Here we stand.
No procession beyond this point, unless admitted or denied as Biblically correct.
None.
Total Depravity means that Natural Man is totally sinful and does not ever WANT in his own spirit to know Christ
True, or False?
I love how Calvinists attempt to frame the debate. That is not the question and you know it. The question is what does God want! Adam was spiritually dead and hid from God and God looked for him.
Again, the real issue is your one, all encompassing, eternal decree that God has, through His directive will decided who will be saved and who will not.
The issue of Total Depravity is a mute point since God can save anyone, so the question is why doesn't He save everyone who is 'totally depraved' What makes the elect special? So we are back to the 'Secret Councils' and that is the ultimate foundation of your philosophical system (CoL.2:8)
This statement leaves total inability out of the picture, except that for you, WANT, and free will, have a special meaning. In your lexicon, depraved WANTS imprison free will so that it isn't free, it can only choose evil. That brings total inability into the picture for you.
From the article of Predestination Thread III (and the first two threads as well):
Man, by his fall into a state of sin, has wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation... -- Westminter Confession of FaithWithout your special definitions the statement describes the current state of hardened sinners who fight against God and break His commandments. It does not say whether they might in the future move in a positive direction, as indeed they can, for they have God-given free will, properly defined. The road back will be long and hard, since they have so many evil deeds to repent of, but they can seek for God's help in so doing.IN HIS NATURAL STATE, MAN POSSESSES FREE WILL, BUT IT AVAILS HIM NOTHING -- Since man was corrupted by the Fall, he sins voluntarily. There is no external force or Coercion: he is motivated by his own passions. But such is the depravity of his nature, he can only move in the direction of evil. -- The blessed Saint Augustine.
Total Depravity is false. TULIP is false. Calvinist predestination is false. Calvinist predestination and TULIP are, in my opinion, the most thorough denial of free will, properly defined, that is possible in a Biblical context.
The truth is: God has given man free will (properly understood).
(I am sure any Arminian would be happy to offer that truth as the "objection" to Total Depravity.)
God has created man in His image with the free will to choose obedience to His Gospel or to reject it, free will that avails him something even in his fallen state.
Any discussion of Calvinism eventually comes down to the nature of God (God is Love, God is merciful, God is just), and the nature of man (man has God-given free will to choose between good and evil). Calvinist predestination and TULIP are contrary to the love, mercy, and justice of God and these doctrines deny that He has given man free will, properly defined. This is one of the main points ftD is making in his well-written #289 and #371.