Total Depravity
Total Depravity means that sin has affected all parts of man. In the unregenerate this means that his intellect is corrupted by falsehood. His motives, speech, and character do not bring glory to God and are stained and corrupted by sin. He is spiritually dead. This doctrine does not teach that the person is as bad as they can be (utter depravity), or that they always do the worst possible thing that they could do. It does however teach that all parts and passions of the person have been touched by sin and are affected by sin. This is because we are stained by, slaves to, and dead in sin. Lastly because of this state of spiritual deadness, unregenerate man cannot come to Christ apart from a work of God. Following are scriptures that further explain the state of unregenerate man.
1. Man’s heart is evil (Mark 7:21-23) and sick (Jer. 17:9)
2. Man is a slave of sin (Rom. 6:20; John 8:34)
3. He does not seek for God (Rom. 3:10-12)
4. He cannot understand spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14)
5. He is at enmity with God and enemies of God (Eph. 2:15; Col. 1:21)
6. He is by nature a child of wrath (Eph. 2:3)
7. He hates God. (Jn. 7:7; 15:23)
8. He cannot come to God. (Jn. 1:13; 6:44,65; Rom. 9:16)
