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

Doctrine’s Beginning “Throughout history man has sought to shift the blame for his sins onto someone else’s shoulder. The ancient Babylonians spoke of man being created out of the blood of a rebel god named Kingu. Naturally such a race could not help being rebellious itself. Even before the coming of Christ the Jews were speaking of the yetser ha ra, or “evil inclination” with which all men were born” (Phil Roberts, article in Guardian of Truth January 1, 1987).

Doctrine’s Beginning “The doctrine had its beginning among Christians in the early Patristic period. Tertullian (160-220), Cyprian (200-258), and Ambrose (340-397) all taught the whole human race somehow participated not only in the consequences of Adam’s sin but in the sin itself…But it was Augustine of Hippo (commonly St. Augustine) who integrated the doctrine into a fully developed system of theology. And the writings of Augustine have shaped and influenced the thinking of professing Christianity more than the works of any other man since the time of the New Testament itself” (ibid).

Doctrine’s Beginning “Of course the most rigorous statements of the doctrines of original sin and total depravity were made by John Calvin in his Institutes of the Christian Religion [1560] (ibid). John Calvin was certainly one who popularized this doctrine (often called Calvinism). He was born in 1509 and died in 1564.

Doctrine’s Beginning John Calvin’s famous acrostic – TULIP. T – otal Deparvity U – nconditional Election L – imited Atonement I – rrestible Grace P – erseverence of the Saints

Total Hereditary Depravity Doctrine’s Beginning Logical Consequences

Logical Consequences 1) Man is unable to will or do good. “…we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil…hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation” (The Philadelphia Confession of Faith, pp. 27, 33). “And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17).

Logical Consequences “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3,4). “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13,14).

Logical Consequences 2) Man is without free-will. “Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will…” (The Philadelphia Confession of Faith, p. 33). “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

Logical Consequences “But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life” (John 5:40). “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority” (John 17:17).

Logical Consequences 3) Man is not morally responsible. “They being the root, and by God’s appointment standing in the room and stead of all mankind, the guilt of the sin was imputed, and corrupted nature conveyed, to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation, being now conceived in sin, and by nature children of wrath…” (The Philadelphia Confession of Faith, pp. 26,27).

Logical Consequences “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek” (Romans 2:5-9).

Logical Consequences 4) Makes God responsible. “Satan using the subtlety of the serpent to seduce Eve, then by her seducing Adam who, without any compulsion, did willfully transgress the law of their creation, and the command given unto them, in eating the forbidden fruit, which God was pleased, according to his wise and holy counsel to permit, having purposed to order it to his own glory” (The Philadelphia Confession of Faith, p. 26).

Logical Consequences “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).

Logical Consequences 5) Indicts the goodness of God. Did He not then punish man for doing what pleased Him and what He purposed for him to do (Gen. 3:16-19)? “Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?” (Ezekiel 18:23). “Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality” (Acts 10:34).

Logical Consequences 6)Makes an invitation foolish. “Others not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit, yet not being effectually drawn by the Father, they neither will nor can truly come to Christ, and therefore cannot be saved (The Philadelphia Confession of Faith, p. 35). “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Logical Consequences “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen” (Matthew 28:19,20). “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15,16).

Logical Consequences 7) Why exhort or rebuke? “This corruption of nature, during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated; and although it be through Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself, and the first motions thereof are truly and properly sin” (The Philadelphia Confession of Faith, p. 27). It makes the exhortation to righteous living and the rebukes for sin meaningless. Why exhort man to do what he cannot and condemn him for sin which he cannot help but commit?

Logical Consequences “For we have spent enough of our past £lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit” (1 Peter 4:3-6).

Total Hereditary Depravity Doctrine’s Beginning Logical Consequences Doctrinal Concerns

Doctrinal Consequences 1) Notice what this leads to: (a) Unconditional election and reprobation. (b) Limited atonement. (c) Irresistible grace. (d) Perseverance of the saints. (e) Illumination through direct operation of the Spirit. (f) Infant baptism. (g) The Immaculate Conception – Mary was born without the stain of the original sin.

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

Practical Consequences 1) The effects: (a) Causes a feeling of insecurity – how can I know if I’m saved? (b) Leads to passivity in obedience. (c) One will trust in his feelings for salvation. (d) Brings into question the goodness of God.

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