CLOGHER VALLEY BIBLE CLASS

THE REFORMED FAITH A STUDY IN THEOLOGY AND DOCTRINE

TULIP T otal Depravity of Man U nconditional Election L imited Atonement or Particular Redemption I rrestible Grace or Effectual Calling P erseverance of the Saints or Eternal Security

TULIP Total Depravity of Man

THE TERMINOLOGY The quality or condition of being depraved or corrupt The innate corruption of human nature due to original sin The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 3 rd Edition, 1983.

IMPACT OF TOTAL DEPRAVITY Renders man absolutely corrupt or ungodly Inherited as a result of Adams sin The corruption is initially that of the heart or the inner nature It proceeds to affect the whole being; mind, will, actions, words etc…

TOTAL DEPRAVITY AND SALVATION Man chooses that which is according to his nature, and therefore he will never choose or prefer that which is divine or spiritual, a new nature must be imparted to him; in other words, he must be born again Arthur Pink, The Sovereignty of God, Banner of Truth Trust, Page 93.

OUR DOCTRINAL STANDARDS Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell? The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adams first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature which is commonly called original sin; together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it. Westminster Standards, Shorter Catechism, Question 18.

ORIGNAL SIN Original sin is the natural sinfulness of Adams descendents, by natural generation Dr Alan Cairns, Dictionary of Theological Terms, Ambassador Emerald International, 1998, Page 258.

COMPONENTS OF ORGINAL SIN Derived from Adam, the first man. Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

COMPONENTS OF ORGINAL SIN Part of humanity from the womb. Ones environment or circumstances do not produce sin but his inherited nature. Psa 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

COMPONENTS OF ORGINAL SIN Root of all actual sins committed by humanity Mark 7:20-23 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, laciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

COMPONENTS OF ORGINAL SIN Original Guilt Romans 5:18 by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation

COMPONENTS OF ORGINAL SIN Original Pollution Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

THE DOCTRINE OF IMPUTATION Adam acted in Eden as the representative of humanity The guilt and pollution of his sin was legally transmitted to all of humanity Romans 5:19 by one mans disobedience many were made sinners

Total Depravity and Total Inability Total Inability is a consequence of Total Depravity Man may perform good socially He is incapable of any good in relation to God He has no spiritual interest whatsoever because he is a dead creature This is in spite of his natural consciousness of the existence of God, which compounds his depravity still further

Calvin on Depravity …man is so totally overwhelmed as with a deluge, that no part is free from sin: and therefore whatever proceeds from him is accounted sin; as Paul says that all the affections or thoughts of the flesh are enmity against God, and therefore death (Romans 8:6-7). Quoted in Dictionary of Theological Terms, Dr Alan Cairns, Page 256.

The Error of the Arminian Version of Depravity Error Adams pollution passed onto humanity but not his guilt. That sin is a matter of the will or the choice of the sinner. The sinner is therefore naturally capable of choosing God. Response It is illogical to suggest that there can be pollution without guilt. The sinner sins because he is a sinner as his wickedness is a matter of his heart. This is to say that the sinner has some godly life which is a denial of Pauls description of the sinner being dead in trespasses and sins.

Arthur Pink and the Sovereignty of God Chapter 5 – The Sovereignty of God and the Human Will Pink examined the human will under three headings to show that man was totally depraved

1:THE NATURE OF THE HUMAN WILL Man does not have a free will. The will is under the control of the mind The Bible teaches that the heart and not the will governs man; Proverbs 4:23, Mark 7:21 and Matthew 15:8 Hence we say that it is not the will which makes man impervious to all appeals to forsake his way, but his corrupt and evil heart (Pink)

2:THE BONDAGE OF THE HUMAN WILL The sinner is free, but free in one direction only – free to fall, free to sin, Romans 6:20. (Pink) As gravity pushes a falling object down man is pushed downward into sin by his heart. It is Gods restraining influences which prevents all men from becoming immoral or murderous. The only thing which can save men is Gods grace which lifts the sinner from his bondage which forces him down.

3:THE IMPOTENCY OF THE HUMAN WILL Pink asked the question Does it lie within the power of the sinner to yield himself up to God? He appealed to Pauls description of the sinner being dead, as a dead man cannot live so a sinner cannot come to God of his own free will.

3:THE IMPOTENCY OF THE HUMAN WILL He appealed to scriptures that emphasise the need for God to work in the sinners heart: John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him Psalm 110:3 My people shall be willing in the day of my power

3:THE IMPOTENCY OF THE HUMAN WILL The will can only be made free under the power and influence of Christ: John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed

IN SUMMARY 1:Although man is depraved he is still a responsible creature who will answer for his sins to God 2:The sinner must be urged to repent because grace changes the direction of the will 3:More than anything the sinner requires the power of God to deliver him from his depravity 4:This is fundamental doctrine vital to our understanding of the gospel and humanity

FOR NEXT TIME 1:Unconditional Election 2:Search for the Bible passages which teach election, predestination or foreknowledge. 3:Read what the Shorter Catechism has to say on the subject.