The Bible Teaches Total Depravity

I would like the contender of this debate to debate from the standpoint of a Christian if they are not a Christian, assuming the Bible is true.

I believe that the Bible teaches total depravity, and that man is therefore totally depraved. I believe that man cannot work his way to perfection. If you believe that the Bible teaches otherwise, please accept, and I look forward to the debate!

Thanks,

Renzzy

First off, as con, i would like to point out that the Bible does not teach that we can, and have to work our way to heaven. On the contrary, the Bible teaches that we can never work our way to perfection. Look at the Ten commandments. The ten rules were set our to show us that we are sinners and are imperfect. We can never keep all those commandments and there for can never achieve perfection. The Bible's teachings do not teach total depravity, but actually, the exact opposite. This is why God sent his Son to dies for us. When Jesus died, he died for our sins and for our transgressions, so that we can be saved without works, because again, that could never be achieved. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-9. not by works, so that no one can boast." When we believe in this, we realize that when God wants us to do good works, it is because we want to, not because we have to. The Bible does not teach Total Depravity, but actually the exact opposite.

I apologize, because I was unclear. I too believe that we can NEVER work our way to heaven. What I believe is that we are totally depraved to the point where, without an act of God causing it, we annot even turn to God. I believe that The Bible teaches that man, because of the fall, has been entirely seperated from God, and is in constant rebelion. We in and of ourselves can to nothing about this because we are totally depraved.

I am sorry I was unclear. I will post a few verses as an opening argument.

In the Old Testament God makes it clear that all men are completely dead in sin. This is made evident in verses such as Genesis 6:5.

Gen. 6:5---
" The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time."

This verse is backed up in Jeremiah.

Jer. 13:23---
"Can the Ethiopian [a] change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil."

It is also made clear in the New Testament that all men are completely dead in sin and want nothing to do with God.

Rom. 3:10-18---
"As it is written:
There is no one righteous, not even one;
11there is no one who understands,
no one who seeks God.
12All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.
13Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit.
The poison of vipers is on their lips.
14Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.
15Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16ruin and misery mark their ways,
17and the way of peace they do not know.
18There is no fear of God before their eyes."

This I believe will do as a starter for the debate. I lok forward to your reply!

Thanks,

Renzzy

Since my opponent missed his last round . I will await his final arguments. I have nothing more to add onto my arguments until my opponent responds to what is already there.

Renzzy

My opponent has chosen not to argue in his third round, so I have little to say. I would, however, like to put one more verse out for my opponenet to counter if he chooses to debate his final round.

Rom. 8:7---
"The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so."

Thanks,

Renzzy