In many ways the Arminian view of humanity’s total depravity is much the same as that of Calvinists (although this is not true of all Arminians since some Arminians such as some of our brothers from the Restoration movement reject total depravity). [Editor’s Note: SEA would simply say that those whose theology is Arminian other than rejecting Total Depravity are not Arminian but should be considered Semi-Pelagian, or more positively, Semi-Arminian. Provisionist is a term that has gained popularity as a positive term for the position.] However, like many Calvinists, I don’t necessarily like the term total depravity but prefer radical corruption since even Calvinists agree that few people are as evil as they can be (Hitler, Pol Pot, etc. come to mind in comparison to the little old lady who lived a good life but simply never became a disciple of Jesus). 2 Timothy 3:13 even says that evil people will go from bad to worse. How can this be if people are already as evil as they can be? Therefore, the term total depravity can be a bit misleading as to what the term actually means and implies.
For Arminius, he accepted John Calvin’s teaching on the radical corruption of Man following the Fall (Genesis 3:1-7). Arminius accepted that people are born depraved (with a dead spirit and corrupt nature after Adam; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3). Arminius accepted that due to the Fall, humanity could not obtain righteousness through works or self-efforts apart from God’s grace at work in our lives. Arminius opposed the semi-Pelagian and Pelagian teaching that people could will themselves to salvation nor did he believe in synergism (the idea that people work with God for their salvation). Arminius accepted the biblical teaching that salvation was a gracious work of God through His Son and through His Spirit and that salvation was wholly based on the completed work of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection (Acts 2:36-39; Hebrews 10:10, 14).
So let me briefly summarize Arminius’ teachings on total depravity (or radical corruption):
- People are born with a corrupt, sinful nature that inclines us toward evil and not righteousness. As Robert Piricilli writes, “As Adam and Eve were toward good before the Fall, so we are now toward sin and evil after the Fall.” Ephesians 2:1-3
- Apart from enabling grace people have no hope of salvation. Since the Fall, people no longer naturally choose to follow Jesus and obey His commandments apart from the work of the Holy Spirit (John 6:44; 16:8-11)
- There is no salvation without God’s grace and mercy at work in our lives (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7). The gospel must be preached to someone and the Holy Spirit works through the gospel message to bring a sinner to faith and repentance (Romans 1:16-17; 10:9-17; Acts 16:14-15, 30-34).
- People, left alone, will not choose to follow Jesus. No person can get saved on their own power or strength. Salvation is a supernatural work of God (John 3:3-7; 1 Peter 1:18-25).
- With a corrupted nature (radical corruption) comes total inability to save ourselves. Our sinfulness prevents us from being the perfect righteousness that God requires for us to enter heaven (Matthew 5:48). As Ray Comfort notes, “Can someone be saved apart from Jesus? Yes! If they are perfect in word, thought, and deed!” Who can claim this (Proverbs 20:9; Romans 3:10-18, 23; 1 John 1:10)?
We Arminians agree with John Wesley when he wrote,
“Though he strive with all his might, he cannot conquer; sin is mightier than he. He would fain escape; but he is so fast in prison, that he cannot go forth….Such is the freedom of his will; free only to evil; free to ‘drink iniquity like water’; to wander farther and farther from the living God, and do more ‘despite to the Spirit of grace.’”
It should be noted as I stated at the onset that not all Arminians agree with John Wesley nor James Arminius over their view of total depravity [Editor’s Note: Again, SEA would simply say that such people are not Arminians; see the previous Editor’s Note above.]; however ALL Arminians agree that people are sinful and corrupted by the Fall. Some do debate the wording “total depravity” as to what that implies (such as the salvation of infants or the mentally ill or severely handicapped). Yet all Arminians agree with Calvinists that the reason Jesus came is because we are sinners who need a Savior (Matthew 1:21). Jesus came to die for our sins (John 3:16; Galatians 1:4) to lay down His life as a ransom for ours (Mark 10:45) and to die in our place (Galatians 2:20; 1 Peter 3:18). The beauty of Isaiah 53 is that we can see ourselves guilty before God but we also see the awesome grace of God that brings our eternal salvation that comes by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18-21 NIV).
Note: Much of this material was written by myself but I drew from Picirilli’s book “Grace, Faith, Free Will” (pages 149-150).
[Link to original post and comments on Roy Ingle’s website.]
