Total Hereditary Depravity “You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you” (Ezekiel 28:15).

“By this sin (eating the forbidden fruit, JRM) they (Adam & Eve, JRM) fell from their original righteousness and communion, with God, and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the parts and faculties of the soul and body.” “They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed; and the same death in sin, and corrupted nature, conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation.” “From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions” (Westminster Confession of Faith, Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, pp. 39,40).

Total Hereditary Depravity Doctrine’s Beginning Logical Consequences Doctrinal Concerns Practical Effect

Total Hereditary Depravity Violates the Nature of Man Violates Nature of Gospel No Access Violates the Nature of God Violates Nature of Satan

Total Hereditary Depravity Old Testament Proof Text New Testament Proof Text

Total Hereditary Depravity Must Man Sin?

Must Man Sin? 1) James describes how sin occurs. “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:13-15).

Must Man Sin? 2) We can avoid sin. “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Must Man Sin? 3) The example of Jesus. “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). “Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:3,4).

Must Man Sin? 4) We will commit an act of sin. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1 John 1:8-10). No one should use this “man must sin” as an excuse to sin!!!

Total Hereditary Depravity Must Man Sin? Is Sin Inherited?

Is Sin Inherited? 1) Son does not bear guilt of father. “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. “But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die” (Ezekiel 18:20,21).

Is Sin Inherited? 2) Must become as a little child. “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me” (Matthew 18:1-5).

Is Sin Inherited? 3) Death of David’s child. “Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me” (2 Samuel 12:21-23).

Total Hereditary Depravity Must Man Sin? Is Sin Inherited? Adam’s Sin

Consequences of Adam’s Sin 1) Penalty of physical death. “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:17). “Thou shalt become mortal and capable of dying” (Matthew Henry). “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:21,22).

Consequences of Adam’s Sin 2) Constant battle of good vs. evil. “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15). “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39).

Consequences of Adam’s Sin 3) Sentence given to woman. “To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you” (Genesis 3:16).

Consequences of Adam’s Sin 4) Physical hardship of man. “Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:17-19).

Consequences of Adam’s Sin 5) Conditions are favorable for temptation. “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:19).

Consequences of Adam’s Sin “Paul does not say how these were made sinners by the disobedience of Adam, nor how they are to be made righteous by the obedience of Christ…By his sin Adam brought about conditions that make every person subject to temptation. In this way he made sinner…Christ became obedient unto death (Phil. 2:8), and that act of obedience makes people righteous. As Adam’s disobedience did not make the many sinners without their choice, so neither does the obedience of Christ make the many righteous without their choice” (R.L. Whiteside, Commentary on Romans, pp. 125 & 125).

Total Hereditary Depravity Must Man Sin? Is Sin Inherited? Adam’s Sin

Ezekiel 33:7-9 “So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me. When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.”