Why is understanding total depravity important for Christians?
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Understanding total depravity highlights the necessity of God's grace for salvation and reveals our complete inability to seek Him without divine intervention.
The concept of total depravity is crucial as it teaches that every part of humanity is affected by sin, rendering individuals incapable of seeking God on their own. This doctrine illuminates the need for grace and election. If humans are dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), we cannot initiate our salvation or claim any merit. This understanding breeds humility and reliance on God, prompting us to acknowledge that all salvation work is a result of His sovereign grace rather than human effort or predisposition. Thus, recognizing total depravity underlines the beauty of grace that brings dead sinners to life.
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