Total Depravity: Are We All a Little Bit Stuck?

Have you ever heard of a time when everyone was born with a little bit of a problem? This idea, called 'total depravity,' is like saying that when people are born, they have a hard time choosing to do good things all by themselves. It's not that they want to be bad, but it's like they're stuck in mud and need a helping hand to get out and do what's right.

This idea comes from a very old story about a time when things changed for everyone. It's a big question that people have thought about for a long, long time!

This idea started a super long time ago, with a story about the very first people. It's called the 'Fall.' After that, people believed that everyone born after that time had this challenge. Think of it like a game where everyone starts a little bit behind the starting line.

Over many years, different groups of people thought about this idea. Some people, like those in the Lutheran and Calvinist churches, really focused on it. Others, like Methodists, agreed with the main idea but thought about it in a slightly different way, like how a helper might give a different kind of boost.

This idea is important because it helps people understand why it can be so hard to be good sometimes. It's like trying to push a giant boulder uphill! The idea says that without some special help, it's really, really tough to choose the good path.

This 'special help' is called grace, and it's like a superpower that helps people. So, people talk about this to understand why they might struggle with making good choices and to think about where that help comes from. It's a way to think about big feelings and big questions about life.

Imagine you really want to share your toys, but your hands just won't let go! That's a little bit like what 'total depravity' means. It doesn't mean people are monsters or always do mean things.

It means that their natural way of thinking and acting is tilted towards not being able to choose the best, most helpful things on their own. They need something extra, like a special push or a guiding light, to help them choose to be kind, honest, and loving. This special help is believed to come from God, and it's called grace.