THE PSALM PROJECT - PSALM 3

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THE PSALM PROJECT - PSALM 2

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THE PSALM PROJECT - PSALM 1

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THE REALITY OF TOTAL DEPRAVITY

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THE REALITY OF TOTAL DEPRAVITY

            A common topic of debate is human depravity. Certain beliefs arise surrounding the topic. Human logic does not want to suggest a radically evil human race; yet, Scripture seems to point in such a direction. Why then is total depravity so difficult to admit? Perhaps, we do not want to believe we are as evil as we actually are. To truly grasp the extent of God’s mercy, however, it is imperative that we understand the full extent of our sin. We must realize the reality of total depravity.

Some Good, Mostly Good, or Completely Evil by Nature?

            Of the conflicting options surrounding total depravity, there are three possibilities: humanity possesses some good, humanity is mostly good, or humanity is completely evil by nature and possesses no good whatsoever. The view I personally believe is that humanity is completely wicked with not any good whatsoever. Someone once asked me how a loving God could send a good man from an indigenous area who has never heard the gospel to hell. My response was, “If such a person existed, God would certainly not send him to hell; the problem is that no one is good.” In fact, the question should not be why God would send anyone to hell but why he would allow anyone at all into heaven. Scripture is clear that no one is perfect; to take it further, however, Scripture also suggests the total depravity of every human in history because of the infection of sin from Adam (Rom 5:12). The issue then is not only that humans have sinned (Rom 3:23) but that humans have never done anything but sin, for sin is humanity’s nature and state apart from Christ, i.e. people spend every waking moment in sin when they do not know Christ. Paul submits that people are dead in trespasses apart form Christ (Eph 2:1), i.e. no one is drowning or sinking but completely dead in sin. To understand human nature, therefore, is not to understand humanity being somewhat good apart from Christ but equally depraved and radically sinful prior to knowing him. Contrasting human logic, people should understand that any good in this world comes only from God. Every person is evil by nature and should realize their great need of Christ.

Human Reason Insinuates at Least Some Good but Is Wrong

            Logically, people want to believe that humanity has at least some good. Biblical truth, however, contradicts such a belief by pointing to humanity’s total depravity. If humans were capable of any good, there would not be a need for Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, for people could work up the ability to save themselves. Because of sin, humanity has become utterly worthless. Paul says, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Rom 3:10-12). People may either trust their mindful logic then or trust the truth of Scripture. When reasoned, it is apparent that humanity is totally evil by nature; yet, the human brain does not want to believe such devastating news. Such news, however, should be devastating for God’s grace to be exceedingly amazing and seemingly scandalous. Often, the idea is that people fall somewhere on a sin scale between 0 and 10 when the reality is that everyone equally is a 0. From the most heinous murderer to the (seemingly) most moral philanthropist, humanity is totally and radically depraved. Without realizing the extent of human depravity, it is virtually impossible to understand and appreciate the depth of God’s grace, which is impossible to realize this side of heaven anyway. To understand the gospel is to understand total depravity, not partial depravity; thus, believing that people possess some good by nature is incorrect.

Can Someone Be a Christian without Believing in Total Depravity?

            Since Scripture promotes the view of total depravity, is it possible to be a Christian without such an understanding? In short, yes, it is possible. Nonetheless, it is an important issue to be explored and understood by all believers. As with any secondary issue, one may believe incorrectly and still be saved; yet, believing incorrectly is still just that: incorrect. To fight the draw of the human brain that insinuates a naturally good state of humankind, Christians should continuously speak the truth of the Bible into their own lives by understanding the drastic extent of the gospel: where sin was all-encompassing, salvation was impossible, and where salvation was impossible, God’s grace was imparted as the only possible saving factor.

The Difficult to Admit Reality

            The human mind and heart cannot be trusted. While we strongly want to believe that humanity is capable of good and that humans are at least partially good by nature, the fact is that Scripture teaches otherwise. Total depravity is not merely a theological concept made up by old dead men who wanted to argue; rather, the idea of total depravity is derived form Scripture. While the goodness of humanity seems logical to us, when truly reasoned with critical thinking, it is apparent that human nature is always sin, not good. No one teaches a child to sin; they just do because that is who they are. The only possible solution for total depravity is the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We must confess then that we are totally hopeless without Christ and utterly sinful. It is difficult to admit and yet the undeniable truth that humanity is radically evil. The hope, however, is that Jesus loves to forgive and loves to save. What marvelous news that Christ loves us despite our complete rejection of him so while the news of depravity is bad, the news of Christ’s forgiveness is exceedingly good.

HOW ARE CHRISTIANS FREE WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY RULES AND REGULATIONS IN SCRIPTURE?

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HOW ARE CHRISTIANS FREE WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY RULES AND REGULATIONS IN SCRIPTURE?

            The Apostle Paul instructs believers to walk by the Spirit and then suggests that the effect is a proclivity not to gratify the flesh (Gal 5:16). Many Christians see the commands of Scripture, however, as hindrances to freedom. It is often said and suggested that freedom only exists in Christ. Why then do many Christians feel enslaved rather than free? Why do biblical instructions often feel like imprisonment rather than freedom? To answer such a question, Scripture offers great reconciliation and helps believers understand what it truly means to be free.

Free from Sin

            First, Christians are free from sin. Sin, at its core, entraps, imprisons, and destroys. That is Satan’s goal; humanity is born in such a torment and does not escape except by the grace of God. When one becomes a Christian, he or she begins a process of transformation into the image of Christ (Rom 8:29). The process mentioned here is called sanctification; it is progressive, i.e. not occurring at a single moment but over time. What this means is that although Christians are free from sin, they will still sin; nonetheless, when believers sin, they are not being who they are in Christ. Human nature, however, dictates that sinful flesh battles against the spirit of Christians who are now positionally righteous and being made (not already made) actually righteous. The key to this concept is that Christians are free from sin, i.e. through the power of the Holy Spirit, believers possess the ability not to sin. To say that no one is perfect is not to claim an excuse for sin, for there is no excuse for such. Rather, believers should understand that they have been set free from the power of sin and, in Christ, contain the ability to resist it. Christians are free from sin.

Free Found in Christ

            Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit in his letter to the Galatians (Gal 5:22-23) and concludes by claiming that no law exists against such characteristics, i.e. love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Referring to these qualities as fruit implies that these are the effects of a believer, one who has been changed by Christ, i.e. Christians no longer desire to live contrary to these qualities but exhibit them. The fruit of the Spirit opposes the ways of the world, which certainly contains laws against it. To live as Christ then is truly freedom, for there is no law against it. While some may view Scripture as a text filled with rules and regulations, for Christians, the effect of being changed by Christ supernaturally exhibits alignment with such so-called regulations so that they are not regulations at all but a way of life against which there is no law. Christians, therefore, are free from the law because 1) Christ has fulfilled it and 2) the fruit of new life does not hold any law against it. Such is true freedom.

Consider Biblical Commands Not as Rules but as a Model

            Biblical commands should be considered as models rather than rules. The commands of Scripture are not rules against how to live but a model for what the Christian life should reflect. If someone is to build something and has instructions but chooses to ignore such instructions, it is likely that he or she will design something that does not function properly because it was not built properly. It is then quickly realized that the instructions were not designed to hinder the builder but to help in the proper development of the project. Scriptural commands are similar in that they are designed to reveal what the Christian life should look like. Freedom may not exist without boundaries; in the same manner, Christians are free because their lives are different and now exhibit the life of Christ, against which there is not a law and around which the believer’s life conforms.