culmination of this biblical indictment: man is dead in his trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1). Mankind is hopeless in initiating any sort of relationship with the true God—man has a twisted mind, a twisted will, and twisted emotions. Man, from his birth, is cut off from all spiritual life with God. Left to himself, he would never seek after God.
Scripture is abundantly clear that man is not the initiator in seeking God. It's God who must first seek him out. Man is dead—a rotting corpse lying in the grave of sin. What can be done?
The Lord, Jesus, in His grace reveals what has to be done if spiritual life is to be had: "You must be born again" (John 3:3,5,7). Jesus says in this text, "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Our Lord is most likely referring back to Ezekiel 36:26 and the following passages, where God speaks of the New Covenant.
In this covenant, inaugurated through the blood of Jesus, God takes out the sinner's heart of stone, and replaces it with a new heart; a heart of flesh. The Lord then promises to put His Spirit within the partakers of this covenant and grants that they will walk in His ways. In describing the new covenant, God explicitly states what He will do, then explains what man will do.
“I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.[a] 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”
Ephesians 2 (the passage already quoted) affirms this also. After Paul provides a dismal description of mankind, he then hastens to introduce the initiator and hero in this drama of redemption! Verse four of Ephesians 2 says, "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions made us alive together with Christ."
We did not make ourselves alive spiritually any more than Lazarus made himself alive physically. But just as the Lord Jesus called out to the dead man, “Lazarus, come forth!" even so does the Good Shepherd, who calls His own sheep by name, say, "Come forth!"
God makes us alive when He, by His powerful, majestic voice calls us through the message of the gospel, awakens us to the truth about ourselves, our sin, and the Savior, and puts within us a new heart that loves Him and keeps His commandments.
All who hear this truth should be full of rejoicing and humility. It is God who accomplishes redemption; it is God who applies the benefits of redemption; and it is God who initiates redemption in our lives individually by making elect sinners live!
However, another question arises: If God is the one who makes us born again, does this then mean that God chooses some to be saved?
Joshua Abaya will answer and elaborate on this question in the next article.