What does total depravity mean in Reformed theology?
Answered in 2 sources
Total depravity means that every part of a person's being is affected by sin, rendering them unable to come to God without divine intervention.
In Reformed theology, total depravity refers to the comprehensive influence of sin on human nature, affecting the mind, will, and emotions. Romans 3:10-12 states that there is none righteous, no, not one, and that all have turned aside. This condition illustrates that without the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, individuals are spiritually dead and unable to seek God on their own. Ephesians 2:1 further underscores this by stating that we were dead in trespasses and sins. Therefore, the doctrine emphasizes that it is solely by God's grace that any sinner can come to faith, demonstrating the necessity of divine grace in salvation.
Commentary