Chapter 3. TOTAL DEPRAVITY
a.
General. The Bible teaches that Adam fell from a state
of innocence when he disobeyed God. Adam's sin and fall affected all
humanity because his sin and the resulting sin nature are imputed to
all his posterity, which is the entire human family. As a result of
the fall of Adam, human nature is totally corrupt and sinful. In this
fallen state, mankind has no desire or will to recover himself from
the consequences of the fall; and even if he did have the will, he does
not have the ability to recover or change himself. In summary, all humanity
of every age is by nature totally depraved and deserving of God's eternal
wrath.
b.
Proof Scriptures. The primary proof scriptures that declare
the total depravity of all humanity include the following:
Psalms 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become
filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that
doeth good, and sinneth not.
Romans 3:9-12 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise:
for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are
all under sin; 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.
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world,
and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for all have
sinned:
Ephesians 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times
past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh
and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even
as others.
c.
Mankind's Original State. In his original state as created
by God, mankind was innocent and without sin:
Genesis 1:26-27 And God said, let us make man in our image,
after our likeness: So God created man in his own image, in the image
of God created he him; male and female created he them.
d.
Mankind's Fall. Mankind fell from his original created state
when Adam disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. It is not as important
to know what the actual sin of Adam was as it is to know that the nature
of the sin that caused the fall of all humanity was Adam's disobedience
of God!
Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, of
every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for
in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,
and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to
make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave
also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Romans 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:
e.
Consequences of The Fall. The result and consequence of Adam's
disobedience and the resulting fall of all mankind was that all mankind
is dead in trespasses and sins. In the fallen state all of mankind stands
guilty before God and deserves eternal separation and condemnation:
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.
Genesis 6:12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was
corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
Psalms 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become
filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
2 Thessalonians 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction
from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of is power;
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses
are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities,
like the wind, have taken us away.
f.
Adam and Christ. All that Adam represented when he sinned died
in Adam--this is the entire human race. All that Christ represented when
he died on the cross were saved by him and shall be born again and made
alive by the acts of God--this is God's chosen family:
1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall
all be made alive.
Romans 5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much
more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness
shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Romans 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners,
so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
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