Total Depravity — As Bad As You Can Be
The doctrine of total depravity is crucial for rightly understanding the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is one of the most pervasive teachings in all of Scripture. It is found throughout both the Old and New Testament, both by way of example, as well as that of express, unambiguous declaration. The natural man, in his attempt to justify himself, and establish his own righteousness, rather than submitting to God’s righteousness, will deny this doctrine vehemently. One who is still dead in sins and carnally minded will not bring his or herself to acknowledge that they are truly as bad as the Word of God declares them to be.
The All-Important Question
We have already gone over the Scriptural teaching on this subject in past articles, however today we want to address a very specific question pertaining to this important doctrine: Are men really as bad as they can be?
The reason for addressing such a question is due to the fact that many popular theologians and apologists of our day are in the habit of answering in the negative. If one searches the internet for resources on this doctrine, they will come across several different sources all claiming the same thing — that total depravity does NOT mean man is “as bad as he can be”. Here are some examples of what I came across by simply doing a search for “total depravity”, these were the first few results that popped up:
In the Reformed tradition, total depravity does not mean utter depravity. We often use the term total as a synonym for utter or for completely, so the notion of total depravity conjures up the idea that every human being is as bad as that person could possibly be. You might think of an archfiend of history such as Adolf Hitler and say there was absolutely no redeeming virtue in the man, but I suspect that he had some affection for his mother. As wicked as Hitler was, we can still conceive of ways in which he could have been even more wicked than he actually was. So the idea of total in total depravity doesn’t mean that all human beings are as wicked as they can possibly be. It means that the fall was so serious that it affects the whole person. The fallenness that captures and grips our human nature affects our bodies; that’s why we become ill and die. It affects our minds and our thinking; we still have the capacity to think, but the Bible says the mind has become darkened and weakened. The will of man is no longer in its pristine state of moral power. The will, according to the New Testament, is now in bondage. We are enslaved to the evil impulses and desires of our hearts. The body, the mind, the will, the spirit — indeed, the whole person — have been infected by the power of sin. (Source)
Here is another example:
There is a common misconception regarding total depravity. Total depravity does not mean that man is as wicked or sinful as he could be, nor does it mean that man is without a conscience or any sense of right or wrong. (Source)
And another:
The modifier total in total depravity denotes that sin affects every facet of our nature. It does not mean that sinners are as bad as they possibly can be or that any one person is as bad as he possibly can be. (Source)
As can be seen, the basic idea behind this claim is that man must not be “as bad as he can be” because God restrains man’s sin, and not everyone out there is a Hitler, and even he still had “some” outwardly moral virtues that he displayed, even though they contributed nothing to his salvation or righteousness toward God.
The first problem with this is that it confuses man’s sinfulness with the actual sins that men commit. It is certainly true that God restrains men’s sin, and that not everyone commits the same kind of outward acts of immorality. But this is not to speak on man’s depravity, only on how much man’s depravity is being restrained. The average person is just as fallen, sinful, and morally depraved as Hitler, the fact that God restrains them so that they don’t commit sin to the extent that Hitler did does not make them any less depraved.
The Biblical Witness
The Scriptures are perfectly transparent about man’s depravity and the extent of his sinfulness. One of the most well-known passages cited in favor of this truth is found in the book of Genesis, where we read of the prevalence of wickedness during the time prior to the flood:
Genesis 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Take note of the key words “every” and “only” and “continually”. EVERY imagination of the thoughts of his heart was ONLY evil CONTINUALLY. This means that evil, or sin, pervaded every thought of man, every desire of his heart and intention that he had. Not only was evil present, but only evil was present, and that continually. It was ongoing, never ending. It was not as though man woke up in the morning with evil thoughts, but occasionally had some good, god-honoring thoughts. No, the Omniscient Spirit speaking through Moses testifies that the imaginations of man’s heart were ONLY EVIL! CONTINUALLY! This is a real testimony of the effects which the fall had upon mankind. No longer is he born in the image of God, in which Adam was made, in righteousness and true holiness (Genesis 1:26–27). Now he bears the fallen, depraved image of Adam (Genesis 5:3). Genesis 6 is the illustration of this reality.
What is especially fascinating about this is the fact that our Savior, in commenting on the state of things during the days of Noah, presents a rather “normal” sounding picture of what things were like in those days:
Luke 17:26–27 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. (27) They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Most people, when thinking about the days before the flood, probably imagine a scenario where there was constant, blatant immorality going on. One probably assumes that Noah was in constant danger of even going outside of his house, since there would have be hordes of angry mobs desperately trying to kill and steal from each other, and anyone who they spotted. Yet Scripture paints a different picture for us. Our Lord intimates that they were eating and drinking, a common Scriptural phrase which denotes “making merry”, celebrating and rejoicing. They were marrying and giving in marriage, as is pointed out in Genesis 6:1–2. They were probably, by all outward accounts, living ordinary lives. This makes sense in light of the fact that Noah spent over 100 years building an ark. One would think that if angry gangs of people going around raping and pillaging everyone was a daily reality for Noah and his family, that the ark would have no chance of standing for even a day.
And yet, what saith the Spirit? That the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Those men and women, young and old, with their children and grandparents, who were eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, were all the while totally depraved. Indeed, as bad as they could be!
Many will object and argue that this text only refers to those who were alive during the antideluvian period. Such reasoning might possibly hold weight if this were the only mention of man’s depravity in all the Bible. But on the contrary, Scripture is filled on practically every page with either explicit examples demonstrating man’s depravity, or straighforward statements making clear reference to it. Even in the story of the flood, we find God Himself explicitly asserting man’s depravity after Noah had gotten off of the ark:
Genesis 8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
The imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth. It doesn’t say that man’s imaginations are sometimes evil, or partly evil and partly good. It says they are evil, period. And evil from their youth, from childhood and earliest infancy! Man is conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity (Psalm 51:5)! He is unclean, of few days, and full of trouble (Job 14:1–4)! He is estranged from the womb (Psalm 58:3; Isaiah 48:8) and foolishness (sin) is bound in his heart as a child (Proverbs 22:15)!
Coming back to our primary concern, as to whether or not man is truly as bad as he can be, the New Testament furnishes us with very clear testimony of the fact that man is utterly depraved. We find this expressly taught in John’s Gospel:
John 1:4–5 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (5) And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
The above text makes reference to our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world, a constant theme throughout the 4th Gospel. Our Lord shined forth as the true light in the midst of a darkened world during His earthly ministry, yet “the darkness comprehended it not”. What does John mean by this? To what could he possibly be referring? Put simply, “darkness” in this verse refers to people! Throughout John’s Gospel we read of Jesus Christ coming before others, speaking to them, and them not understanding Him. Such was the case in John 2, when Jesus spoke of destroying and raising the temple, in John 3 when our Lord was explaining the necessity of regeneration to Nicodemous, in John 4 when He spoke of the living water which brings everlasting life to all those who drink of it, in John 6 when He told those around them that unless they would eat His flesh and drink His blood, they had no life in them, and even in John 8 when He told them directly, “Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye will not hear my word” (John 8:43). So strong is the natural depravity of man, that John, speaking by inspiration of the Holy Ghost, can do nothing to express this reality more strongly than to simply call men darkness. He does not simply refer to them as those dwelling in darkness. He calls them darkness in contrast to the Light, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is purity, righteousness, and holiness itself, the one in whom all that is good is fully comprehended. What a stark contrast! But the 4th Gospel does not stop here, we find more explicit confirmation in the third chapter:
John 3:18–19 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (19) And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Note carefully what our Lord says to Nicodemous. Men loved darkness rather than light. He does not say that men love darkness more than light, as if there were still some remnants of love for God and the things of God left in him. No, dear reader, men loved darkness rather than, or instead of, light! Meaning he only loves darkness! So says the the Amen, the way, the truth, and the life, the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world! There is no arguing with the Son of God on this point. This truth was not only true of mankind when our Lord spoke these words, it was just as true in the antideluvian period, as stated in Genesis 6:5, and it is still just as true today. Man is as bad as he can be, he is totally and utterly depraved. There is much, much more Scriptural evidence that could be deduced, but for the sake of brevity, we will now move on to the witness of the Reformed creeds.
The Creedal and Confessional Witness
The Westminster Standards
The Reformed creeds plainly demonstrate the heterodoxical shift that has taken place within contemporary Reformed circles regarding the doctrine of total depravity. The Westminster Confession of Faith of 1646, in chapter 6 paragraph 4, plainly sets forth the doctrine of total depravity:
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
Let’s carefully consider what the Confession teaches. Firstly, man is utterly indisposed to all good. Meaning that he is utterly averse, or not inclined. Notice also, that he is not utterly indisposed to some good, but to all good. Stated negatively, the Confession teaches that man in his fallen state is not inclined towards any good. Furthermore, the Confession states that man is utterly disabled to all good. That is to say, he is utterly impaired and incapable of doing any good. Finally, the Confession also states that man is made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil. Note once again, not to “some evil”, but to all evil! How any serious Reformed theologian can articulate the doctrine of total depravity, and with a straight face, boldly proclaim that “total depravity” does NOT mean that man is “utterly depraved”, when the Westminster Confession explicitly defines it that way, is beyond this writer’s comprehension. The Westminster divines could not have possibly stated it any more strongly, and transparently.
The Larger Catechism is likewise very clear on this point:
Q. 25. Wherein consisteth the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?
A. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consisteth in the guilt of Adam’s first sin, the want of that righteousness wherein he was created, and the corruption of his nature, whereby he is utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite unto all that is spiritually good, and wholly inclined to all evil, and that continually; which is commonly called Original Sin, and from which do proceed all actual transgressions.
The Three Forms of Unity
Let us now also consider the testimony of the Three Forms of Unity. The Heidelberg Catechism, in its treatment on the fall of Adam and the results thereof, teaches the following in Q&A 8:
Q. 8. Are we then so corrupt that we are wholly incapable of doing any good, and inclined to all wickedness?
A. Indeed we are, except we are regenerated by the Spirit of God.
We find in the Catechism very similar language to that of Westminster. Indeed, given that the 3FU were written prior to the Westminster Standards, we may safely assume that the Westminster Divines borrowed much from them. The Catechism affirms that we are “indeed” wholly incapable of doing any good, and inclined to all wickedness, unless we are born again by the Spirit of God. The Catechism likewise teaches this in Q&A 60:
Q. 60. How art thou righteous before God?
A. Only by a true faith in Jesus Christ; so that, though my conscience accuse me that I have grossly transgressed all the commandments of God, and kept none of them, and am still inclined to all evil; notwithstanding, God, without any merit of mine, but only of mere grace, grants and imputes to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ; even so, as if I never had had nor committed any sin: yea, as if I had fully accomplished all that obedience which Christ has accomplished for me; inasmuch as I embrace such benefit with a believing heart
The Belgic Confession, Article 14, likewise asserts man’s utter depravity as a result of the fall:
We believe that God created man out of the dust of the earth, and made and formed him after his own image and likeness, good, righteous, and holy, capable in all things to will, agreeably to the will of God. But being in honor, he understood it not, neither knew his excellency, but willfully subjected himself to sin, and consequently to death, and the curse, giving ear to the words of the devil. For the commandment of life, which he had received, he transgressed; and by sin separated himself from God, who was his true life, having corrupted his whole nature; whereby he made himself liable to corporal and spiritual death. And being thus become wicked, perverse, and corrupt in all his ways, he hath lost all his excellent gifts, which he had received from God, and only retained a few remains thereof, which, however, are sufficient to leave man without excuse; for all the light which is in us is changed into darkness, as the Scriptures teach us, saying: The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not: where St. John calleth men darkness.
Note carefully that the Confession not only speaks to the extent of man’s depravity, namely, in his “whole nature”, but also to the degree of man’s depravity, in that he has become wicked, perverse, and corrupt in “all his ways”, and has lost “all” his excellent gifts, with only a few remains left over, such as the knowledge of God, which is sufficient to hold him accountable and to condemn him. Moreover, the Confession states that all the light which is in us has been changed into darkness, citing John 1:5. This is important because it directly refutes the notion that “total depravity” only refers to man’s whole nature being corrupt, rather than man being as depraved as he can be. The Belgic Confession expressly affirms both propositions.
The Canons of Dort are also by no means silent on this subject. Let us observe the Synod’s explication of this doctrine in Heads 3/4 Article 1:
Man was originally formed after the image of God. His understanding was adorned with a true and saving knowledge of his Creator, and of spiritual things; his heart and will were upright; all his affections pure; and the whole man was holy; but revolting from God by the instigation of the devil, and abusing the freedom of his own will, he forfeited these excellent gifts; and on the contrary entailed on himself blindness of mind, horrible darkness, vanity and perverseness of judgment, became wicked, rebellious, and obdurate in heart and will, and impure in his affections.
We may note, firstly, that the Canons, unlike the rest of the creedal statements we have looked at, do not here add the qualifiers “all”, “wholly”, utterly” etc. in their description of man’s depravity. Yet, this does not make them any less clear. What did man bring upon himself, as the result of the fall, according to the Canons? Firstly, blindness of mind. There does not need to be a qualifier here, if the Canons meant to suggest that man is not “utterly” blind, they could have added this, yet they do not. They simply state as a matter of fact, that man’s mind is blinded. Not partially blinded. In conjunction with this, man has brought upon himself horrible darkness. Of course we are here speaking of spiritual and moral blindness and darkness. Man is also said to be wicked, rebellious, and impure in his affections. Once again, there is no qualifier here. The natural man is not only “partially” impure, or “partially” blinded. Article 1 gives no hint whatsoever of there being any exceptions to this description.
Articles 2- 3 elaborates further:
Man after the fall begat children in his own likeness. A corrupt stock produced a corrupt offspring. Hence all the posterity of Adam, Christ only excepted, have derived corruption from their original parent, not by imitation, as the Pelagians of old asserted, but by the propagation of a vicious nature.
Therefore all men are conceived in sin, and by nature children of wrath, incapable of saving good, prone to evil, dead in sin, and in bondage thereto, and without the regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit, they are neither able nor willing to return to God, to reform the depravity of their nature, nor to dispose themselves to reformation.
This article is quite striking in its description. The unregenerate are not only incapable of saving good, but are prone to evil, dead in sin, and in bondage to sin. Once again, the Canons do not need to say “all evil”, simply stating that he is prone to “evil” is clear enough, especially in light of the fact that the article goes on to say that man is neither able nor willing to reform his depravity, or to dispose himself to reformation. This necessarily implies that man is utterly depraved. There is not even the slightest hint of good inclination within him. If there were, then it could not rightly be said that he has NO ability, or desire, to reform his depravity or to dispose himself aright. Positively stated, the Canons teach man is entirely disposed towards sin and the depravity of his own nature.
Lest the reader should think that the Canons are restricting their treatment of man’s depravity only to salvation and spiritual good, rather than “civil good”, Article 4 addresses this directly:
There remain, however, in man since the fall, the glimmerings of natural light, whereby he retains some knowledge of God, of natural things, and of the differences between good and evil, and discovers some regard for virtue, good order in society, and for maintaining an orderly external deportment. But so far is this light of nature from being sufficient to bring him to a saving knowledge of God, and to true conversion, that he is incapable of using it aright even in things natural and civil. Nay further, this light, such as it is, man in various ways renders wholly polluted, and holds it in unrighteousness, by doing which he becomes inexcusable before God.
It is here that we see what total depravity does not mean. Total depravity does not mean that men have no “natural light”. They have some knowledge of God’s existence, the difference between good and evil, and some regard for outward morality. However, not only can this natural light not bring a man to salvation, but man is incapable of using it aright even with regard to natural or civil good. He renders it wholly polluted by sin. So that even the outwardly moral actions of man are sinful. Indeed, even their inward regard for “virtue, good order in society, and maintaining an orderly external deportment” is wholly polluted. This is precisely because they are totally depraved. Put simply, the Canons leave no room whatsoever for the idea that man is not utterly depraved. The Canons nowhere teach that the natural man is still capable of doing truly good works in any capacity. He is incapable of even willing to reform his depraved nature!
Conclusion
As with most subjects that are discussed on this blog, much more can be said here than time will allow. My hope is that the reader who has been duped into believing this waterd-down, unbiblical and anti-confessional view of total depravity by the hypo-Calvinists of our day will take the time to prayerfully study and reconsider this most important matter. There is a flood of apostasy creeping into Reformed and Calvinistic churches and it needs to be consistantly pointed out so that God’s people can mark and avoid such errors and those who obstinately continue to promote them.
