Posts Tagged ‘total inability’
Why The Need For A New Covenant
April 28, 2026
Hebrews 8:7 KJV
For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
It would be easy to say that the first (Old Covenant) was a failure because it was based on the will of man, but I believe scripture explains what happened better than my simple words would say. The sad thing is that many Christians do not know nor understand “Why” there was a need for a New Covenant. Scripture speaks about it quite well.
Read these verses from the letter to the Hebrews; author unknown.
Hebrews 8:8-13 KJV
For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith, A New Covenant, he hath made the first obsolete. Now that which Is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
The Old Covenant was written on tablets of stone and depended on the will of man in being obedient to them. However, man (Israel” failed in their obedience and God disregarded them.. The New Covenant is written into our heart and placed into our mind, and is depended on the will of God.
This action of God made the Old Covenant obsolete and was allowed to vanish away, because of man’s failure of his own will in being obedient to the Covenant.
Now, as for the Israel, of whom God spoke, these verses from Romans 9 will explain who is this Israel.
Romans 9:6-8 KJV
Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
So, who are the children of the promise that has become the Israel of Romans 9 and Hebrews 8? One simple verse from Galatians 4 explains quite simply.
Galatians 4:28 KJV
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
You see, the true Israel of God are us, the children (Christian’s) of God. We are the true Israel upon whose hearts are written the Law by God Himself. He saves us, teaches and guides us by working in us to will and to do of His good pleasure, and keeps us saved for eternity.
The Old Covenant, based on man’s will to be obedient, was a failure. The New Covenant, based on God’s will, succeeds in doing what man could never do.
For by the Grace of God are we saved and kept saved. If it were not for this New Covenant about the Gospel of Grace based on the will of God, not by man’s will, and established by Jesus, no one would be saved. Thank God He does.
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The 5 Points Of Calvinism
Total Depravity
Many people do not like to talk about the 5 points of Calvinism. Yet, they are essential to the Gospel and can be found throughout the Bible. So, we are going to take a look at each of these points, one post at a time. The basis for this study will be found in the teachings of Jesus, specifically those found in John 6. Then, as needed, other verses will be looked at as well.
The 5 points can be summed up in the acronym: T.U.L.I.P.
- Total Depravity (Total Inability)
- Unconditional Election
- Limited Atonement
- Irresistible Grace
- Perseverance of the Saints
Now these 5 points do not comprise the totality of Calvinism but they are the basis for it. As mentioned, you can find these 5 points throughout the Bible and they are found in particular in the teachings of Paul, John, Peter and, most notably, Jesus; upon Whom this study is based. So, sit back, grab some coffee and let’s take a look at the first of these points.
Total Depravity: also known as Total Inability.
In John 6: 44 Jesus says, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;…”
Note the Jesus said “no one CAN” not “no one WILL”. There is a difference. Jesus says that no one CAN come to Him unless the Father draws them. If the Father does not draw them they cannot come to Jesus, and they will never want to. It’s also interesting to note that this is not the only time Jesus says this. In the same chapter at verse 65 Jesus says, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
Again, He says “no one CAN come to me”. Now think about this. Can is different than will. Can is specific and it is an action that someone has the ability to do. Will is a choice, not an action, and it insinuates that someone has the ability to do something and all they have to do is to Will or Not Will to do so. But if no one CAN do something unless they are given the ability to do so they never will do it. In fact they will never Will to choose to do it because they cannot do so.
So, as for coming to Jesus, no one CAN come to Jesus unless they are first drawn by the Father to do so. If they are never drawn they will never be able to come and they will never choose to come.
Basically, then, man has Total Inability to come to Jesus on their own. The fact is they cannot come to Jesus unless they are drawn by the Father. One reason for this is found in Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.
Man, in his sinfulness, is dead spiritually and unless he is first made alive and shown his sinfulness, and the fact that he is going to Hell because of it, he will never see a need for salvation. Through being born again man is given the ability to come to Jesus.
Just like Lazarus being dead and in the grave. When Jesus came to the graveside He first specifically called out the name of Lazarus, and when He said “come forth” did Lazarus have the ability at the point to obey the command of Jesus and rise up and come forth? Or did Lazarus first have to be made alive in order to be able to obey the command to come forth? It wasn’t until after being given life was Lazarus able to hear and obey the command to come forth.
Unless Jesus first gave him the ability to come to Him, by making him alive in the flesh, Lazarus was unable to do so. And we are the same, unless we are first called by name, and given life to have the ability to obey the command to come to Jesus, we will never be able to do so and we never will.
Man is in a Totally Depraved state of sinfulness, dead in trespasses and sins, and has a Total Inability to come to Jesus unless he is first given the ability to do so. And by being born again is he given this ability.
In our next post we will take a look at the second in the list of T.U.L.I.P. and that is Unconditional Election. And we will see in the teachings of Jesus how this works. So, if you want to get a head start read John 6 several times, and think of Lazarus and how this might all fit together. You might even figure out for yourself what is meant by – Unconditional Election.
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