The Doctrine of Depravity

Is it total, is it complete, is it partial? When Adam fell, did he fall completely, did he fall part of the way? Was there light in him and still some good in him when he fell, depending upon how far he fell?

Deprave (Noah Webster 1828 dictionary), v.t. [L. depravo; de and pravus, crooked, perverse, wicked.]

• To make bad or worse; to impair good qualities; to make bad qualities worse; to vitiate; to corrupt; as, to deprave manners, morals, government, laws; to deprave the heart, mind, WILL (emphasis mine), understanding, taste, principles.

• To defame; to vilify.

• o Depraved, pp. Made bad or worse; vitiated; tainted; corrupted.

• Corrupt; wicked; DESTITUTE (emphasis is mine) of holiness or good principles.

Destitute (1828)

• Not having or possessing; wanting; as destitute of virtue, or of piety; destitute of food or clothing. It differs from deprived, as it does not necessarily imply previous possession.

First, I would like to stress the importance of actually knowing the source or person from whom I am quoting. For instance, I would never use as a source someone who denies the virgin birth of Christ and also denies the verbal plenary inspiration of the scriptures.

The Bible is crystal clear as to the total depravity of man, apart from Christ. Furthermore, the flesh that is in a believer (though thank God, in Christ we are no longer OF it, Rom. 8:9) is unchangeable and totally depraved.

Where did Adam get his sin nature, when he was created in untried innocence? Of course in Gen. 3:1-6, from satan. When satan fell from his original place, how far did he fall; is there still some light and goodness of God in him? Is satan still free, roaming about free, and still operating in his own will? (Is. 14:12-15; Ez. 28:15).

God gave all the angels and Adam, and all of us the gift of free will. So, yes, it is not only possible to be totally depraved and still have a free will, but scriptural and factual.

A man can have free will and still not experience freedom (see 2 Tim. 2:24-26). If my will is not submitted to Christ, then ALL that my will attaches itself to is bondage (Col. 3:11). The very definition of sin is "not your will but mine."

Time or space does not allow me to address this fully as I desire. The Biblical truth, Ps. 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Rom. 3:23; 6:23; 7:18; Jhn. 6:63; Is. 5:20; 8:20; Lk. 18:18-19.

Also, please do not be fooled by the erroneous teaching of Quakerism, otherwise known as quietism, who privately interpret Jhn. 1:9. They teach that when man was created and now when each person is born, they were created with light in them. The clear teaching is that Christ is the Light that teaches every man about Himself, and gives those that are totally depraved the opportunity, with their will, to choose Him as their Savior.

Don't waste time getting involved in foolish and unlearned questions but avoid them, because all they lead to is strife (2 Tim. 2:23; Titus 3:9).

Proverbs 16:18 is the pride of "so-called knowledge ".