Total depravity is affirmed in Scripture, indicating that all humans are born sinners and unable to seek God without divine intervention, as seen in Psalm 51:5.
Total depravity is a crucial doctrine within Reformed theology, describing the condition of humanity as fundamentally sinful due to the Fall in Adam. Psalm 51:5 states, 'Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me,' illustrating that from birth, humans inherit a sinful nature. This does not imply that individuals are as evil as they could be, but that every aspect of their being—mind, will, and emotions—is affected by sin. Therefore, apart from God's grace, no one can choose to follow Him. It is only through the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit that one can come to faith, demonstrating the necessity of divine grace for salvation.
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