Total Depravity: A Man-made Fantasy

I. A Brief History of Total Depravity

Firstly, let me give you a short history so we know what we are speaking about.

The doctrine of total depravity is a foundational teaching of Calvinism, represented as the ‘T’ in TULIP. This doctrine claims we are all conceived spiritually dead having inherited the sin and guilt of Adam. This idea did not exist until Augustine of Hippo invented it in 396AD, about 350 years after the death and resurrection of Christ.¹ Until this time, Christian theologians taught that we inherited death and corruption, mortality, and that all have both an inclination to rebel against God, and the capacity (free will) to do so. The desire to rebel is in our human natures, to make ourselves like the One in whose image we are made, to be autonomous as God is autonomous.² Apart from this nature, we have bodies of flesh which demand our attention, make us very self-centered, and the elevation of self is the root of sin.

Augustine’s idea was adopted by the Roman Catholic Church. The obvious issue was how did Jesus, if He was a true descendant of David through Mary, escape this original sin. After much debate, the Roman Catholics invented the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, that Mary was sinless, which of course led to her being worshipped as the Queen of Heaven, the Mother of God who can intercede for sinners, is prayed to, and can hand out blessings. Added to this was infant baptism to atone for original sin, and other such practices. The fruit of Augustine’s idea is rotten to the core. Many who contradicted the RCC’s doctrine were tortured and murdered as heretics.

But the most serious issue is that from the time of Augustine people have been teaching that Christ was born with a different human nature to our own, despite the 16 verses in Scripture which state the opposite. The bottom line is this: if Jesus was born with a different human nature to our own, He cannot be a fit substitute for sin. As Hebrews 2:17 states, He had to be ‘made like his brothers in every way in order to make atonement for sin.’ For a detailed discussion on this topic, see chapters 7 and 10 of my Practical Systematic Theology. https://stevecopland.com/practical-systematic-theology-book

Fast forward to the Reformation. Martin Luther was an Augustinian monk, and Augustine was John Calvin’s mentor/hero, who is quoted over 1700 times in his commentaries and Institutes. Both of them simply continued the RCC tradition.

The result of all of this is that Calvinists teach that we are all conceived spiritually dead, we have no free-will other than to will evil, no one can desire God or exercise faith without first being born again, and all the horrific implications of this. In Calvinist, John MacArthur’s words,

Because of human depravity, there is nothing in a fallen, reprobate sinner that desires God or is capable of responding in faith.

(John MacArthur, Faith Works, p. 62)

II. Total Depravity is not Biblical

I want to give you four biblical reasons why the doctrine of total depravity is completely unbiblical. If you wish to go deeper on this topic, please see videos/articles in the foundational theology series regarding the human nature of Christ and related topics.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGyo-rncPVJwJpCJD4wmKNA

1. A favorite verse of Calvinists is Ephesians 2:1 which uses the phrase ‘dead in sin’. The word dead, νεκροὺς ‘nekrous’ in Greek, has several meanings, including lifeless, a corpse, or just mortal. Therefore, Calvinists claim that this verse means that a person is utterly dead to God. However, in Romans 6:11 the same Apostle Paul, speaking to Christians, tells us that we are ‘dead to sin’. He uses the same word ‘nekrous’. The basic difference is one preposition, ‘dead in sin’, or ‘dead to sin’. If ‘dead in sin’ means a person is so dead they cannot respond to God, then using the same force of the word, ‘dead to sin’ means a Christian is so dead to sin they can never be tempted. Both are wrong. People can respond to God because the Holy Spirit reveals and convicts, and of course we know that Christians are tempted daily. Ephesians 2:1 in no way supports total depravity.

2. Did Paul teach that we are conceived spiritually dead? Actually, he taught the exact opposite. In Romans 7:7-13 Paul is speaking about the relationship of the law and sin. He states that he would not have known what sin was if not for the law. He uses the example of coveting saying he would not have known that coveting was sin until the law revealed this to him. Once revealed, sin seized the opportunity and produced in him every kind of coveting. He states that apart from the law, sin is dead. In chapter 5:13 he has already told us that although sin was in the world prior to the law, sin is not charged against anyone where there is no law.

In 7:9 he claims,

Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. (Romans 7:9)

It is obvious Paul is speaking of spiritual death here, of separation from the holiness of God, of becoming a sinner. Paul’s meaning is clear. At the moment we become aware of the law, usually through our parents to whom we are commanded to obey, if we break that law we become sinners. It is also interesting that Paul uses the sin of coveting as his example, a sin which is very prevalent in children. Sins such as lust, greed, and pride come later, but coveting is one of the earliest of sins which children commit.

No one is conceived spiritually dead, and no one is a ‘born sinner’ for sin must be a willful and conscious act as Paul states. And no, Psalm 51:5 does not state that a child is a born sinner, despite some translations which have promoted that tradition. In the LXX it simply states that a child is conceived by sinners.

Let’s examine the first generation of human beings, and in particular, Cain in Genesis 4. Both Cain and Abel were instructed to bring an offering to the Lord. Cain brought an offering which did not please the Lord. This made Cain very angry and his face was downcast. Verses 6-7 tell us:

6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:6-7)

Please note the following:

1. Cain is in communication with God, they are speaking together. According to Calvinists, this is impossible until a person is regenerated (born again). Do Calvinists claim that a born-again person murdered his brother?

2. Cain is clearly given a choice, to do what is right, or not to do what is right. God is telling him that he has the freedom to make this choice. According to Calvinists such as John Piper, Cain has no free will. Piper claims that:

“Is it an antimony or contradiction or humanly inexplicable how God can be absolutely sovereign over all human decisions and those decisions still be accountable, responsible decisions? I think that is, the one for me anyway (question) for which I don’t have an ultimate answer. Because it really boils down to how did the first sin happen…which for me is the hardest question of all, I don’t know how the first sin happened…I don’t solve that problem with free-will, nor do I find it taught in the Bible.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQFihHHjIt4 (May 23, 2013)

And:

“He is sovereign over every single human decision. We have all kinds of thinking that we do, but in the end, the Lord decides…about God’s sovereignty…it is unstoppable power and authority over all things, including the human will.”

John Piper (https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/what-is-the-sovereignty-of-god)

3. The Lord tells him that ‘sin is crouching at his door’ - it isn’t inside waiting to get out, but crouching outside waiting to come in and master him. Sin desires to have him, meaning, it does not already have him. The Lord tells him he must master it, but if Cain is already totally depraved, sin is already his master.

According to Calvinists, Cain and Abel inherited the sin and guilt of their father at conception, are born sinners, and totally depraved. This dialogue utterly contradicts that false doctrine and the claim of Piper and others who claim that people have no freedom to choose what is right or wrong.

4. In Romans 1:18ff Paul states that God’s wrath is against those who suppress the truth by their wickedness. He goes on to say that:

What can be known about God is plain to every person because God has made it plain…His invisible qualities, his eternal power, and divine nature…all are clearly seen so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:18ff)

In the next verses, he speaks of idolatry and willfully exchanging the truth for lies; therefore, God gave them over to the sinful desires of their hearts. In verses 28-29 Paul writes:

28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. (Romans 1:28-29)

Paul then gives a list of sins and ends with the words:

Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things, but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:32)

Please note the following:

1. The decision to suppress the truth is a willful decision. That decision is made by those who know the truth about God. These people ‘exchanged the truth for a lie.’

2. Because they did not ‘think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God,’ he ‘gave them over.’ This term is used of those whose hearts were darkened, and they turned to gross immorality, indulging in lesbian and homosexual activity. When God gives someone over, it fundamentally means that He turns His back on them.

3. Note the words ‘have become filled with every form of wickedness and depravity.’ How can a person become filled with depravity if they were already totally depraved? Yes, there are people who are totally depraved, people who have been given over by God to gross sin, but they willfully became that way.

Furthermore, consider Romans 2:1-16. Immediately after stating that some people have become filled with depravity and wickedness, Paul speaks about God’s righteous judgment being revealed and states that:

6 God will repay each person according to what they have done. 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.10 For God does not show favoritism. (Romans 2:6-10)

Please note the following:

1. Paul is not speaking about born again Christians and unbelievers here. The next words are, ‘all who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and those who sin under the law will also perish under the law’. Christians are NOT under the law. He then tells us that when Gentiles who do not have the law do things required by the law, they show that the law is written on their hearts and their conscience bears witness with them (v15). He is NOT saying that the Spirit bears witness as in Romans 8:16, but rather their conscience.

These Gentiles are people who have never heard the law, but have recognized God in creation (1:18) and ‘by persistence in doing good, sought glory, honor and immortality’. Paul is contrasting those who willfully refused to retain the knowledge of God and turned to idols and gross sin, with those who sought God. In 2:15-16 Paul tells us that they will be judged according to their conscience and actions. According to MacArthur:

Because of human depravity, there is nothing in a fallen, reprobate sinner that desires God or is capable of responding in faith. (John MacArthur, Faith Works, p. 62)

These people are obviously responding to God’s general revelation and seeking Him according to the revelation they have received. Paul has contrasted these people with those who are ‘self-seeking’ and states that they persistently acted in a right way, according to their conscience in seeking the invisible God by faith in order to receive glory, honor and immortality.

2. Calvinists state categorically that no person can seek God unless already born again, using Romans 3. These verses utterly contradict that interpretation.

3. If these seekers were already born again, then why were they seeking immortality, as a born again person has already been given immortality. MacArthur’s claim is utterly contradicted by Paul, indeed, it totally contradicts the very plan and purpose of God stated in Acts 17:24-28 that ‘God did this so that people would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us’.

III. In Summary

The doctrine of total depravity has its roots in Augustine’s inherited sin/guilt, an idea which was a radical departure from the teachings of all who went before him. Irenaeus, Justin, and others taught that we all inherit death, a ‘corrupted nature’, and that Christ took upon Himself this same nature for ‘He had to be made like His brothers in every way…in order to make atonement for sin’ (Hebrews 2:17).

No person is conceived totally depraved or dead in sin as Calvinists claim. Paul states that ‘once we were alive’, but when we sinned after knowing God’s command, we died. Cain proved that he had a free-will and God commanded him to use it for good. God also told him that sin desired to master him, not that he was conceived totally depraved. Paul states that some people have become filled with depravity, an impossible thing if they were already totally depraved.

And finally, there is no doubt that people have the freedom to seek God before they are born again, indeed this is the plan and purpose of God (Acts 17:24-28).

Steve Copland

For more on these topics please see chapters 9,10,12,13 of my ‘Practical Systematic Theology: Reclaiming the Doctrine of the Early Church’.

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¹ See video entitled ‘Inherited Sin: The Implications of Augustine’s Mistake’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86Z5_ZspD0c

² See my video entitled ‘The Desire for Autonomy and Independence’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cKCIs53iz4

Текст готовий без змін та з коректним оформленням посилань. 😊