Total Depravity: The Necessity of Divine Grace

Devotional

Day 1: Moral Inability and Divine Intervention

The doctrine of total depravity emphasizes that humans, due to inherent corruption, lack the moral ability to choose spiritual good or convert themselves without divine intervention. This inability is not about making choices but about the deep-seated corruption that affects our desires and inclinations. The Westminster Confession of Faith articulates that humanity, through the fall, has wholly lost the ability to will any spiritual good necessary for salvation. This loss is not about the ability to make choices but about the moral inability to choose spiritual good or convert oneself. The crux of total depravity is the concept of moral inability, which suggests that humans cannot, by their own strength, turn to God or embrace spiritual good. [03:15]

Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV): "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind."

Reflection: Consider an area in your life where you feel spiritually powerless. How can you invite God's intervention to transform your desires in this area today?

Day 2: Sola Gratia: The Necessity of Grace Alone

Augustine's emphasis on Sola Gratia underscores the necessity of God's grace alone for salvation. The fall has left humanity in a state where only God's sovereign grace can change the heart and bring about faith. Augustine's view, which was later revived during the Reformation, posits that only God's grace can change the human heart. This stands in contrast to Pelagius, who argued that humans could achieve perfection without divine aid, and semi-Pelagianism, which acknowledges the necessity of grace but also posits a residual human ability to cooperate with it. [07:14]

Titus 3:4-7 (ESV): "But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you tried to earn God's favor through your actions. How can you rest in the assurance of His grace alone today?

Day 3: The Spirit Gives Life

Jesus' teaching in John 6:63 reveals that the Spirit gives life, and the flesh profits nothing. This highlights the inherent inability of humans to come to Christ without the Father's enabling grace, emphasizing the necessity of divine initiative. The inability to come to Christ is not due to a lack of permission but a lack of power, underscoring the necessity of God's enabling grace. [10:33]

2 Corinthians 3:5-6 (ESV): "Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

Reflection: In what ways do you rely on your own strength rather than the Spirit's power? How can you seek the Spirit's life-giving presence in your daily walk with Christ?

Day 4: True Freedom Through Transformed Desires

True freedom is not merely the ability to choose according to our desires but the transformation of those desires by God's grace. Until God changes our hearts, we remain in moral bondage, unable to love the good or choose Christ. The doctrine of total depravity teaches that we are slaves to our desires, which are inherently opposed to God. It is only through the Spirit's work that we are liberated and brought to faith, illustrating the profound depth of human corruption and the necessity of divine grace for salvation. [20:11]

Galatians 5:16-17 (ESV): "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."

Reflection: Identify a desire in your life that conflicts with God's will. How can you invite the Holy Spirit to transform this desire into one that aligns with His purposes?

Day 5: Liberation Through the Spirit's Work

The doctrine of total depravity teaches that we are slaves to our own desires, which are inherently opposed to God. It is only through the Spirit's work that we are liberated and brought to faith, illustrating the profound depth of human corruption and the necessity of divine grace for salvation. Augustine and the Reformers emphasized Sola Gratia, or grace alone, asserting that the fall has rendered humans incapable of coming to God without divine intervention. This divine initiative is necessary for spiritual rebirth, where God, through His sovereign grace, breathes new life into the soul, enabling faith. [21:39]

Romans 6:17-18 (ESV): "But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness."

Reflection: Reflect on an area where you feel spiritually enslaved. How can you seek the Spirit's liberation and embrace the freedom found in Christ today?

Sermon Summary

The doctrine of total depravity, often encapsulated in the T of TULIP, brings us into the heart of the debate over free will. This discussion is deeply rooted in the relationship between God's sovereignty and human responsibility, as well as the impact of the fall and original sin on human freedom. The Westminster Confession of Faith articulates that humanity, through the fall, has wholly lost the ability to will any spiritual good necessary for salvation. This loss is not about the ability to make choices but about the moral inability to choose spiritual good or convert oneself.

The crux of total depravity is the concept of moral inability, which suggests that humans cannot, by their own strength, turn to God or embrace spiritual good. Augustine's view, which was later revived during the Reformation, posits that only God's grace can change the human heart. This stands in contrast to Pelagius, who argued that humans could achieve perfection without divine aid, and semi-Pelagianism, which acknowledges the necessity of grace but also posits a residual human ability to cooperate with it.

Augustine and the Reformers emphasized Sola Gratia, or grace alone, asserting that the fall has rendered humans incapable of coming to God without divine intervention. This divine initiative is necessary for spiritual rebirth, where God, through His sovereign grace, breathes new life into the soul, enabling faith. Jesus' words in John 6:63 highlight this truth, stating that the Spirit gives life, and the flesh profits nothing. The inability to come to Christ is not due to a lack of permission but a lack of power, underscoring the necessity of God's enabling grace.

The doctrine of total depravity teaches that we are slaves to our desires, which are inherently opposed to God. True freedom, then, is not the ability to choose according to our desires but the transformation of those desires by God's grace. Until God intervenes, we remain in moral bondage, unable to love the good or choose Christ. It is only through the Spirit's work that we are liberated and brought to faith, illustrating the profound depth of human corruption and the necessity of divine grace for salvation.

Key Takeaways

1. The doctrine of total depravity highlights the moral inability of humans to choose spiritual good or convert themselves without divine intervention. This inability is not about making choices but about the inherent corruption that affects our desires and inclinations. [03:15]
2. Augustine's emphasis on Sola Gratia underscores the necessity of God's grace alone for salvation. The fall has left humanity in a state where only God's sovereign grace can change the heart and bring about faith. [07:14]
3. Jesus' teaching in John 6:63 reveals that the Spirit gives life, and the flesh profits nothing. This highlights the inherent inability of humans to come to Christ without the Father's enabling grace, emphasizing the necessity of divine initiative. [10:33]
4. True freedom is not merely the ability to choose according to our desires but the transformation of those desires by God's grace. Until God changes our hearts, we remain in moral bondage, unable to love the good or choose Christ. [20:11]
5. The doctrine of total depravity teaches that we are slaves to our own desires, which are inherently opposed to God. It is only through the Spirit's work that we are liberated and brought to faith, illustrating the profound depth of human corruption and the necessity of divine grace for salvation. [21:39]
** [21:39]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:44] - Introduction to Free Will Debate
[01:27] - The Fall and Human Freedom
[02:18] - Westminster Confession on Human Will
[03:15] - Moral Inability Explained
[04:08] - Pelagius vs. Augustine
[04:56] - Semi-Pelagianism and Human Will
[05:45] - Grace and Human Decision
[06:27] - Necessity of Grace
[07:14] - Sola Gratia: Grace Alone
[08:10] - Divine Initiative in Salvation
[09:07] - Monergistic Regeneration
[10:33] - Jesus on Spirit and Flesh
[11:26] - Nicodemus and Spiritual Rebirth
[12:10] - Flesh vs. Spirit Struggle
[13:30] - Luther's Bondage of the Will
[15:07] - Universal Inability to Come to Christ
[17:17] - The Necessity of Divine Enablement
[18:44] - God's Role in Salvation
[19:29] - Freedom and Moral Bondage
[20:45] - Transformation by God's Grace
[21:39] - Spiritual Resurrection and Faith
[22:27] - Conclusion on Total Depravity

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Doctrine of Total Depravity

Bible Reading:

John 6:63 - "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life."
John 6:65 - "And He said, 'Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.'"
Romans 8:7-8 - "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

Observation Questions:

According to John 6:63, what role does the Spirit play in giving life, and how does this relate to the flesh? [10:33]
What does Jesus mean when He says that no one can come to Him unless it is granted by the Father, as stated in John 6:65? [18:44]
How does the Westminster Confession of Faith describe the impact of the fall on human will and spiritual ability? [02:18]
What is the difference between Pelagius' and Augustine's views on the necessity of grace for salvation? [04:08]

Interpretation Questions:

How does the concept of moral inability challenge the common understanding of free will in the context of salvation? [03:15]
In what ways does Augustine's doctrine of Sola Gratia emphasize the necessity of divine grace for spiritual rebirth? [07:14]
How does the struggle between flesh and Spirit, as described in Romans 8:7-8, illustrate the human condition before and after conversion?
What implications does the doctrine of total depravity have for understanding human desires and inclinations in relation to God? [20:45]

Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you felt unable to choose spiritual good. How does understanding moral inability change your perspective on that experience? [03:15]
How can you rely more on God's grace in your daily life, knowing that true freedom comes from the transformation of desires by His Spirit? [20:11]
In what ways can you be more aware of the Spirit's work in your life, especially in moments of spiritual struggle or doubt? [12:10]
How can you cultivate a deeper dependence on God's grace, rather than your own efforts, in your spiritual journey? [09:50]
Identify an area in your life where you feel in moral bondage. What steps can you take to invite God's transformative grace into that area? [21:39]
How can you encourage others in your community to understand and embrace the necessity of divine grace for spiritual growth and salvation? [07:14]
Consider a specific desire or inclination that opposes God's will. How can you pray for and seek the Spirit's intervention to transform that desire? [20:45]

Sermon Clips

"When we get to the concern of the doctrine of total depravity or the T in TULIP invariably we are catapulted into the arena of the debate over free will. In fact, the historic controversy over the degree of original sin that infects us really focuses on that question of free will." [00:00:13]

"Man by his fall into a state of sin hath wholly--that's w-h-o-l-l-y--hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation. So as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good and dead in sin is not able by his own strength to convert himself or to prepare himself thereunto." [00:01:56]

"Now what this confession is saying points to the radical character of this doctrine in that it affirms that man's freedom in a certain area has been wholly or completely lost by the fall; not that man has completely lost his power of choosing or of making decisions but his moral power to do certain things has been completely lost." [00:02:45]

"Augustine was saying that the fall is so profound and that the power of sin is so strong in the human heart that only God, by His grace and by His grace alone, can change the disposition of the human soul to bring that person to faith." [00:07:24]

"God works unilaterally, monergistically, independently, and sovereignly by changing the soul of the sinner by rescuing that sinner from the prison house of moral bondage by which he is by nature dead in sin and trespasses and in that state of spiritual death is morally unable to resurrect himself." [00:08:48]

"Jesus makes the somewhat astonishing statement. He says in verse 63, 'It is the Spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are Spirit and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe for Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe and who would betray Him.'" [00:10:37]

"Until the Holy Spirit changes your life all you are is flesh. This is what Jesus is saying to Nicodemus. In your natural birth, in your natural state, you were born in the state of sarx or the Biblical concept of flesh in this fallen condition where the desires of your heart are only wicked continuously." [00:12:26]

"Not only are we free in the sense that we choose according to our desires, but we cannot not be free at that point. We not only may choose what we want, but the only kind of a choice that is a real choice is the choice that is made according to what you want." [00:20:03]

"We are all still free people in the sense that we can do what we want, but that's not the royal liberty of which the New Testament speaks. It doesn't address the problem of moral bondage. And what original sin teaches in the doctrine of moral inability found under the rubric of total depravity means that we are slaves to our own desires." [00:20:27]

"By nature we have no desire for Christ or for the things of God. And so we freely reject Him insofar as we choose what we want, and what we don't want is Him--unless God changes the desire of the heart. You see, that's why it's not called natural inability. It's called moral inability." [00:20:54]

"God has to intervene, and in His grace He must rescue us from spiritual death and the other metaphor spiritual bondage. He has to give us the gift of faith by creating a spiritual resurrection in the heart and in the soul." [00:21:39]

"Until we're born of the Spirit we are flesh, and the only way we can ever come to faith is that if God in His grace and His grace alone liberates us by causing us to be born a second time by the creative power of the Holy Ghost." [00:22:18]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?

Total Depravity: The Necessity of Divine Grace

Devotional

Day 1: Moral Inability and Divine Intervention

Day 2: Sola Gratia: The Necessity of Grace Alone

Day 3: The Spirit Gives Life

Day 4: True Freedom Through Transformed Desires

Day 5: Liberation Through the Spirit's Work

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Total Depravity: The Necessity of Divine Grace

Share