Does the Bible teach the Doctrine of Total Depravity?

 

Cross Examination Session:  Nick Norelli

 

The following is a cross-examination session between Moses Flores and Nick Norelli concerning the doctrine of Total Depravity.  Each of the participants met in a private chat room and were given equal amounts of time to exchange questions and answers.

 

 

Nick: Question #1 - Is your belief that a man is so ruined by sin that he is completely unable to recognize anything which would resemble the light of God?

MOSES: No.  Obviously Romans 1 clearly states that even the Natural revelation of God still resounds in the mind and heart of man.

Nick: Question #2 - How does God remain absolutely just in punishing men for that which they have no ability to refrain from?

MOSES: quite simply, first there is refuting the presupposition that "responsibility is based on ability".  I don't believe this presupposition to be true at all.  I believe that our responsibility to God is based on our obligation to God as our Creator.  Thus, God's justice has never been in jeopardy in condemning men who fell in Adam.  I believe Romans 5:12-19 makes it abundantly clear that all men are guilty of sin in Adam and inherit his sinful nature even as believers inherit the righteousness of Christ by imputation thus, our responsibility to God for our sin and inability to keep the law is primarily through Adam whose corruption and sinful nature we have inherited.  As an illustration, regarding drunk driving laws...those laws punish men who are intoxicated and are driving under the influence.  They are punished.  Notice, in the principle of that law, we punish them for something beyond their ability at the moment, but hold them responsible for breaking the law.  The same with sinners in Adam.  We are punished justly because "in Adam, all sinned".

Nick: Could you elaborate on what exactly was beyond their ability at that time?

MOSES: to drive legally, that is in a non-intoxicated state.   So following the illustration, men are sinners by choice through Adam, our federal head and representative in Creation.  Thus, I believe as noted through numerous Scriptures that man does not have the ability to act against his own sinfulness because, in Adam, that is what we are by nature.

 

Nick: Could you explain your view of common grace to me, and possibly touch on how it differs from Prevenient grace?

MOSES: hmmm....well I would say that common grace is God's general benevolence on the righteous and sinner alike...His "sending rain upon the just and the unjust".  I don't believe "common grace" is related in any way to God's redemptive will.  Prevenient grace, as I theologically understand its usage, means that God's general redemptive will goes out to all, particularly those who hear the Gospel message.  When they hear the message, they receive this "grace" that "prepares them" to be able to choose, but still does not incline the will one way or another.  Man's will remains wholly "free" or to use the philosophical term, it remains with a "liberty of indifference" so that it can equally choose to believe or not to believe with no restraint or determination toward either side.