" Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the
truth, men of
depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. " 2 Tim. 3:1-9

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the term Total Depravity seeks to say that man, in his unregenerate state,
according to
how God speaks of him in Holy Scripture, is wholly incapable in and of
himself to desire
to do anything pleasing to God, as witnessed by 2 Tim. 3:1-9 and many
other passages.

Total Depravity does not seek to say that there is no ability in man to do
human good, or
even to obey to some degree the revealed Law of God contained in the whole
Bible. when
unregenerate man does something good, according to the revealed Law of
God, it's to get
glory for himself as Ps. 81:15 points out.

Total Depravity concludes, along with Holy Scripture, that man in Adam is
as bad off as he
can be as far as his relationship to God is concerned, so that the Lord
God passes the
verdict... " that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually. "
( Gen. 6:5 )

when man measures himself by man he is always able to find some good in
himself, but the
Word of God says to the contrary... " Can the Ethiopian change his skin
Or the leopard
his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil. "
Jer. 13:23

man's Total Depravity results in his total inability to discern even the
message of the
gospel as we read in Jn. 3:1-12. man is strictly in tune with the things
of this world
and is dead to the things of the Living God so that even his best efforts
are seen by God
as " filthy rags " or " menstruous cloths " as it is translated from the
original text.

man's devotion is towards filling the lusts of his flesh ( Eph. 2:1-3 ) so
that the Savior
makes known in the plainest of terms... " This is the judgment, that the
Light has come
into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for
their deeds were
evil. " ( Jn. 3:19 ) here the word " agape " translated " love " is used
signifying man's
intention of his will is towards sin and not God.

this being man's relationship towards God in his unregenerate state of
being he can not
turn to Christ so as to change his agape love of sin all the while he is
agape loving sin.
he is " of his father the devil wanting to do the desires of his father. "
( Jn. 8:44 )... he does not even understand the Word of Christ ( Jn.
8:43 ) Christ, then,
must come looking for him... so long as his name is written in the Lamb's
Book of Life.
he is otherwise appointed to perish. 1 Pet. 2:7,8; 1 Cor. 1:18

man is shut off in his fallen state from willing himself into the kingdom
of God.
( Jn. 1:12,13 ) the seed may fall on him but does not produce a single
good fruit until
and unless God intervenes; so says the parable of the Sower.

man is further said by God to be " without God, " which is translated into
English from
the Greek word " atheos, " which is where we get our word " atheist. " (
Eph. 2:12 )
man is " having no hope " as we read in the same passage... he is a
stranger and an alien
to all of the promises given by God through grace to His elect.

all of this and more that the Bible has to say about man in Adam rubs the
flesh of fleshly
man the wrong way that God recognizes no spiritual good in man whatsoever.
when asked the
question...

" Who then can be saved ? " the answer came back... " The things which are
impossible with
men are possible with God. " man's only hope is in an election based on
the grace of God.
and so enter's " Irresistible Grace, " which answer's the Gnostic's idea
of " Obstructable
Grace. "