Total Depravity: The Doctrine of Hope

Takeaway:  The doctrine of total human sinfulness seems very dark and pessimistic. Our temptation is to find the good in ourselves and hope God grades on a curve. Romans 3 however hammers away at how totally depraved humanity truly is. Paul demonstrates, through a flurry of scripture quotations, how only in discovering the hopelessness of our situation can we cry out for the hope only God can provide. If we fail to understand the doctrine of total depravity, how does that affect everyday life? How can the good news of the gospel become diminished, if we don’t grasp our utter inability?