the answers
Mike Abendroth
Quiz Answer Key
Total Depravity Quiz
1. f , 2. f , 3. f, 4. t, 5. t, 6. f, 7. t , 8. t , 9. t , 10. f . 11. motive, goal, rule, 12. dead, 13. at heart(or by nature), 14. truth, 15. Pelagians. 16. A, B, 17. A, B, 18. D, 19. C 20. C.
BURNING STRAW DUMMIES
by
Randy Seiver
TOTAL DEPRAVITY (INABILITY)
Straw Dummy
The doctrine of total depravity (inability) cannot
be true
because:
1. The Bible teaches that all are responsible tobelieve and repent.
2.The Bible teaches that man has a will (choice).Man is not
a robot or a puppet.
3. Every man does not act as sinfully as he is
capable ofacting.
4.Even wicked men perform acts which are
good in thesight of other people.
Real Issue
1. The Bible teaches that men, controlled by a sinful nature, are not able to believe or repent. The person who believes in free grace has no argument with the truth that sinners are are responsible. What he denies is that God requires no more than man is able to do. For instance, God requires perfect
obedience to His law from those who possess no ability or desire to obey it (Rom. 8:7). Man's inability springs from his sinful and rebellious unwillingness. He cannot (John 6:44), because he will not .
2.The Bible does teach that man has a choice and that he
acts freely in the exercise of that choice. The issue concerns
whether a person, controlled by a sinful nature, will ever
make the proper choice. The Bible teaches that man's will
is bound and controlled by his sinful nature; so that he
cannot and will not choose Christ, believe the gospel, or
forsake sin unless God, in sovereign grace, changes his
nature (John 3:19-21; 6:44; 6:65; I Cor. 1:18; 2:14;
Rom. 3:11).
3. Every man, left to himself is capable of the most heinous sins. Every man at heart is the same (Prov. 27:19) -- deceitful and desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9).
4. Men are wicked in God's sight and totally incapable of doing that which is well-pleasing to Him (Gen. 6:5; Psa. 14:1-3; Eccles. 7:20, 29; Job 15:16; Jer.
9:3; Rom. 3:10-18).
THE DOCTRINE OF TOTAL DEPRAVITY
I. Doctrine Stated: God created Adam upright and in His own image, with the freedom and ability to choose that which is good and well-pleasing in His sight. Being left to the freedom of his own will, Adam fell from this holy estate into a state of guilt and depravity. He did not act for himself alone, but being, by God's appointment, the representative head of all mankind, act in their place. Thus, Adam's guilt and depravity were imputed to all his offspring. Since all humans
are conceived in sin and are by nature the children of wrath, the entire being of every person has been so twisted that he is rendered unwilling and, therefore, incapable of pleasing God or even responding rightly to His overtures of mercy.
WHAT IS THE ISSUE IN THE DEBATE OVER TOTAL DEPRAVITY?
It is not :
whether people may do what is "good" in the sight of others.
whether people act as sinfully as they are capable of acting.
whether or not sinners have a will.
It is:
that sinners are wicked in God's sight and totally incapable of doing what is good and
well-pleasing to Him (Gen 6:5; Psa 14:1-3; Eccles. 7:20,29; Job 15:16; Jer 9:3; 17:9; Rom
3:10-18). (Good works in God's sight are those which are performed for the proper
motive—love for God, with the proper goal in view-God's glory, and according to the
proper rule or standard—God's Word.
that every person, left to himself, is capable of the most heinous of sins. At heart, every
sinful human being is the same (Prov 27:19).The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked.
that although sinners are free to choose what they please, they are bound by a sinful
nature and therefore totally incapable of choosing spiritual good over evil. By nature,
sinners are:
spiritually dead (Eph 2:1).
spiritually blind (Eph 4:17-19).
deaf (Psa 58:3-4).
hardened (Eph 4:17-19).
a rebel (Rom 8:7; Isa 53:6).
polluted (Isa 64:6).
unable to change (Jer 13:23).
unable to come to Christ (John 6:44).
unable to receive spiritual truth (1 Cor 1:18; 2:14).
that people are born sinners and must be regenerated before they can do anything that is
acceptable to God, including a proper reception of the gospel (John 3:12; Rom 8:8; 1Cor
1:18; 2:14).
that every part (intellect, emotions, will, conscience—hence total depravity) of the sinner
has been affected and is controlled by sin.
The sinners intellect is controlled by his sinful nature (Rom 3:11; Eph 4:17-18;
The sinner's emotions are controlled by his sinful nature (Rom 1:30; 3:18; Eph 4:19).
The sinner's will is controlled by his sinful nature (John 5:40).
The sinner's conscience is defiled by sin (Titus 1:15).
HISTORICALLY, BIBLE STUDENTS HAVE TAKEN ONE OF THREE POSITIONS
CONCERNING THE EFFECTS OF ADAM'S FIRST SIN ON THE HUMAN RACE AND
THE SINNER'S CONDITION AS A RESULT OF THAT SIN.
Pelagianism—Pelagians hold that neither the guilt of Adam's first sin [original sin], nor
his depraved nature has been communicated to his offspring. According to Pelagianism,
the only effect that Adam's sin has had on the race is that Adam's seed has been affected
by his bad example.
Arminianism— Arminians , like Calvinists, believe that Adam's guilt and depravity have
been transmitted to all his posterity. They believe that man in a state of sinful nature is
unable to choose good over evil. But, to this the Arminian adds the doctrine of precedent
or prevenient grace. According to Arminianism, God grants prevenient grace to all
sinners, freeing their wills to choose either to accept or reject Christ. Though Prevenient
grace seems to be similar to the Calvinistic doctrine of efficacious grace, it differs from it
in that prevenient grace, though granted to all, does not secure the voluntary compliance
of any. Articles III and IV of the Remonstrants3 state,
III. That man has not saving grace of himself, nor of the working of his own
free-will, inasmuch as in his state of apostasy and sin he can for himself and by
himself think nothing that is good—nothing, that is, truly good, such as saving faith
is, above all else. But that it is necessary that by God, in Christ and through his Holy
Spirit he be born again and renewed in understanding, affections and will and in all
his faculties, that he may be able to understand, think, will and perform what is truly
good, according to the Word of God [John xv. 5].
IV. That this grace of God is the beginning, the progress and the end of all good; so
that even the regenerate man can neither think, will nor effect any good, nor with
stand any temptation to evil, without grace (precedent (or prevenient),
awakening, following and co-operating. So that all good deeds and all movements
towards good that can be conceived in thought must be ascribed to the grace of
God in Christ. But with respect to the mode of operation, grace is not
irresistible; for it is written of many that they resisted the Holy Spirit [Acts vii and
elsewhere passim] (emphases mine).
Calvinism—Calvinists hold that every facet of a sinner's being has been detrimentally
affected by sin, so that he cannot choose good over evil or decide on his own initiative to
receive Christ as He is offered in the gospel. Only that efficacious grace which God grants
to His elect can enable sinners to respond favorably to the gospel offer.
Total Depravity Study Questions
List three common misconceptions concerning what is at issue in the discussion of the
doctrine of total depravity.
Do those who believe that people are, by nature, totally depraved believe that sinners are
unable to do those things that are good in the sight of other people?
What constitutes a "good work" in God's sight?
Is there any sin that wicked men, left to themselves, are unable to commit?
Why and in what sense is the sinner's will bound?
List nine characteristics of sinners. By nature sinners are:
Is the sinner able to come to Christ in faith apart from a special work of God's grace.
What do we mean when we say that every aspect of the sinner's being has been affected
and is controlled by sin?
List Scripture verses that show that every sinner's mind, will, emotions, and conscience
have all been affected by sin.
List , by name, the three major positions that Bible students take on the question of total
depravity.
What do each of these groups teach about total depravity?
According to Pelagianism, in what way did Adam's sin affect his offspring?
How does this differ from the views of both the Calvinist and the Arminian?
How does Arminianism explain the fact that some sinners, though born in sin and totally
depraved, willingly receive Christ as Savior and Lord?
Thanks.
Thomas Watson, "[Jesus] alone is the Prince of Preachers. He alone is the best of expositors."