Total Depravity and Salvation: To God, or Man Be the Glory?

A proper understanding of sin is a prerequisite to good theology, and it is my belief that the doctrine of total depravity delivers that proper understanding. It is the necessary foundation upon which to build a proper Christian worldview.

Total depravity asserts that man’s fall in the Garden had devastating implications for humanity (i.e., man’s nature was polluted and fellowship with God was broken). It proposes that man is now born into sin, lost, at enmity with God, and incapable of returning to God until God alone acts in a saving way.

There are profound implications regarding this doctrine that are especially crucial in relation to salvation. A Christian’s belief regarding total depravity could wholly shape his evangelistic methodology and outlook. 

If, as the proponents of total depravity (i.e., me) claim, man does not have the ability to come to God in his own strength, then the church should obviously avoid tactics, programs, presentations, and methods that attempt to solicit or woo the sinner into accepting Christ. The focus of the church should be directed towards faithfully presenting the gospel message and making disciples, all the while realizing that God will save whomever he wishes. Any effort to manipulate the sinner (e.g., high pressure altar calls) would therefore be deemed inappropriate.

In contrast, if total depravity is a false premise and man does have within himself a spark that can be fanned into a flame for Christ through preaching and evangelism, if “unsaved persons can hear, understand the gospel, and believe it to be regenerated,” (Gieseler) - apart from the work of God -  then any strategy that could potentially awaken one’s desire to be born-again should be implemented. "Dust those tracts off boys, and clip on those ties because we are going soul-winning!"

As you can see, adherence or dismissal of this doctrine will greatly influence a church’s mission statement.

At the end of the day, the question to ask is, who is responsible for salvation - God or man? 

Can we really play a part in saving someone or even ourselves?

I contend that Scripture reveals to us a God who alone can awaken those who are spiritually dead; he is solely responsible for saving whomever he wishes. Our methods then, if not accompanied by the Holy Spirit of God, are futile.

Therefore, one is not regenerated by revival meeting, altar call, slick presentation, cool pastor in torn jeans, or door-to-door soul-winners, but by the Spirit says the Lord.

This does not mean we should abandon evangelism (see Matt 28), but rather, we should understand where the credit for salvation should be directed - Soli Deo Gloria.