The Doctrine of TOTAL Depravity is true.
The Doctrine of UTTER Depravity is not.
TOTAL Depravity states that every part of man was tainted by sin to some degree.
- Our MIND does not think perfectly, our mind is inclined towards sinful thoughts.
- Our FLESH does not desire perfectly, our flesh is inclined towards sinful desires.
- Our SPIRIT does not seek God, our spirit is inclined to hide from the Light.
UTTER Depravity states that man is as bad/evil as he is capable of being.
- We are sociopaths and psychopaths incapable of ANY good thought or deed.
- The Bible never makes this claim ... and neither does the Doctrines of Grace.
Calvinists generally hold that the doctrine of total depravity includes the doctrine of total inability.
The scriptures I posted dealing with total depravity and total inability show this is false.
In Genesis 4, the concept of it is called into question.
After Cain became angry because God had accepted Abel’s offering and had not accepted his offering, God told Cain that
sin was knocking at the door and that he should not allow it to rule over him, least it become his master (see Genesis 4:6-7).
God did not deal with Cain as if he were totally depraved. On the contrary, God instructed Cain to rule over this sin that was knocking at the door. The Bible tells us that Cain murdered his brother not because he was totally depraved, but
because his deeds were evil and his brother’s was righteous.
For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. (1 John 3:10-11)
If all humanity were totally depraved, then this would include Abel, yet the apostle John tells us that
Abel’s works were righteous. Remember the definition of depravity is a very evil quality or way of behaving: an evil or immoral act. The Bible never describes Abel in this way. On the contrary, the Bible repeatedly describes Abel and his works as
righteous.
If Cain and Abel had been totally depraved, Cain would have been unable to rule over the sin knocking at the door, and Abel would not have done that which was righteous.
In the gospels, the Lord Jesus Christ declared that Abel was
righteous (Matthew 23:35) and the writer of Hebrews tells us:
Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice t
han Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4)
No matter how you stack it, the statement, “
Abel obtained witness that he was righteous,” completely dismantles any concept of total depravity:
a theology that does not take into account the testimony of scripture concerning the real people who lived for God.
If the doctrine of total depravity were true, it would be true of everyone, but what about those in scripture who sought after God?
WHAT ABOUT ENOCH?
The Bible says,
Enoch walked with God (Genesis 5:24). The author of Hebrews tells us:
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.(Hebrews 11:4)
Enoch was such a man of God, who pleased God, he never died! Jude tells us that Enoch prophesied of the coming of the Lord as well (Jude 1:14).
WHAT ABOUT NOAH?
The Bible says Noah was a
just man and
perfect in his generations, and
Noah walked with God (Genesis 6:9). Noah was
righteous in the sight of the Lord (Genesis 7:1) and in Ezekiel, God mentions Noah along with Daniel and Job as
righteous (Ezekiel 14:14, 20).
In the New Testament, the apostle Peter refers to Noah as
a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5) and the writer of Hebrews testifies of Noah’s righteousness as well.
By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear (the fear of the Lord), prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became the heir of the righteousness which is by faith (Hebrews 11:7).
WHAT ABOUT ABRAHAM?
The scriptures tells us,
Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3, 9, 22; Galatians 3; 6; James 2:23).
Abraham had
integrity of heart (Genesis 20:5-6) and
a faithful heart towards God(Nehemiah 9:7, 8) and Abraham is called
the friend of God (2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23). Throughout scripture God is referred to as
the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Matthew 32:22; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37; Acts 3:13; 7:32).
Jesus said Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad (John 8:56) and God’s promise to Abraham was to bless all the nations through his seed: Jesus Christ (Acts 3:25; Galatians 3:16).
Abraham is called the
father of faith and
the father of all who believe (Romans 4:16; Galatians 3:7, 9, 29) and the
blessing of Abraham comes on the Gentiles through faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:14).
Abraham was a man of faith who
obeyed and feared God (Genesis 22: 12; 26:5; Hebrews 11:8). We see also that Isaac and Jacob were men of faith who feared the Lord and obeyed him as well.
Also, the apostle Peter refers to Sarah, Abraham’s wife, as an example of
holy women, who
trusted God, by adorning themselves with a
meek and quite spirit (1 Peter 3:4-6).
Lot, Abraham’s nephew, also was
a righteous man.
In 2 Peter 2:7-10, the apostle Peter references Lot as an example of how the Lord is able to deliver
the godly out of temptations. Peter calls Lot a
just and
righteous man whom the Lord delivered from the fitly lifestyle of the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha.
We also read of others in the scriptures, who feared God, before we ever get to Moses and the Exodus of Israel from Egypt. For example the Hebrew midwives
feared God and refused to obey the King of Egypt (Exodus 1:17) and because they feared the Lord, many lives of Hebrew children were spared, and God gave the midwives familes (Exodus 1:20-21).
WHAT ABOUT JOSEPH, MOSES, JOSHUA, AND CALEB?
Joseph fled from sin when he was tempted by Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39:7-12) and forgave his brothers who betrayed him.
Moses is called
the man of God (Deuteronomy 33:1; Psalm 90:1; 1 Chronicles 23;14) and was
a very humble man (Numbers 12:3) and interceded for Israel seeking God’s forgiveness and favor (Exodus 32:11). Moses
feared the Lord (Deuteronomy 9:16-29) and was
faithful in God’s house (Numbers 12:7; Hebrews 3:5).
Furthermore, the author of Hebrews says,
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Through faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned (Hebrews 11:24-29).
Moses’ successor, Joshua, was chosen by God to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land because he was
a man who sought God, feared God, and trusted God. Also the mantle which God had placed on Moses was transferred to Joshua before he led Israel into the Promised land (Deuteronomy 31:14, 23; 34:9).
During the time of Moses we read of others like Caleb, who along with Joshua were the only 2 among the 12 spies who trusted God and because of their faith they were rewarded by God. In fact God said of the following about Caleb:
But My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed Me fully, him will I bring into the land where into he went; and his seed shall possess it (Numbers 14:24).
WHAT ABOUT PHINEHAS AND OTHERS?
We also read of Phinehas, who was of priestly descent. He was zealous for God’s holy justice and turned God’s wrath away from the children of Israel (Numbers 25:7-13) and
his zeal for God was counted as
righteousness to him and to his generations (Psalm 106:30-31). God gave to him and his descendants
a covenant of peace because he was jealous with zeal for the Lord.
Job also was
a righteous man (Ezekiel 14:14, 20). In fact the Bible says he was
perfect and upright, and one that
feared God, and
eschewed evil (Job 1:1). Job was such a godly man that God even showcased him in the face of Satan (Job 1:8). Job was God’s servant, a man
accepted by God (Job 42:7-8) and
an example of patience (James 5:10-11) and he learned that God is merciful and compassionate.
As we venture through the scriptures we read of God’s servants such as Gideon, Deborah, Ruth, Naomi, Boaz, Hannah, Samuel, Jonathan, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Nehemiah, Ezra, Esther and others who feared God, sought him, and were righteous in his sight.
and a powerful scriptural testimony
Deuteronomy 30:11–20 (LEB) — 11 “
For this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too wonderful for you, and it is not too far from you. 12 It is not in the heavens so that you might say, ‘Who will go up for us to the heavens and get it for us and cause us to hear it, so that we may do it?’ 13 And it is not beyond the sea, so that you might say, ‘Who will cross for us to the other side of the sea and take it for us and cause us to hear it, so that we may do it?’ 14
But the word is very near you, even in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may do it. 15 “See, I am setting before you today life and prosperity and death and disaster; 16 what I am commanding you today is to love Yahweh your God by going in his ways and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his regulations, and then you will live, and you will become numerous, and Yahweh your God will bless you in the land where you are going. 17 However, if your heart turns aside and you do not listen and you are lured away and you bow down to other gods and you serve them, 18 I declare to you today that you will certainly perish; you will not extend your time on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to go there to take possession of it. 19 I invoke as a witness against you today the heaven and the earth: life and death I have set before you, blessing and curse.
So choose life, so that you may live, you and your offspring, 20 by loving Yahweh your God by listening to his voice and by clinging to him, for he is your life and the length of your days in order for you to live on the land that Yahweh swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them.”
