Total Depravity

The sermon presents a comprehensive exposition of the doctrine of total depravity as the foundational element of the five points of Calvinism, emphasizing that humanity, in its natural state, is utterly sinful in every aspect—mind, will, emotions, and body—due to the fall of Adam and the pervasive influence of Satan. Rooted in Scripture, particularly Ephesians 2:1–5, it argues that this condition renders all people incapable of initiating spiritual salvation, not merely morally flawed but spiritually dead and enslaved to sin, making self-redemption impossible. The sermon refutes Arminian alternatives by highlighting the logical inconsistency of claiming human ability to choose God while simultaneously acknowledging total inability, and uses historical confessions and theological figures like Augustine and Calvin to affirm that salvation is entirely God's work, initiated by grace and accomplished through the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit. It concludes with a powerful testimonial from a 19th-century revival, illustrating how the recognition of total depravity leads not to despair but to desperate dependence on God, ultimately resulting in genuine repentance and faith, thereby magnifying God's grace and glory in the entire salvation process.