Total Depravity

An examination of the doctrines we believe begins of necessity with the doctrine of "total depravity".

This doctrine of total depravity declares that men are dead in sin* and by inference means that mean can do nothing to please God, just as a dead corpse can do nothing or in any way cooperate with its surroundings.

The "total" aspect of the doctrine means simply that the depravity extends to every part of man's nature: his intellect, his emotions, and his will.

This does not mean that all men are equally bad, not that any man is as bad as he could be, not that any one is entirely without some virtue.

What it does mean is that since the fall, all mankind is under the curse of sin, and that they are wholly unable to love God or do anything to deserve salvation.


* Ephesians 2:1-3 "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."

John 3:19 "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."

Romans 8:7,8 "Because the carnal [natural] mind is enmity [at war] against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."