Total Depravity Vs. Utter Depravity and Why It Matters for Evangelism

I am not opposed to theological categories. They can often be very helpful to describe your biblical position--or at least provide a starting point. Granted--when I tell someone I'm "reformed" regarding salvation or "baptist" regarding believers baptism  or "continuationist" regarding the work of the Holy Spirit--I am eager to describe what I mean by that--and hopefully point people to the Bible in my defense and not contemporary teachers or famous dead ones.

But some theological language isn't always helpful. I feel this way about the concept of "total depravity." Generally speaking this doctrine is intended to communicate what the Bible describes as the far-reaching effects of sin--or the pervasiveness of sin. This maintains that the original sin of Adam has a cosmic effect touching everything and every person--right down to the conflicts of desires. In other words--the depravity of sin is total--everywhere and everyone--no exceptions. I believe the Bible teaches this.

However, the truth of the "total" effect of sin is sometimes mistakenly understood as "utter depravity." This would mean not only is the depravity of sin pervasive--touching everything--but that it touches everything equally--in the worst possible way. In total depravity all men are bad. In utter depravity all men are as bad as they possibly could be. I don't believe the Bible teaches this.

What's wrong with that? 

Well. A lot. But essentially, the problem with affirming the utter depravity of man is that you must deny certain aspects of God's grace. Utter or absolute depravity denies the grace of God's active goodness toward man and in man--restraining the effects of sin in a thousand ways--and revealing his glory to those he created. It assumes no difference between wickedness in seed form--from wickedness actualized and freely committed by those who reject God's constant goodness toward them. To be utterly depraved means not only that all men choose sin, but that all men freely choose sin equally--and in the same measure.

Utter depravity tends to deny that men are still created in the image of God. That the pinnacles of God's creation--made just a little lower than the angels--are greatly flawed because of sin--but are nevertheless glorious and endowed with enormous potential for good. It can even deny God's loving posture to pour out protection, comfort, and revelation on all men "day after day" (Ps. 19:2). It forgets that God's plan was not to destroy an utterly depraved people when they sinned, but to send his Son into his creation to restore the broken image of God in man.

Why does this matter in terms of evangelism? 

In his book The Celtic Way of Evangelism: How Christianity Can Reach the West...Again, George Hunter describes Celtic Christianity as having an "optimism about human nature...[seeing people] created in God's image...only a little lower than the angels and are crowned with glory and honor." Celtic Christianity viewed "human nature not as being radically tainted by sin and evil, intrinsically corrupt and degenerate, but as imprinted with the image of God, full of potential and opportunity, longing for completion and perfection."

Hunter goes on to say that "Celtic Christianity's theological optimism about human nature cannot adequately account for the Holocaust and the many other cases of genocide and man's inhumanity to man." He adds, "Augustine's doctrine of human nature does more adequately account for large-scale depravity and for much else that has gone terribly wrong" but at the same time, Hunter appeals "it is possible to observe, in most people, both sin and goodness."

As he reflects upon the way in which Celtic Christianity would enter a pagan town or village--he described this optimism. Because they had a strong understanding of the doctrine of man as created in the image of God, they believed they were joining God in his mercies and would find fresh ways to engage the culture they were in. They "studied the host culture and affirmed and built on every indigenous feature that they could." They sought "not to destroy, but to fulfill their religious tradition" believing God to be previously at work in many wonderful ways.

The way we view fallen people made in the image of God really matters. Hunter comments, "my interviews with converts indicate that, for many people, becoming a Christian involves experiences of being rescued and experiences of being completed...Celtic Christian movement suggests that it is often more effective to begin with people at the point of their goodness, however latent, than to initially engage people as sinners."


I wonder if this isn't true for most people who can remember their conversion.

All men are sinful. Depraved. Pervasively so.

But sometimes when we share the gospel we can start with the fall of Genesis 3, and forget the good creation of man in Genesis 1 by a holy and purposeful God. Hunter challenges us to not let the overdone "positive" view of man cause us to swing so far that we no longer affirm God's goodness in man wherever we can.

The good news is that God didn't give up on man "for the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10)." He made a way for his image-bearers to return to him--to redeem the glory we've all forsaken. We know this because Paul said, "when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons (Galatians 4:4-5 ESV)."

We should talk like that.

Pickles and War Stories

Last week our church planned neighborhood football watching parties for the Cowboys kickoff. We had a spontaneous move of locations to a back club house in in our neighborhood because our friends couldn't host because of a sick child. When I called the HOA to see if we could move it to the club house they said the condition was that we invite the whole community to it. No problem! This was an unexpected opportunity to potentially see many more people come.

I was dreaming big and praying for courage to invite a room full of strangers to Guest Sunday and the Bridge Course next Thursday. I was nervous with that familiar feeling when I have no idea who will show up, how the conversations will go, and when I know God is asking me to be social and extroverted when I really just want to be alone on my couch—and not a smiley preacher.

God had different plans.

Maybe it was the last minute email that went out or the location. Maybe nobody likes that particular clubhouse. Maybe it’s that the TV isn’t HD. Maybe nobody likes the Cowboys in my neighborhood. But my idea of having a bunch of guests turned into having one guest.

One guy.

One dude with a plate full of pickles and cheese.

I felt a strange mixture of disappointment and relief at the same time—and a pinch of guilt about both.

So there we were—the Tombrellas, the Dickersons, and a 67 year old man sharing a feast while the game echoed in the near empty clubhouse.

But I learned last night that God was answering my prayer in a very different way. As we got to know him we learned that he had a story to tell—many actually.

He told us how he was shot down twice in countries denied by most history books—surviving when other soldiers died. He crash landed once after enemy fire. He knew General Chuck Yeager (of the movie The Right Stuff) on a first name basis because he was his flight engineer. He almost died in Nicaragua when a mig had missile lock on him. He told me other tragedies he experienced in war I’ve never personally heard from a veteran.

I mostly listened. Nodding my head and saying the kind of things one says when you have almost no reference point.

“Wow.”

“Amazing.”

“Really?”

“hmmm.”

Around the third quarter he began to talk about religion. I held back a nervous smile because I found it comical. Up until this time my evangelism skills consisted of watching football, eating cheese, commenting on the Cowboys, and listening to war stories. As a complete stranger he told me his opinions on the matter unprovoked…

“I believe in God…I believe in a higher power…I mean..no one-no one has the right to tell another person who he is…”

“the Bible is just a book about man….man wrote it. God didn’t write the Bible.”

“I mean…why do you have to pray to Jesus…what is that all about? I know God my way…and you can know God your way…and that’s that..”

“I don’t believe in hell…I’ve been to hell…this is hell now…”

It was getting intense. It was one of those moments I wish I wasn’t a pastor. I was feeling a bit like Undercover Boss at the reveal if he asks me what I “do.”

In times like these I’ve found the best thing to do is not argue for the validity of Scripture or some apologetic point, or some doctrine—but just talk about the person of Jesus. So I did.

I shared that I was a Christian and how the gospels talk about Jesus…and that he is the one who says he’s the only way to know God and sends us out to tell the world.  I honestly don’t think I did a great job—but I was aware of God’s help—and how he was giving me courage and strength.

The courage for strength to invite a room full of people to church and the Bridge Course turned into courage to talk to one person about the Bridge Course.

“I think your perspective would be really valuable at this class I’d like you to consider coming. We don’t have any combat veterans.”

“I will think about it. I don’t have any problem telling people what I think…so long as they know where I’m coming from.”

I walked to my car with the seeds of gratitude that God allowed me the opportunity to share his love with a man he created in his image, and protected and pursued in grace throughout his fascinating life—even though it wasn’t what I had planned.

I was also thankful the Cowboys won…

What if I Don't Know Any Unbelievers?

Sometimes when it comes to evangelism I think a question that haunts many Christians is this one:

"What if I don't know any unbelievers?" 

I'd like to address this question whether you've been a believer in Jesus for many years, or you are a new Christian. Here are some brief thoughts.

1. Yes, you do. You may feel like the only people you know are Christians--and that may be true for the most part--but that's likely not the case if you really take a look around. Forgetting members of our own family we are unsure of in their relationship with Christ, what about people we work with, go to school with, or see frequently in the neighborhood? Have you taken time to hear their story--ask them questions--really get to know them? Do you know their religious beliefs? Think about all the people you interact with in a given week. Now read Acts 17:26 and imagine if God really has "determined...the boundaries of their dwelling place" to interact with you. Begin writing their names down. Start by praying for them.

 2. Don't Over Think It. Many times we fail to see the people that God has providentially put in front of us because we are caught up in looking around for someone else. We have an image of a "kind" of person that we should reach out to and totally miss the weird guy at work, the same lady at the pharmacy we regularly talk to, or the kid that asks the strange questions in Sunday School. Those are people to relationally invest in. Start there. Get to know them. Hear their story. Share yours.

3. Repent. There will always be unique challenges to engaging people with the gospel, but most of the time we have something in our hearts that we need to turn from. Sometimes this is laziness to engage getting to know someone. We think it will take too much of our time and will drain us. Sometimes it's a fear of what it will cost us to "out" ourselves as believers in Jesus at work. And all of this stems from an unbelief in the power of the gospel to save--and being overly focused on retaining our comfort or reputation. If Jesus embraced being misunderstood by people in his love for them--we have to be as well (Luke 7:34; Matt 10;25). 

4. Start Simple. The only way to fix the problem of not knowing any unbelievers is to intentionally get to know unbelievers. I know. It's really profound. But sometimes we think we can share the gospel without getting messy relationally. Sometimes evangelistic methods even encourage this. You can be trained to busily pass out gospel tracts but not be encouraged to get to know the person you're entering into one-way conversations with. You are encouraged to sign up for the mission trip--but not encouraged to walk across the street to the unglamorous neighbor and invite him to watch the game. If you want to share the gospel--you've got to appropriately open up your life to people (1 Thess. 2:8).

"All Religion is Man-Made"

We prayed as couples and Josh and I went across the street to make some friends tonight. The party was still going strong. We were surprised by the immediate shouts of "neighbor!" when we stepped into the backyard. We had some great conversation with guys--at some points we had a sense that seeds were being sown. But after further reflection we both agreed that the most important thing we did tonight was simply be a presence of Christ to folks.

I will share a sound byte of Josh Jordan's conversation...

[Friend] "All religion is man-made."

[Josh] "If you believe there is a God you've got to believe that at least one religion is not man-made."

[Friend] agreeing...

[Josh] "Don't you think that if there is a good God that made you--living for Him would be the greatest thing?"

Josh went on to communicate that because we've been separated from God--Jesus died to help us be reconciled to Him. The conversations went in several directions--loops and spins--but in all we experienced God's help in building relationships and scattering seed.

How Do you Evaluate an Open Door?

Today I'm visiting a friend Josh Jordan in Seguin. It's about 8:30pm right now of a wonderful day of reconnecting and seeing the city as well as San Antonio.

Josh has some great neighbors.

At 9am his next door neighbor was already getting the grill ready while while our kids were playing on the swings. When we got back from San Antonio the music was going loud--but because they had been in Spanish--it wasn't a big deal. But by the time we decided to grill we were hearing Sir-Mix-a-Lot and 80's Salt-N-Peppa.

Nevertheless. His neighbor thanked us for our patience as they were celebrating a family birthday. He insisted through the fence that we come over and get some beans--finally walking over to the house and bringing us a plate to enjoy. He then said, "you need to come over. We're having good conversation."

trusting God for an open door...

The Eternal Worth of a Soul

We were walking in down the streets of DC on an excursion day after a conference when it hit me.

It wasn't the first time I've considered it--but maybe the first time I ever mentioned it to my wife and as I shared the thought out loud the truth of it sunk deeper--even a bit surprising. My own voice convicting my calloused heart.

It happened as we were passing a homeless man who was sunken over--asleep in the middle of the day. I wish I could describe him but I don't remember details. I just remember the contrast of his sleeping sadness amidst the busyness of the streets. A breathing still frame lifted from a feature film.

I was reminded of the words of Christ, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matt. 16:26)."

Though we just spent hours looking at priceless works of art in the Smithsonian American Art Museum--and peeked at the 112 carat Hope Diamond--this man surpasses them all.

In fact--Jesus says take all that the world considers valuable--and throw in the world, the stars, the billions of galaxies, and all the unexplored treasures of the known creation and they don't hold up to this man sleeping on the sidewalk next to the trash.

Note the words, "the whole world" and "what shall a man give...?"

Answer? Nothing.

Why?

My best answer that convicted me even as I shared with my wife is that in the same way we place value on duration and uniqueness--Jesus places value on the duration of and uniqueness of a created soul.

The planets will wear out. The farthest star that burns light-years away will eventually burn out. The Hope Diamond will eventually turn to ash. But when the farthest light goes out--the nameless man's soul will keep going--eternal as ever. It will never cease to exist.

Our souls are eternal. Priceless. Meaningful. Significant. Never to go out once breathed into creation. This is true for the most unimpressive life--the most difficult person--the smelliest homeless man. This is true for you and me.

If we truly understood that--we would likely step out of the museums and stare at the man. We would muse over the significance of his soul--the everlasting nature of a something in the middle of everything that won't last a day in forever.

How much is the man worth who has trash blowing on him?

Priceless.

The Sunday School Teacher who led Moody to Christ

Most people have heard of D.L. Moody. He was used by God to lead hundreds to Christ through the course of his ministry in the late 19th century.

But have you heard of Edward Kimball?

Edward Kimball was the lay Sunday School teacher who lead D.L. Moody to Christ when Moody was an 18 year old shoe salesman in Boston.

Moody visited his Sunday School class and was won over to the middle-age man when he rescued him from the embarrassment of not being able to find the gospel of John (he was thumbing through the Old Testament).

Shortly after, Kimball "felt constrained to go call on Dwight Moody and inquire about the condition of his soul." Although Kimball felt the Lord leading him, he feared the encounter and was so absorbed with debating whether or not he should actually go talk to Moody that he past the store and had to circle back.

Mustering up the courage he decided to "have it over at once" and talk to Moody. While Moody was shelving shoes Kimball remembered "I went up to him and put my hand on his shoulder, and as I leaned over...I made my plea, and I feel that it was really a weak one. I don't know just what the words I used...I simply told him of Christ's love for him and the love Christ wanted in return."

How did it go? How did God use his weak presentation of the gospel?

Moody describes how this man's love was used to lead him to Christ:

"I recollect that my teacher came around behind the counter of the shop I was at work in, and put his hand upon my shoulder, and talked to me about Christ and my soul. I had not felt that I had a soul till then. I said to myself: 'this is a very strange thing. Here is a man who never saw me till lately, and he is weeping over my sins, and I never shed a tear for them.' But I understand it now, and know what it is to have a passion for men's souls and weep over their sins. I don't remember what he said, but I can feel the power of that man's hand on my shoulder tonight. It was not long after that I was brought into the Kingdom of God." (A Passion for Souls, Lyle Dorsett, pg. 47)

The 2 Obstacles of the Religious South

As a pastor it can sometimes feel like I go from one circle of Christians to another to another to another. I am reading Christian books, reading Christian tweets, thinking and talking about the church world all day long. I am aware of mega-churches in and near my city I respect and some of the things they're doing. I am aware of the church-planting movement I'm a part of and others around the country as well. So, given my default mindset--I can operate with some false assumptions about how people in the South have heard the gospel.

I was recently reminded of this on a trip to a sister church in Midland of the desperate state of the religious South to hear the gospel for the first time.

As we did a kind of prayer ministry around the homes of the church a person from my team and I found an open door to talk about Christ with a worker in his 20s.

He was a bright, intelligent, hard-working guy. He was easy to talk to--just "good-ole-boy" for those who enjoyed the Dukes growing up. I liked talking to him. His thoughts concerning religion went something like this.

"Hey I appreciate what you guys are doing...I'm a Christian too...I was saved and baptized as a kid. I don't really have any interest in going to a church--but I know I'll see St. Peter at the pearly gates when I die...I'm good."

Although our mission was to demonstrate the love of Christ through prayer and inviting people to a gospel-class a month away--he seemed open to talking.

"How do you know you'll go to heaven--how do you have confidence of that?"

"Because I'm a good person." [confidently]

He went on to explain that he had never murdered anybody--and that being a good person was all that you needed to be sure of eternal life.

"Why did Jesus die on the cross?"

"For our sins...." [confidently]

But how do you know that you're going to heaven?

"Because I'm a good person..." [confidently]

We asked him if someone can be good enough to earn their way to heaven--why he thought God would ever allow his Son to be killed for sins.

Although he did express that he had never considered that--his thoughts stayed fixed in dual objects in his mind. His hope being grounded in two religious activities. 1. He was a good person based on the moral standards of our time. 2. He did believe in Jesus and performed what was required as a child to know he'd go to heaven when he died.

For the majority of people who live next to us and drive past our churches--never forget the power of these two religious activities in our land. These are the greatest obstacles to overcome in the religious South.

1. I believe in Jesus (and performed a religious activity to prove it).
2. I'm a good person.

I was reminded even if for a moment--to forget the fact that their is a church on every corner in my city.

Forget the thought that people in my neighborhood must have heard the gospel by now--surely!

Forget my assumptions that someone's told them or that they know the gospel--and are just hardened to the truth.

Forget that they're probably on someone's prayer list--and someone must be praying fervently for them.

Rather--assume they've never heard.

Assume they have never heard the good news that a holy God created them in His image--fashioned them for his glory and sent His one and only Son to live, die and rise for them--because in their rejection of God as King could do absolutely nothing else to be redeemed, restored, and made alive again.

Assume no one has ever told them the real gospel. Assume that they've heard a message of religious activity and morality cloaked in Christian jargon.

Now let's go one step further on the mission and assume God sent us as missionary ambassadors to tell them the refreshing news they've never heard before. Assume we're called to live strategically, intentionally, and sacrificially so that they might be rescued from deep fried Southern religion.

Lord--send us out with urgency and desperation to the religious South and help us to lovingly and graciously demonstrate and declare that You rose from the dead to save us from our religion.