When we deny that the believer in Christ remains totally depraved, we are not doubting that the influence of sin remains a reality in every part of a Christian’s life: his or her thoughts, will, affections, and actions. While Christians are free of the penaltyof sin we are not free of the presence of sin in our present lives, from the bottom of our feet to the top of our heads. So what are we denying? We deny that the born again Christian remains spiritually unable, which is the point of total depravity.

This month, I want to continue in my studies of the Affirmations and Denials on the Gospel and Sanctification, which touch upon so many significant issues.  Having started with Article 1, which says thatLegalism Is a Real Problem, I move now to Article 2, The Gospel and Total Depravity.

We start with the affirmation:

We affirm that unregenerate man, being totally depraved, is unable to obey or please God unto salvation.

This affirmation is allied to a strong embrace of justification through faith alone. The problem is not that God does not accept righteous works. Paul statement that “the doers of the law will be justified” (Rom. 2:13) is true for those who keep the law perfectly, in all its points, through all their lives (see Gal. 3:10). Indeed, we have one great, shining example of justification by works in the perfect life of Jesus Christ. But if there was ever an exception that proves the rule, it was the life of Christ. For there is no other person like him, no other descendant of Adam who can be justified by his works. The reason for this is total depravity. This doctrine states that no part of fallen man is free from the crippling corruption and the condemning guilt of sin. There is nothing I might do that is not tainted by sin (Isa. 64:6). Moreover, since the effect of total depravity is the spiritual inability of the sinner (Eph. 2:1-3; 1 Cor. 2:14; Jn. 6:44), the “unregenerate man… is unable to obey or please God unto salvation.”

The doctrine of total depravity provides vital insight in our ministry to unbelievers both with respect to faith and works.  We know that unregenerate people are not able to believe by mere human persuasion but only by the supernatural power of Christ working through the life-giving Word of God (1 Pet. 1:23; Rom. 10:10). Therefore, we appeal to the non-Christian by preaching Christ, who alone is able to give them new life in order to believe and be saved. We are also not surprised at the generally downward trend of every non-Christian society. The explanation for moral decay is the corrupt nature of the totally depraved sinner and his society.

There is virtually no controversy among Reformed Christians regarding the total depravity of unbelievers. But what about believers? Are we also totally depraved? If we are, then our expectations and ministry practices toward believers will be virtually the same as they are toward unbelievers. In particular, we will teach that Christians should not expect spiritual and moral change in their lives and that Christian leaders – whether they are pastors or parents – should not harass believers by urging them to turn from their sins. Remarkably, this has been the teaching of some voices in the so-called Contemporary Grace Movement. This matter is addressed in the denial of Article 2, which rejects such teaching:

We deny that the believer, being regenerated by the Holy Spirit, remains unable to obey or please God, by grace and in Christ.

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