"Thus, depravity is extensive rather than intensive. Man does not sin in as many ways as possible (outwardly), nor in the worst way possible, and can even perform a certian amount of relative good, but he does sin in everything that he does. He does not do a single work that is pleasing to God." -Edwin H. Palmer
First what constitutes a sin?
Point 1: You must have true faith to please God.
Proof: Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
Proof: John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
Sub-point: Before the cross the Jews must have put thier faith in God since they were awaiting the arrival of the messiah.
Point 2: You must do all thing to His glory.
Proof: 1 Corinthians 10:31 "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
Point 3: Good is in accordance with His law
Proof: Romans 7:12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
If a man's work is not in accordance with these points that man's work is sinful and not pleasing to God.
The Heidelberg Catechism on "But what are good works?", "Only those which are done from true faith, according to the law of God, and to His glory" (Question #91)
Romans 1:29 "29 being FILLED with ALL unrighteousness"
__________________________________________
TOTAL DEPRAVITY
I. What it IS NOT
*A. Not a: Absolute depravity
**i. Gen 20; Ambimelech held back from sinning by God's power
**ii. 2 Thes 2:7; One who is at present restraining lawlessness is God.
*B. Not a: A complete absence of realative good
**i. Luke 6:33; sinners can do relatively good things.
**ii. 2 Kings 10:30; You can do things in accordance to God's law yet still lack faith and not give God glory.
II. What it is
*A. It is: Positively
**i. only and always sining
***a. Gen 6:5; 8:21; every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart being only evil continually from his youth.
***b. Jer 17:9; the heart is desperately wicked above all things.
***c. Psalm 51:5; We are concieved in pollution
***d. Romans 3:10-18; There is no one who does good.
*B. It is: Negatively
**i. total inability
***a. man cannot do the good
****(i) Matthew 7:17-18; Christ says a bad tree bears bad fruit and cannot bear good fruit.
****(ii) 1 Cor 12:3; Only by the spirit can somebody submit to Jesus as Lord.
****(iii) John 15:4-5; You cannot bear fruit apart from Christ.
****(iv) Romans 8:7-8; in the flesh you cannot please God and the carnal mind is hostile toward God and cannot be subject to God's law
***b. man cannot understand the good
****(i) Acts 16:14; only after God gave Lydia an open heart to give heed to Paul.
****(ii) Eph 4:18; understanding is darkened
****(111) 2 Cor 3:12-18; a veil over thier hearts.
****(iv) John 1:5; darkness doesn't comprehend the light.
****(v) John 8:43; They cannot understand because they are not able.
****(vi) Matthew 13:14; Hearing they will never understand.
****(vii) 1 Cor 1:18, 21; 2:4; without the spirit a man cannot understand the things of God.
***c. man cannot desire the good
****(i) Matthew 7:18 They are unable by nature.
****(ii) John 3:3; 6:44-55; 8:43; 15:4-5; They cannot and are unable.
****(iii) Ezeikiel 11:19; heart of stone
****(iv) 2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15; must be a new creation.
****(v) Col 2:13; Dead in sins.
****(vi) Eph 2:1, 5; Dead in sins.
III. What it does
*A. It gives God glory for all His work
**i. We thank Him for His grace in the giving of Christ and our faith resulting in our justification.
***a. Philippians 2:13 "for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."
***b. Philippians 1:6 "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ"
When it comes to "depravity" support comes from John Calvin, Luther, Spurgeon, Edwards, Warfield, Gerstner, Sproul, Piper, MacArthur, Brunner (and lots more) for it.
********Romans 5:10; 1 Cor 1:21; Heb 11:6; 1 Cor 2:14; Rom 14:23; John 1:13; 2 Peter 2:14; Romans 5:12-19; John 6:44; Romans 5:6; 8:7; Titus 3:3-5; Romans 7:15,18,19,21,23; Matthew 19:17; Matthew 19:26; 2 Chronicles 6:36; Genesis 8:21; Jeremiah 6:13; 8:10; 9; 25:5; 26:3; 2 Chronicles 6:36; John 3:20; Galatians 3:10; 1 John 1:8; John 8:44; Isaiah 64:6; John 5:40
www.cornerstoneorlando.org
www.heartycrymissionary.com