Total Depravity 19

The Apostle Peter clearly acknowledged the culture of corruption that man encounters originates within himself. Sinful man must lay the blame for all the evil in the world to the source of that evil: his fallen and sinful soul.

Peter wrote that all people, including believers prior to their salvation, were engulfed in spiritual darkness. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10, ESV).

Peter compared sinners to wandering sheep. “He himself (Christ) bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:24-25, ESV).

The apostle indicated that due to this innate sinful disposition, sinful people are capable of all sorts of heinousness.

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you. (1 Peter 4:1-4, ESV)

Peter’s second letter continues upon the same theme of radical depravity. This is evidenced by false teachers who convinced themselves they are converted.

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. (2 Peter 2:1-3, ESV)

The apostle indicated that these same false teachers will also be characterized by their carnality. “And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep; and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority” (2 Peter 2:2-3;10a, ESV).

The fallen and depraved not only blaspheme angelic beings, “Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones…” (2 Peter 2:10b, ESV), but they also live by their natural inclinations.

But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet's madness. (2 Peter 2:12-16, ESV)

Unquestionably, Peter accurately denoted the sinful condition of fallen man.