1. TOTAL DEPRAVITY

1. TOTAL DEPRAVITY As we come to consider the first of the five main points of Calvinism, surely the thing that should impress us is the fact that this system begins with something that must be fundamental in the matter of salvation, and that is, a correct assessment of the condition of the one who is to be saved. If we have deficient and light views about sin, then we are liable to have defective views regarding the means necessary for the salvation of the sinner. If we believe that the fall of man in the Garden of Eden was merely partial, then we shall most likely be satisfied with a salvation that is attributable, partly to man, and partly to God. How full of common sense are the words of J. C. Ryle on this subject! ’There are very few errors and false doctrines,’ he says, ’of which the beginning may not be traced up to unsound views about the corruption of human nature. Wrong views of a disease will always bring with them wrong views of a remedy. Wrong views of the corruption of human nature will always carry with them wrong views of the grand antidote and cure of that corruption.’

Fully aware that this was the case, the theologians of the Reformation and those who formulated the Reformed teaching into these Five Points at the Synod of Dort, basing their findings firmly on the Scriptures, pronounced that man’s natural state is a state of total depravity and therefore, there was a total inability on the part of man to gain, or contribute to, his own salvation. When Calvinists speak of total depravity, however, they do not mean that every man is as evil as he could possibly be, nor that man is unable to recognise the will of God; nor yet, that he is unable to do any good towards his fellow man) or even give outward allegiance to the worship of God. What they do mean is that when man fell in the Garden of Eden he fell in his ’totality’. The whole personality of man has been affected by the Fall, and sin extends to the whole of the faculties -- the will, the understanding, the affections and all else. We believe this to be irrefutably taught by the Word of God to which we now refer. The following are merely a selection of the Scriptures that confirm the Calvinistic teaching of total depravity. The Bible teaches with absolute clarity that man, by nature, is DEAD: ’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.’ [Rom 5.12]. It tells us that men are BOUND: ’In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.’ [2 Tim 2.25 f]. It shows us that men are BLIND AND DEAF:’. . . but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables; that seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand.’ [Mark 4.1 if]. It shows us that we are UNINSTRUCTABLE: ’But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know then’, because they are spiritually discerned.’ [1 Cor 2.14]. The Bible speaks of us as being NATURALLY SINFUL: [i] By Birth: ’Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.’ [Ps 51.5]. [ii] By Practice:

’And God saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.’ [Gen 6.5]. This then, is man’s natural state. We must ask, then: Can the DEAD raise themselves? Can the BOUND free themselves? Can the BLIND give themselves sight, or the DEAF hearing? Can the SLAVES redeem themselves? Can the UNINSTRUCTABLE teach themselves? Can the NATURALLY SINFUL change themselves? Surely not I ’Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?’ asks Job; and he answers, ’Not one!’ [Job 14.4]. ’Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?’ asks Jeremiah; ’If they can,’ he concludes, ’then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.’ [Jer 13.23]. Could the Word of God show more plainly than it does that the depravity is total? and that our inability to desire or procure salvation is also total? The picture is one of death -- spiritual death. We are like Lazarus in his tomb; we are bound hand and foot; corruption has taken hold upon us. Just as there was no glimmer of life in the dead body of Lazarus, so there is no ’inner receptive spark’ in our hearts. But the Lord performs the miracle -- both with the physically dead, and the spiritually dead; for ’you hath he quickened -- made alive -- who were dead in trespasses and sins.’ [Eph 2.1]. Salvation, by its very nature, must be ’of the Lord.’