The Absurdity of Man Creating the Doctrine of Total Depravity

The Absurdity of Man Creating the Doctrine of Total Depravity
Let's think about this for a moment. If man were going to invent a doctrine about himself, what would it look like? Would he construct something that utterly destroys his pride, leaves him with no hope in himself, and makes him completely dependent on the grace of a sovereign God? Or would he craft a doctrine that preserves his autonomy, gives him some measure of control, and flatters his ego just enough to make him feel secure?

If humans were naturally inclined to create doctrine, they wouldn’t dream up something like Total Depravity. They’d invent something like Provisionism.

The Natural Inclination of Man
What does Scripture say about the heart of man?

"The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?" — Jeremiah 17:9

Man's default position is to elevate himself, not to debase himself. Our sinful nature craves self-justification. We want to believe we’re good people, capable of doing what’s necessary to bring about our own salvation. That’s why every false religion has some form of works-based righteousness.

And yet, according to provisionists and other free-will advocates, Calvinists sat down one day and said, "You know what would really sell? A doctrine that tells people they are completely wicked, that they cannot seek God on their own, and that unless God chooses to save them, they are utterly lost."

Who in their right mind would make that up?

The Appeal of Provisionism
Now let’s compare this with Provisionism.

Provisionism teaches that everyone has the ability to believe if they just respond rightly to God’s offer. It tells sinners that they’re not truly dead in their sin; they’re just sick. It reassures them that they’re capable of making the right choice and that God has done His part—it’s up to them to take the final step.

It’s a theology that comforts the natural man. It doesn’t offend. It doesn’t humiliate. It doesn’t crush human pride.

If you’re trying to build a system that appeals to the masses, you don’t start with, “You are dead in your sins, unable to choose God, and completely at His mercy.” Instead, you start with, “God has done everything He can; now it’s up to you.” That’s why provisionism is so much more attractive. It lets man be the final deciding factor in salvation.

Who Would Invent This?
The doctrine of Total Depravity is one of the clearest signs that Calvinism wasn’t created to cater to human preference. It’s too offensive to the natural man. If it were invented by man, it would look a lot more like Arminianism or Provisionism—something that tells people they’re still in control.

But Scripture doesn’t let us have that.

"And you were dead in your offenses and sins, in which you previously walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience." — Ephesians 2:1-2

Not sick, not wounded, not struggling, but dead.

And if we are truly dead, we need something outside of us to give us life. Not a preacher telling us to "make the right choice," but the sovereign act of God raising us to new life.

Conclusion
If man were making up a doctrine of salvation, it wouldn’t look like Calvinism. It would look like the systems of the world—where man is always the deciding factor. But the Bible doesn’t cater to human pride. It crushes it.

Total Depravity is not the doctrine man would create—it’s the doctrine man hates. But it’s also the only doctrine that makes sense of our complete dependence on God’s grace. And that’s why it must be true.

Soli Deo Gloria.