Total Depravity

Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. - Psalms 51:5 NIV

Starting points are so important. And so we stand at yet another one. As much as we wish at times that time would stand still, that our children remain children, that their cuteness and innocence be preserved forever, they will continue to grow and press on to maturity. Each school year is a recognition of life and growth pushing us on into new territory where we have not been before. As you prepare to lay down another large stone in your children’s lives, I pray you may be at peace with that and that we all may be equal to the task. We are moving on. God help us. Amen.

Another starting point that matters in a huge way is our concept of human nature. We start from a viewpoint that says that all of us have sinned and have gone astray. There is none perfect, no not one. Romans tells us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We believe in the absolute necessity of regeneration by the Holy Spirit for Salvation because of the exceeding sinfulness of human nature. This comes straight from our statement of faith. It is known as the doctrine of total depravity; that man in his natural state is totally depraved. This language may be frightening but simply means that our natural bent, our original condition upon birth, is sinful. We are inclined from birth to selfishness, slothfulness, deceit, and defensiveness, among other things.

Our founding fathers, acting from a Christian consensus, believed this and so created a Constitution that did not entrust power to any one person or branch of government. This is the foundation of our system of checks and balances. The French Revolution fell sway to another way of thinking; that man in his natural condition was good, but that man’s weakness and corruption was due to society and all the damage it inflicted upon the young from birth. Rousseau and others popularized this viewpoint and attempted to build systems of government upon it. They failed. Ours is still here, though this optimistic viewpoint of the nature of man keeps returning in the wishful minds of people who are extremely uncomfortable with the whole concept of sin.

I spoke last week about the travails of our public school system. I believe what we are witnessing is an attempt to bring about a system that will produce upon command students that will learn, absorb, and graduate. Failure is not an option. It must be the system that is wrong: not the student or the home from which they came.

It has been said that never was there more evidence for any Christian doctrine than the natural depravity of man, but never was there a Christian doctrine that was more unpopular and despised. We love your children and think they are sweet, but we also believe that they will require training and discipline to develop the potential within them. Their natural bent is not to be studious or organized or even respectful of those who wish to teach them. This may be a dour perspective, but it is a huge advantage in beginning any educational adventure because it happens to coincide with reality. We enter this arena of struggle full knowing that it is an uphill fight from the start. In order to win it, we must be armed not only with God’s love which sees the potential in each life but also the rod of truth, the word of God, which is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit…a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb. 4:12). Add in the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit and you have a potent mix for success. Marshalling these, we have a great starting point for a great year.