Tripping TULIP: Part 2 Total Depravity (Total Inability)

UPDATE: Please find a huge, in-depth discussion of Total Depravity/Inability here (including a 145+ comment discussion).

Find Part 1 Here

Here’s what GraceNET has to say: The Scriptures clearly teach that the effects of sin have extended to all parts of our being, rendering us incapable of spiritual understanding and love towards God. Despite the heading of this first article, it does not indicate that all people are as wicked as they could possibly be in all areas of belief and practice. However, sin has so fully and deeply affected our lives that, spiritually speaking, we are in a totally hopeless condition, unable to do anything to get ourselves out of this fallen state.

Our natural spiritual incapacity prevents us from being able to respond by our own strength to the call of the gospel message, yet this does not remove our guilt. We choose to follow the natural inclinations of our depraved hearts because when left to ourselves that is all we want to do.

Scripture references: Ephesians 4:18; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Romans 1:30; John 15:25; Luke 19:14; John 5:40; Isaiah 5:20; Titus 1:15; Deuteronomy 32:18; Hebrews 2:1; John 12:39; John 6:44; John6:65; John 3:18.

My Initial Thoughts on TULIP’s Total Depravity: It is clear that mankind has become depraved. This happened when Adam ate of the fruit of the Tree Knowledge of Good and Evil. Gen 3 Previously mankind was in a state of innocence, but now we have gained the knowledge of good and evil. To prevent us from becoming like God in ourselves we were cast out of the Garden of Eden, and separated from the Tree of Life.

Gen 3:22-24

And Jehovah Elohim said, Behold, Man is become as one of us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he stretch out his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever...! Therefore Jehovah Elohim sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. And he drove out Man; and he set the Cherubim, and the flame of the flashing sword, toward the east of the garden of Eden, to guard the way to the tree of life.

It is absolutely apparent that sin entered the world at the moment of Adam’s first sin. This has left all men as less than perfect. We have all fallen short of the Glory of God. Therefore we cannot fellowship with Him. What fellowship does light have with darkness? None. This is why we need to be saved, because we have lost our fellowship with God.

What is not said at or of the fall of man is that mankind lost all knowledge of good, or that we can no longer see good, or ask for help, or want salvation.

My issues with the point called Total depravity is that mankind is not “totally depraved” or “totally in-able” we have both the knowledge of good, and of evil. We are able to do good things; even those without faith do good in the world. We are able to see our need for Salvation, when the Spirit convicts and convinces us as is His promised ministry to the world. Not once in Scripture are we told that man is unable to perceive God’s goodness, and our need of Him. In fact Romans 1 tells us flat out that no one is blameless because we have all seen and known the attributes of God through the revelation of Creation all around us and we have made a conscious choice not to worship God. This results in us being given over to depravity. This is the complete opposite of being so depraved that we cannot observe God.

Let’s explore the scripture references provided to support this doctrine by GraceNET:

Ephesians 4:18

This is the middle verse of Paul’s instruction to Believers that they should not walk the same way that Gentiles (those who are separate from God) walk. It does describe the unbeliever as depraved but does not indicate the person is “totally depraved” or “totally unable.” Verse 17 says that these Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind, it does not say that they have no ability to choose not to, just that they do. Thus, this verse offers no support to the doctrine of Total Depravity.

1 Corinthians 2:14

This verse clearly says that things of a Spiritual nature are spiritually discerned. However, Paul is addressing saved Christians, Verse 1, and going back to the basics with them because they have not grown and are not basing their lives on the solid foundation of the Gospel. Paul is not saying that unsaved people cannot believe the Gospel as presented, Paul is saying people who’s minds have not been transformed cannot understand the deeper things of God. He is speaking to people who are not developing in the faith and telling them why he can’t tell them the greater things of God. This is the same sort of situation we read in Hebrews 5 & 6. While this verse taken by itself and out of context appears to support the doctrine of Total depravity, when it is read in context it obviously does not.

Romans 1:30

The author obviously wanted to include more verses than just this. This verse is just some of the list of sins that Paul says God gives people over to when they reject Him. Verse 28. This section of Romans 1 is a restatement of what is established in verses 20 -21.

Rom 1:20

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

It is clear that people “know God” through Creation, but reject Him and so He gives them over to the sins they desire. Thus, this quote does not offer any support to the doctrine of Total Depravity.

John 15:25

Verse 24 says that the people had “seen” but rejected. Verse 25 says this happened so that the prophecy would be true – that people hated Him without cause.

Salvation isn’t about us loving God. We don’t love Him and then are saved because of that love. We realize our need, call on Him who is revealed in the Gospel and we are saved, then we love Him because He first loved us. This is a very common error in Calvinism. The presupposition that a person must be made good in some way for them to receive God. Romans 4 says that God justifies the “ungodly” sinner by Grace, through faith apart from works.

Since Salvation is not earned through loving God, and this section also shows that the people were able to “see” what God was doing and Who He is it offers no support to the doctrine of Total Depravity.

Luke 19:14

This verse is very much like John 15:25 same concepts apply.

John 5:40

Verse 39 shows that these people were seeking after God, but rejecting His Son. They were unwilling to come to Him for life. It is a rebuke of their unwillingness. They clearly could see Who He is because they said they would not have Him to reign over them. This just says they were unwilling, not that they were unable. Thus it offers no support to the doctrine of Total Depravity.

Isaiah 5:20

Verse 19 talks about people knowing God’s counsel. Verse 24 says that the people rejected the Law of God and despised His Word. This is rejection, not being unable to receive. Thus it offers no support to the doctrine of Total Depravity.

Titus 1:15

This just says to the unbelieving all things are impure. It says that the mind and conscience of the unbeliever are defiled. The word ‘defiled’ means “tainted” not utterly evil, or Totally Depraved. Thus this verse does not add support to the doctrine of Total Depravity.

Deuteronomy 32:18

This says the unsaved person is unmindful of Christ (The Rock). It also says that the people had “forgotten” the Father. Both of these are about not taking heed of something they know. It doesn’t speak of inability, it speaks of rejection. Thus it does not give support to the doctrine of Total Depravity.

Hebrews 2:1

This verse speaks of the salvation we have received. Of course the unbeliever has not received it… this does not mean the unbeliever is unable to receive it nor does it even suggest such a thing. Thus this verse does not give support to the doctrine of Total Depravity.

John 12:39

This is with regard to Him being Messiah the Prince, not with regard to Salvation. The Prophecy of disbelief written in Isa 53 is about the nation of Israel not receiving Messiah but instead having Him crucified. They were not prevented from believing in Him for Salvation, they were prevented from receiving their King. The reader who is not aware of the difference will say there is none. This blindness came when Israel finally rejected Him. This final rejection is found in Mat 12. Mat 13 starts with Him leaving the house and sitting by the sea. This is the beginning of Christ’s ministry to the rest of the world.

Since this blindness was specific, and intentionally imposed by God for a purpose and not the state of Humanity, and not with regard to Salvation it does not support the doctrine of Total Depravity.

John 6:44 John 6:65

John 12:32 says that Christ’s crucifixion drew all to Him. Not “of all peoples” but “all” to Him. No one can come to Salvation unless we are drawn, because we cannot come to Christ unless He has been sacrificed in our place. Propitiation and Atonement have to happen. It is true that the Spirit of God has the ministry of Convicting and Convincing people of the truth of the Gospel. God is the pursuer, not the other way around.

In my opinion these verses are the strongest case that can be made for inability. They do not speak of an inability to believe the Gospel however, but an inability to come to Christ. All men must be drawn, and all are by the truth of the Gospel. The Gospel is the “power of God unto Salvation” it is what draws.

John 3:18

This is just a restatement of the truth that if one doesn’t believe they are not going to be saved. This offers no support to the doctrine of Total Depravity.

The Doctrine of Total Depravity says that man is so evil that he cannot even see that God is good and want Him. It says that we are unable to respond to the truth of the Gospel. The logical addition to this doctrine is that people need to be regenerated (Born Again) first in order that they will be able to believe. This has a multitude of problems but I will stay away from that right now as it was not brought up in either article.

I have not even gone into the Scriptures that tell the Gospel is for all men. The verses cited as support for this doctrine fall far short of supporting, even indirectly, Total Depravity.

I have also recently spent a lot of time in Ps 107 which shows “fools” and those “in darkness” call on God and are saved.

My closing thoughts on TULIP’s Total Depravity: This is the fundamental doctrine of TULIP. This very short and simple look at this doctrine shows that it is false. The problem mankind has is not that he lakes some goodness with which to reach God, it’s that he is not perfect. Since we are not perfect, we have fallen short of the Glory of God and all our righteousness is like filthy rags. There is not perfection outside of God, as Jesus said none are “good” except God, so we cannot have fellowship with Him unless we are baptized into Him.

Please find Part 3 here.