Total depravity of man and the necessary work of God scriptures

Scriptures regarding total inability of man and the necessary work of God in salvation

by Matt Slick | Jun 13, 2017 | Minor Groups & Issues, Molinism

This is a list of Scriptures used in these articles on Molinism. They are intended for your perusal as well as demonstrating the total depravity and the effect of total depravity on the person; namely, that such a person who is unregenerate cannot and will not ever freely choose Christ. As a result, God must intervene. But Molinism states that people can freely choose Christ even while unregenerate. This is, in my opinion, against what Scripture reveals about us. Please consider the following.

Total depravity

Gen. 6:5, “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. 8:21, “And the Lord smelled the soothing aroma; and the Lord said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth.”
Jer. 17:9, “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick. Who can understand it?”
Mark 7:21-23, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.”
John 3:19, “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.”
John 3:27, “John answered and said, ‘A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.'”
John 6:44, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 6:65, “And He was saying, ‘For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.’”
John 8:34, “Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.”
Rom. 3:10-12, “as it is written, ‘There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; 12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless. There is none who does good, there is not even one.’”
Rom. 5:6, “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”
Rom. 5:10, “For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”
Rom. 6:20, “For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.”
Rom. 8:7, “because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so.”
1 Cor. 2:14, “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”
Eph. 2:1, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins.”
Eph. 2:3, “Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”
Eph. 2:15, “by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace

Shorter Version

The unbeliever will never freely choose God in his sinfulness because the heart of the unbeliever is wicked and deceitful (Jer. 17:9) and from within his heart flows all sorts of evil (Mark 7:21-23). He is a slave of sin (Rom. 6:20), is dead in his trespasses and sins Eph. 2:1), is by nature a child of wrath (Eph. 2:3), is at enmity with God (Eph. 2:15), and cannot receive spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:14). This is why he cannot come to Christ (John 6:44; 6:65)

Jer. 17:9, “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick. Who can understand it?”
Mark 7:21-23, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.”
John 6:44, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 6:65, “And He was saying, ‘For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.’”
John 8:34, “Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.”
Rom. 3:10-12, “as it is written, ‘There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; 12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless. There is none who does good, there is not even one.’”
Rom. 6:20, “For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.”
1 Cor. 2:14, “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them (Gk, ginosko, know), because they are spiritually appraised.”
Eph. 2:1, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins.”
Eph. 2:3, “Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”
Eph. 2:15, “by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace

God’s work

John 1:12-13, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
John 6:28-29, “Therefore they said to Him, ‘What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?’ 29 Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.'”
John 6:44, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 6:65, “And He was saying, ‘For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.'”
Acts 13:48, “When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”
Romans 8:29–30, “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”
Eph. 1:4, “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love.”
Eph. 1:5, “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.”
Eph. 1:11, “also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.”
Phil. 1:29, “For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.”
2 Thess. 2:13, “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.”
2 Tim. 1:9, “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.”
2 Tim. 2:24-25, “The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, 25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth.”
1 Pet. 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Shorter Version

It is God who appoints people to believe (Acts 13:48), chooses who is to be holy and blameless (Eph. 1:4), predestines us to adoption (Eph. 1:5), calls according to His purpose (2 Tim. 1:9), chooses us for salvation (2 Thess. 2:13), grants the act of believing (Phil. 1:29), works faith in the believer (John 6:28-29), grants us repentance (2 Tim. 2:24-25), causes us to be born again (1 Pet. 1:3), makes us born again not by our will but by His will (John 1:12-13), draws people to Himself (John 6:44), grants that we come to Jesus (John 6:65), predestines us to salvation (Rom. 8:29-30), and he does all of this according to His purpose (Eph. 1:11).

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