"When Calvinists speak of man as totally depraved, they mean that man's nature is corrupt, perverse, and sinful throughout. The adjective "total" does not mean that each sinner is as totally or completely corrupt in his actions and thoughts as it is possible for him to be. Instead, the word "total" is used to indicate that the "whole" of man's being has been affected by sin. The corruption extends to every part of man, his body and soul; sin has affected all (the totality) of man's faculties - his mind, his will, etc."

"As a result of this inborn corruption, the natural man is totally unable to do anything spiritually good; thus Calvinists speak of man's "total inability." The inability intended by this terminology is spiritual inability; it means that the sinner is so spiritually bankrupt that he can do nothing pertaining to his salvation. "

"It is quite evident that many unsaved people, when judged by man's standards, do possess admirable qualities and do perform virtuous acts. But in the spiritual realm, when judged by God's standards, the unsaved sinner is incapable of good. The natural man is enslaved to sin; he is a child of Satan, rebellious toward God, blind to the truth, corrupt, and unable to save himself or to prepare himself for salvation. In short, the unsaved man is DEAD IN SIN, and his WILL IS ENSLAVED to his evil nature." (Emphasis added.), Five Points of Calvinism by David N. Steele and Curtis C. Thomas. Louisville: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1989, page 25.

If we correctly understand this first point of total inability to save oneself or prepare oneself for salvation, then we understand and appreciate all the more the need for God’s unconditional election of us, which is the second point of Calvinism.

A few Biblical descriptions of Total Depravity or Total Inability:
Romans 5:12:
"12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--"

Ephesians 2:1-3:
"1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest."

Colossians 2:13-14:
"13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."

Romans 3:10-11:
"10 as it is written,
"THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
11
THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
12
ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE." (Emphasis added by bold, italic underline)

In conclusion, this point of Calvinism is difficult for our pride to swallow. Nevertheless, we need to understand our hopeless state, repeatedly referred to in Scripture as "dead", in order to understand our desperate need for a Savior to handle all the points of salvation.

Very truly yours,

Bill Hornbeck