What’s So Great about the Doctrines of Grace? Total Depravity

Beloved Kinney,

We are reading the book What’s So Great About the Doctrines of Grace? for the church- wide reading this month. I thought it would be helpful to break down each point of the doctrines of grace and explain what’s so great about them.

Perhaps you are unfamiliar with “the doctrines of grace.” That’s ok! The doctrines of grace refer to those specific teachings about salvation that were formalized during the time of the Reformation in the 1500s-1600s. The Lord raised up many men to protest the “works-based salvation” teaching of the Roman Catholic church. The Reformation was an attempt to recover what Scripture taught, mainly regarding salvation.

So the doctrines of grace are a recovery of the biblical teaching that salvation is all the work of God. These doctrines are meant to stir our joy as we are reminded of the great truth—God did it all!

Let’s briefly reflect on the first doctrine of grace: Total Depravity.

This doctrine does not mean that every person is as bad as they can possibly be. Rather, it means that, prior to salvation, every aspect of our being is tainted by sin. Moreover, it means, that apart from the saving power of the Holy Spirit, we are unable to come to God on our own.

Here’s how Romans 3:10-12 puts it, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” Ephesians 2:1 say, “You were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you once walked…”

These are descriptions of our pre-Christian state. They describe a nature unable to come to God. We could not come to Christ on our own. We were totally depraved.

Why is that doctrine amazing? It does not sound very amazing!

Get this: Knowing that you had zero ability to save yourself helps you to see how great the power of God was to save you. That’s what the doctrine of Total Depravity is supposed to do for you. It reminds you of where you would still be had God not intervened.

Where would you be had God not stepped in and changed your nature? You would be dead in your trespasses and sins. But praise be to God, he stepped in! Praise be to God, he changed your nature! Praise be to God, he did not leave you where you were. Praise be to God!

That’s the kind of response the doctrines of grace should evoke: Praise be to God! Because he did it all!

Love,
Pastor Josh