What If I Do Not Want To Be Totally Depraved?
Good Morning Friends,
Today’s text poses some heavy theological questions that Calvin undoubtedly used to support his view of the human condition. But as I think about the scripture and what I think I know of theology, I must wonder through the tears as I peal back the layers of the onion. What If I Do Not Want To Be Totally Depraved?
Scripture: Thus says the Lord: Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the Lord. They shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when relief comes. They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit. The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse— who can understand it? I the Lord test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.
Jeremiah 17:5-10 (NRSV)
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ He said, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ He said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'”
Luke 16:19-31 (NRSV)
Surely there is no one on earth so righteous as to do good without ever sinning.
Ecclesiastes 7: 20 (NRSV)
Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.
Luke 18:19 (NRSV)
And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
Matthew 19:17 (NRSV)
He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “I have kept all these; what do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astounded and said, “Then who can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” Then Peter said in reply, “Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.
Matthew 19.18-30 (NRSV)
Message: I think that a lot of people have a misconception regarding total depravity and what is required to enter the kingdom of God. We tend to misinterpret the term and fail to realize that we must be as little children with humble dependence on God. Total depravity does not mean that people are as evil and sinful as they can be, nor does it mean that people are without a conscience or any sense of right or wrong, nor that they can grow. Neither does it mean that people do not or cannot do things that seem to be good when viewed from a human perspective or measured against a human standard. It does not even mean that man cannot do things that seem to conform outwardly to the law of God. What the Bible does teach and what total depravity does recognize is that even the “good” things man does are tainted by sin because they are not done totally for the glory of God and out of faith in Him. That is why trying to improve oneself apart from the work of the Holy Spirit and Christ is a worthless endeavor. The nature of humans portrayed by Jeremiah presents a pretty sad view and we may not like to embrace it and yet Paul seems to echo it when he says and I paraphrase, that there is none that does good, not a one, all is as filthy rags. And yet we have hope that though our sin reaches far, God’s grace reaches infinitely farther.
Pray we realize that we cannot bring any good into this world unless we do it with God. Pray we realize that God judges the heart and that we have sick hearts. Pray we realize that we desperately need grace and healing. Pray we realize that salvation comes to us when God comes to us and we submit. Pray we not deceive ourselves. Pray we realize that we have no option but to trust and obey. Pray we are willing to turn from any and everything that would prevent us from following wholeheartedly after Jesus. Pray we are willing to come to Jesus and obey without conditions. Pray we are willing to let God reorder our lives for the glory of the only thing that is good. Pray we realize that God is an expert of taking what is bad and turning it into something that is good. Pray we are willing to trust in Jesus and surrender everything to God.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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