By Nick Bibile
As we continue our in-depth study of the fallen nature of man, Scripture sets before us the sobering doctrine of total depravity. By depravity we mean that fallen man is corrupt, sinful, and morally ruined in every faculty of his being. This does not mean that man is as evil as he possibly could be, but that sin has affected the whole man—mind, will, affections, and conscience.
Though fallen man is physically alive, he is spiritually dead toward God (Eph. 2:1). He has no natural desire to seek God, no love for God, and no will inclined toward God. His will is not neutral; it is opposed to the will of God. Yet tragically, many unbelievers—and even many churches—reject this biblical truth.
John Calvin states:
“Man
is so enslaved by the yoke of sin that he cannot of his own nature
aspire to good, either in desire or in actual pursuit.”
(Institutes,
II.3.5)
Pelagius, a British monk, denied original sin. He taught that Adam’s sin affected only Adam, and that all mankind is born morally innocent. According to this view, man possesses full ability to choose good or evil apart from grace.
This teaching was condemned by the early church because it directly contradicts Scripture. As Augustine rightly responded:
“If Adam had not sinned, he would not have died; if he had not died, we would not have died in him.”
Semi-Pelagianism teaches that man is affected by sin but not spiritually dead—only morally sick. Man still retains the ability to cooperate with God in salvation. Grace assists, but does not determine, salvation.
This view underlies Roman Catholic theology and much of modern Protestantism. Yet both the early church and the Reformers rejected it as unbiblical.
Martin Luther wrote:
“Free
will is nothing else than a slave to sin.”
(The
Bondage of the Will)
And the Synod of Dort rightly confessed:
“All men are conceived in sin and are by nature children of wrath, incapable of any saving good.”
Scripture answers plainly:
John 2:24–25 – “But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.”
Romans 3:10–12 – “There is none righteous, no, not one… there is none that seeketh after God.”
Thomas Boston wrote:
“The heart of man is a forge of idols, and a sink of corruption.”
The natural man does not see himself as wicked or as an enemy of God. When told that he is at enmity with God, he objects: “I do not hate God; I love Him.” Yet Scripture declares that the unregenerate heart is deceitful and self-deceived.
If a man truly loved God, he would esteem God above all else, delight in His Word, and submit to His authority. Instead, fallen man treasures worldly vanities—fame, wealth, pleasure—while giving God little thought. James confronts us sharply:
James 4:4 – “Friendship of the world is enmity with God.”
John Owen observed:
“Every sin has in it a contempt of God.”
The fallen man does not reject religion; he rejects the true God. He fashions a god who tolerates sin, softens holiness, and removes judgment.
Psalm 50:21 – “Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself.”
Calvin explains:
“They figure God to be different from what he is, that they may indulge a false peace of mind… thinking of him as the patron and approver of their sins.”
Man often appears good only because God restrains his evil. When restraint is removed, the true nature of the heart is revealed.
Genesis 8:21 – “The imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.”
The account of Hazael illustrates this truth (2 Kings 8:12–13). While powerless, he appeared harmless; once given authority, his cruelty was fully exposed.
Jeremiah warns us:
Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
Many fallen men find comfort within the church—enjoying fellowship, kindness, and material benefits. Yet when trials arise or self-interest is threatened, their true heart is exposed.
Jesus warned:
“The wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest.”
Matthew Henry notes:
“Many follow Christ for loaves, but few for love.”
Scripture calls us to honest self-examination:
Jeremiah 2:23 – “How canst thou say, I am not polluted?”
Matthew 15:19 – “Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts…”
Therefore, we must come before God with broken hearts, pleading for mercy and renewal:
Psalm 51:10 – “Create in me a clean heart, O God.”
Psalm 139:23 – “Search me, O God, and know my heart.”
Psalm 51:17 – “A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
Isaiah 66:2 All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word
May the Lord grant us eyes to see our true condition, hearts that tremble at His Word, and grace to flee to Christ alone for salvation.