TOTAL DEPRAVITY 

            Depravity is a word not found in the Bible, but the thought is there. We can see that from Ephesians 2:1-3, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. 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”.

            As we look at mankind and see his condition before he is saved, we have a problem. Man is unable within himself to do anything that is pleasing to God.  If mankind is lost and unable to do anything that is pleasing to God, how can he get to the point of even realizing that he is lost? Does not man need faith in order to have faith?

            In order to understand salvation, we need to look at what salvation is. God only has one requirement for salvation today. Salvation is by faith in the finished work of the cross. Paul tells us in Romans chapter five, verses eight and nine, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” He then said in verse twenty-three of Romans eight, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

            The answer to our sin problem is “Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” This is the answer, but how does man get to the point of knowing this? First, let us look again at the book of Romans. In Romans ten, verse fourteen, we see a need for a preacher. Paul said, “how then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” This whole process has to do with simple understanding, and nothing to do with anything more than that.

            The lost man does not understand salvation and needs to be enlightened. In First Corinthians two, verse fourteen, we read, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” This verse seems to present a very hopeless idea that man can never understand. Yet, scripture interprets scripture, and we need more information to look at. In Romans ten, verses six through eleven, we see, “But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)  Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”  Don Webb in his book entitled Basic Bible Doctrines said that, “These verses say nothing about man being unable to understand. What they do say is that with the heart man (and that is the natural man) believes unto righteousness. They further say nothing about not being able to believe.” 1

            Faith comes not only from hearing, but also from an ability to understand. The lost are able to understand the death of Christ for their sins. In Romans five, verse  twenty-one, Paul said, “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

            The message to the lost is that God loves them and he is not willing that they should go to hell. In First Timothy chapter two, verses three and four, we read, “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” The gospel is the one thing that the lost can grasp, and understand. This is the only message that we should take to the lost. Until they get past the gospel, nothing else is needed, or will even work.

  1.      Webb, Donald.  Basic Bible Doctrines, Day of Grace Ministries, Inc.,1996