Dead Men Choosing
Denying total depravity is essential to Arminian theology. If the Bible says to the Christian, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1a),” then dead means, “not utterly dead,” and certainly not destitute of spiritual power, according to the Arminian.
Pretending that dead men are alive, advances the claim that unbelievers hunger and thirst for righteousness. Further, the hungry dead are lining up to offer sacrifices of a contrite and broken spirit. How is this even tenable?
The good news is that these prevarications are not tenable. There is no need to twist the language of Scripture, nor is there any need to pervert the interpretation, of what the Scripture clearly reveals about humanity after the fall. Death is not relative. Dead men do not hunger and thirst, nor do they operate as contrite, sacrificing worshipers to our Triune God. What then is the Arminian’s motive in complicating biblical language and elevating sinful man’s will and ability to return to God?
The simple answer is the necessity to defend key points, in order to maintain their whole system. An arrow to a chink in the armor will take down the whole man. If total depravity is true, then the Arminian’s free will decisionalism crumbles. Therefore, the Arminian must defend the spiritual viability of spiritually dead men. In other words, dead men must be presented as wise decision makers.
Making good choices certainly appeals to the pride of man. When he hears that he alone controls his own eternal destiny, he feels as if he is a powerful god, which is the essence of Satan’s lie to Adam and Eve (Gen 3:5). The devil tempted them to make the choice, using an appeal to their flesh and to their reason. The Arminian’s ploy is no different.
The easiest way to refute Arminian elevation of man’s will and ability, above that of a dead man, is to start with the biblical claim to the necessity of regeneration, “You must be born again (Jn 3:3, 7).” Elsewhere, the apostle Paul uses the imagery of death and life, for this idea of regeneration. A dead man, dead in sin and dead to God, is “made alive” (Eph 2:5; Col 2:13), as he is brought into living union with Christ (Jn 15:4; 17:21; 1 Jn 4:13), and not of his own will (Jn 1:13) or works (Rom 4:5).
The unregenerate unbeliever is not in any way connected with the true and living Vine (Christ); rather, he is a dead branch on the ground (Jn 15:6; Rom 11:17–24). What more can be said of natural men? They have no love for God in their hearts (Jn 5:42). They are at enmity with God (Rom 8:7; 1 Cor 15:25; Phil 3:18; Jas 4:4). They are not seeking God (Rom 3:10–12), nor are they willing to do so (Jn 1:13). They must be saved by God’s grace, and not of their works (Eph 2:8–9), even the work of deciding to choose Jesus.
The spirit of hungering and thirsting after God and His righteousness is reserved for the “blessed” (Mt 5:6). A humble spirit before Almighty God is a gift of grace from God (Jas 4:6; 1 Pet 5:5). Grace makes the sinner acutely aware of his totally depraved position before God (Gen 6:5; Is 64:6; Jer 17:9; Rom 1:18–32; 3:10–12; 8:7; Eph 2:12).
As the knowledge of God and man becomes apparent with the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16), the sinner confesses he is a voluminous transgressor of the Law of God (Rom 3:23; 1 Jn 3:4). He is made aware, and he assents to the just judgment of God that leaves him already condemned (Jn 3:18; Rom 5:16, 18). The day of sentencing is scheduled (2 Cor 5:10; Rev 20:11). Sinners need to hear both Law and Gospel. Where grace is present, they will both repent and believe (Acts 5:31; 11:18; Phil 1:29), and where grace is not present, they will not because they cannot.
Is man so wretched? The Bible affirms, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (Gen 6:5).” The intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth up (Gen 8:21). Far from producing a contrite and broken spirit, the heart of man thinks more highly of himself that he ought (Rom 12:3). His unregenerate heart is wicked and deceitful (Jer 17:9).
From the beginning, man is conceived in sin (Ps 51:5), born as a child of wrath (Eph 2:3), prone to evil (Gen 6:5), dead in sin (Eph 2:1), a slave to sin (Jn 8:34), judged and condemned already (Jn 3:18), not right before nor seeking God (Rom 3:10–12), not willing or able to change his nature, and with no capacity to please God (Rom 8:8). He is hopeless in the world and without God (Eph 2:12).
The simplicity of the biblical doctrine of total depravity and regeneration should be celebrated. The utter futility of fallen man is certainly bad news. It is an essential doctrine, however. Bad news (Total Depravity) is far better than fake news (Arminianism).
Elevating man, in his own eyes, is very popular and very effective toward the desired result: a free will decision for Christ. Nothing produces false assurance like a manipulated confession of faith. The propagation of this false system of theology is proof positive that men do not naturally recognize their error.
Reformed preachers must maintain a high view of God’s sovereignty in salvation, and the absolute necessity of regeneration to precede and to produce repentance and faith, in God’s blessed beloved. We must also vigorously stress the truth of natural man being spiritually dead, having no spiritual power to produce any saving good.
Man is totally depraved, and the singular catalyst to transform his spiritual disposition, from death unto life, is the life-giving Holy Spirit (Jn 6:63; 1 Cor 2:15; 15:45), who is willing and working God’s good pleasure (Phil 2:13), to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21), according to His purpose in Christ Jesus (Eph 3:11), and in perfect alignment with His predetermined plan (Acts 2:23), decreed from before the foundation of the world (2 Tim 1:9). Thus, we deny the error of dead men choosing (Arminianism).
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
June 2, 2022