The Flawed Reasoning Of Total Depravity

[Enoch111]

It is indeed vain to look for any other reason apart from His grace for God's wondrous intervention in the lives of sinners.

God's grace extends to all mankind as is clearly shown in the Gospels. But Calvinists deny this vital truth, and claim that it only extends to some.

 

[brakelite]

When a surf life-saver sees people in difficulty in a dangerous rip, he was gracious to save just 2 of them, and leave the other 3 to die. Well, what a merciful life-saver. He is showing mercy on whom he is merciful. The 3 who drown are being judged for their stupidity for going swimming.
While the life-saver sits on the beach receiving all his glory, and the accolades of those standing by, the heart rending cries of those desperately trying to swim against the vicious current reach the shore and some ask, are you going to rescue those also? No, he says, they ought not to have cried out, or attempted to save themselves, because now I would have to share my glory with them if I rescued them. I will enjoy the praises of you all while they drown in their own attempted good works, and if any of them by some chance reach shore, I will ban them from the beach for exercising their free will, and throw them back into the surf.

 

[Titus]

The strong language of Ephesians 2 is more of an indication that it is flawed to deny human depravity.

This is why we need to rely on the grace of God, of which Ephesians 2 speaks most wondrously.

Ephesians 2:3,
Among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

I recommend everyone who believes by nature can only mean innate, go to Biblehub and study Ephesians 2:3 in the Greek.
Once you go to the word nature in Greek, look at its meanings.
You will learn that nature means by long standing habit. Not born depraved.
Paul is teaching they once conducted themselves in a degenerate lifestyle not because they are innately depraved. Paul is saying they lived as degenerates because that was the habits they developed by their freewill choice.

Look also at this verse that shows we are not born innately depraved. This is not our innate nature to be totally depraved without any ability to do good.
Ezekiel 28:15,
- You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created.Till iniquity was found in you.
Here we see no innate sinful nature. Later in life a choice is made to sin.

Main lesson to learn is when verses have the word nature. The calvinist demands it be interpreted as innate. This is not correct word definition with the word nature in scripture. The context determines the meaning. Nature has different meanings.

These gentiles had a godly nature,
Romans 2:14,
- for when gentiles who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these although not having law are a law unto themselves.

Why are gentiles by nature obeying Gods law? This is impossible if they are by nature totally depraved, totally wicked. Nature is used mostly as by the habits you develop in scripture. Therefore free will choice.

 

[Johann]

If God has not given choice to man, then all of this we live in is nothing more than God's storytime, played out live action. And what God calls depraved God initiates, if all choice remains with God.

@Kermos would disagree with you, and vehemently so, with his essays.