Is the Calvinist idea of Total Depravity Biblical?

Dr. Randy White

 This article is part of a series of articles which will be posted on “Questioning Calvinism.”If you’ve been in the church for very long, you know that TULIP’s are not the lovely spring flowers on the Altar Table, but is the five-point foundational summary of modern Reformed Theology. TULIP is a set of assumptions that are required for Calvinism (often called Reformed Theology or the Doctrines of Grace) to hold together. Assumptions are not bad in and of themselves. I have them, and so do you. However, assumptions need to be scrupulously questioned for their Biblical fidelity.  Assumptions are the lenses through which we read the Scripture. In this series of articles, I want to question the TULIP assumptions.I’ve heard that only fools go where angels fear to tread. I know that the TULIP assumptions have been so widely taught in some circles that one would think that those who do not hold to these doctrinal summaries is in the camp of the heretics. In fact, in modern parlance, the Reformed group has successfully propagated the idea that the opposite of Calvinism is a semi-Pelagian form of Arminianism which heretically teaches that one can merit salvation from within his own resources. I think that this is patently false and blatantly deceptive. In fact, I am setting out in this series of articles to show that one can reject all five points of TULIP, as defined by Reformed Theology, and hold a completely orthodox and Biblical position.Briefly, TULIP as the five-points of Reformed Theology is this:

• Total Depravity
• Unconditional Election
• Limited Atonement
• Irresistible Grace
• Preservation of the Saints

This series of articles will cover each of these points.What is Total Depravity?Let’s begin by looking at the definition of Total Depravity. Charles Ryrie, a dispensationalist, says that Total Depravity is, “The corruption of sin extends to all men and to all parts of all men so that there is nothing within the natural man that can give him merit in God’s sight.”^{[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=“yes” overflow=“visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=“1_1” background_position=“left top” background_color=“” border_size=“” border_color=“” border_style=“solid” spacing=“yes” background_image=“” background_repeat=“no-repeat” padding=“” margin_top=“0px” margin_bottom=“0px” class=“” id=“” animation_type=“” animation_speed=“0.3” animation_direction=“left” hide_on_mobile=“no” center_content=“no” min_height=“none”][1]} Focus especially on the last phrase; “there is nothing within the natural man that can give him merit in God’s sight.” This is a non-Calvinist understanding of Total Depravity, and gives emphasis to man’s lack of righteousness or righteous ability to produce any merit for salvation.This definition of depravity, however, is not a Calvinist understanding. The Calvinist would not only believe man cannot provide righteousness for salvation, but also that the sin of Adam has rendered “natural man unable to know or obey God.”^[2]R.C. Sproul, one of the strongest proponents for Calvin’s doctrines, gives a very clear depiction of the modern Calvinist perspective when he says,“The Reformed view holds that, left to himself, no fallen person would ever choose God. Fallen people still have a free will and are able to choose what they desire. But the problem is that we have no desire for God and will not choose Christ unless first regenerated. Faith is a gift that comes out of rebirth. Only those who are elect will ever respond to the gospel in faith.  The elect do choose Christ, but only because they were first chosen by God.”^[3]Therefore, there are two opposing understanding of Total Depravity-

• The Reformed (Calvinist) position: A person’s nature is so radically corrupt that they would never choose to accept the gift of God’s grace under any circumstances outside of the regenerating work of God.
• The non-Reformed position: Every individual is a sinner with no capability of producing righteousness unto salvation.

Which is it?Romans 5:12 tells us that sin entered the world through Adam and death entered into the world through sin. While much doctrine has been built around this verse, we must limit ourselves to the basic truth that it actually provides; Adam introduced sin and sin introduced death into the world. It tells us nothing of our nature or our ability. It certainly does not tell us that man would never choose to accept God’s gift unless he was regenerated by God first.To understand what Romans 5:12 means, we simply need to look to Adam’s children.  What would their nature be? What would their spiritual abilities be? Would they be able to respond to God?  Genesis 4:1-7 gives us many answers. In these verses, Cain and Abel both understood their need to come to the Lord with sacrifice. When Cain’s sacrifice was not received by the Lord, he was given clear instruction for a renewed relationship, “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up?”  The Lord spoke to Cain about the sin which was “crouching at the door,” but Cain was told, “you must master it” (Genesis 4:7).  Just this simple look at the first children of Adam makes it look like sin and death had entered the world, but both Cain and Abel were able to respond to the Lord.Scripture is full of calls for the wicked to turn to the Lord.  Passages like Jeremiah 3:12, Ezekiel 33:11, Isaiah 55:6-7, and Acts 3:19 give just a few examples. Reading these, one must ask whether these are legitimate calls to return to God, and if those addressed are legitimately wicked. It would be hard to conclude anything other than the affirmative.Total Inability?Does the Scripture teach that, outside of God’s individual election, a person is incapable of responding positively to the Gospel? This is the Calvinist position.  It requires the supporting position that regeneration comes before faith.Ephesians 2:8-9 is often used to support the claim. This familiar passage says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9, NASB95).  Grammatically, the “that” which is “not of yourselves” must belong to salvation, not faith. Regardless, even a non-Calvinist would acknowledge faith as God’s gift for anyone who has it. The blessing of being made in God’s image with the spiritual ability to respond to the Gospel is a gift, and even the Gospel itself. The staunch Calvinist, however, would say that faith is only given by God to the elect.Scripture teaches the source of faith when it teaches, “faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17) and that the Gospel itself has “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16 ). The Gospel, as the word of God, has within it all that is necessary for response.In SummaryTotal Depravity is true and Biblical if and only if you define it as the total inability to gather any righteousness, good works, or human capability that will merit salvation or sanctification. Total Depravity is false and unbiblical if and only if you define it as the inability to respond to the Gospel without a prior conversion experience.My position: I reject the idea that any who hear the Gospel cannot respond to that Gospel.___This article is based on an online Bible study led by Dr. White. Use the viewer below to watch the studies from this series.[s3video autoplay=“false” bucket=“OnlineStudies” folder=“Calvin’s Tulip”]Dr. Randy White is Pastor of First Baptist Church of Katy and the Bible teacher on the Word for the World radio program.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_containe