Calvinism: Total Depravity

The first point of Calvinism is summarized by the Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics as:

When Calvinists speak of humans as "totally depraved," they are making an extensive, rather than an intensive statement. The effect of the fall upon man is that sin has extended to every part of his personality—his thinking, his emotions, and his will. Not necessarily that he is intensely sinful, but that sin has extended to his entire being.

The unregenerate (unsaved) man is dead in his sins (Romans 5:12). Without the power of the Holy Spirit, the natural man is blind and deaf to the message of the gospel (Mark 4:11). This is why Total Depravity has also been called "Total Inability." The man without a knowledge of God will never come to this knowledge without God's making him alive through Christ (Ephesians 2:1-5).⁷⁹

This first point, Total Depravity, is close to being accurate; however, it is flawed. We agree that none are eligible for election (salvation) based on their own merits or works. "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one ... For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:10, 23). But now, "by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). Total depravity, however, means that we have no hope—no choice—that indeed we are "intensely sinful" like Satan and a third of the angels that are forever evil: "reserved in everlasting chains under darkness" (Jude 1:6). And if we are indeed totally depraved, why does God tell us: "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them" (Deuteronomy 30:19-20). Hmmm, it seems we do have choice; the same choice Adam and Eve had in the garden of Eden once presented with good and evil as defined by God. Hence, if good and evil as defined by God is not presented, "sin is not imputed when there is no law" (Romans 5:13).

But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. ... Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. (Ezekiel 18:21-22, 28)

Even John Calvin asserts that "In every age there have been some who, under the guidance of nature, were all their lives devoted to virtue. It is of no consequence, that many blots may be detected in their conduct; by the mere study of virtue, they evinced that there was somewhat of purity in their nature. The value which virtues of this kind have in the sight of God will be considered more fully when we treat of the merit of works. Meanwhile however, it will be proper to consider it in this place also, in so far as necessary for the exposition of the subject in hand. Such examples, then, seem to warn us against supposing that the nature of man is utterly vicious, since, under its guidance, some have not only excelled in illustrious deeds, but conducted themselves most honourably through the whole course of their lives."⁸⁰ Of note are all the men and women before Jesus that served the Lord faithfully in the Old Testament. Were they totally depraved or could they attain unto righteousness? What of men like Enoch, who walked with God (Genesis 5:22-24), Noah, a just man and perfect (Genesis 6:9), Job, a perfect and an upright man (Job 1:8; Job 2:3), and Abraham? Let us examine Abraham: "For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (Romans 4:3). What? This "totally depraved" man without Christ attained unto righteousness? How could this be? How could he—Abraham believed God—choose? How could this totally depraved man be "called the Friend of God" (James 2:23)? Paul, the apostle, examines this very issue in Romans Chapter 7:

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (Romans 7:18-23)

John Calvin erroneously believed that man is comprised of a body and soul instead of a body, soul and spirit (see "We are spirits?"). His logic, therefore, follows that since man's heart is synonymous with his soul, and that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9), he concludes that man's soul is totally depraved. When Solomon, however, talked about the death of man—"man goeth to his long home," he also stated that "the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it" (Ecclesiastes 12:7). That is, the soul goes to its long home, the body returns to the earth, and the spirit (the breath of life) returns to God. Paul further illuminates this in the verses above from Romans chapter 7. We have a dichotomy: our flesh is indeed totally depraved; however, our soul is simply depraved—we can win the war for our souls. Even though the heart (the spirit) before it is regenerated is indeed desperately wicked, God gives us a new spirit imbued with his holy Spirit (see "Born Again"). What's more, God opens a path for us to walk: "Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance" (Acts 2:28; Psalm 16:11). "Thy word have I hid in mine heart [(my new spirit)], that I might not sin against thee" (Psalm 119:11). There is a war going on between our flesh and our soul. "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin" (Romans 7:24-25). "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. ... Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Romans 8:5, 12-13). Thus, whether a person lived before the law, in the law, or in Christ (after the law), God examines their heart (spirit), not their flesh. "I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings" (Jeremiah 17:10).

For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another) (Romans 2:12-15)

As with all good ploys of deception, some truth at the beginning helps to build confidence in the "mark" (victim) for the "con man." We see Satan utilizing this in the Garden of Eden and also in the wilderness with Jesus: "And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone" (Matthew 4:6). This "confidence game" of Calvinism is no exception: this first point is relatively accurate and is meant to validate and ground the rest of his points. "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen" (1 Timothy 6:20-21).

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