Total Depravity 20

Unquestionably, the Apostle Peter accurately denoted the sinful condition of fallen man in the Scriptures. However, so too did the Apostle Paul.

Paul’s Epistle to the Romans is a hallmark by the apostle concerning the sovereign grace of God and the radical depravity of man. Within the epistle are the following characteristics of man’s total depravity.

  • A Rebellious Lifestyle. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them” (Romans 1:18-19, ESV).
  • Indiscriminate Thinking. “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things” (Romans 1:20-23, ESV).
  • Desecrated Bodies. “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen” (Romans 1:24-25, ESV).
  • Decadent Delights. “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error” (Romans 1:26-27, ESV).
  • Dishonorable Thinking. “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, and insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, and ruthless. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them” (Romans 1:28-32, ESV).
  • Dead Souls. “Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed” (Romans 2:3-5, ESV).
  • Spiritual Ignorance. “As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God” (Romans 3:10-11, ESV).
  • Fallen Wills. “   All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Romans 3:12, ESV).
  • Evil Mouths. “   Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” (Romans 3:13-14, ESV).
  • Evil Behavior. “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.” (Romans 3:15-17, ESV).
  • Lack of Godly Fear. “   There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:18, ESV).