Original Sin&Total Depravity
What is it Exactly?
 Q. What is "original sin" or "total depravity?" What does it mean and how does it affect mankind?
Answer:
Original Sin
Original sin means that everyone born human on planet earth is marked by sinfulness from day one. All humankind has a heart turned toward sin prior to any sinful deeds.
Original sin is the root of all acted-out sins. It was transmitted to all of us through Adam - which makes me believe that it is part of our current DNA make-up. In other words it is genetic. We will have this propensity towards sin until we are "changed" in the rapture or taken up to be with the Lord (1 Cor. 15:51; 2 Cor. 5:8).
There is None Righteous
The Bible affirms it.
THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT
EVEN ONE;
THERE IS NONE WHO
UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE,
TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME
USELESS;
THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.
(Romans 3:10-12, NASB)
Total Depravity
Total depravity signifies a corruption that affects both our moral and spiritual nature. It is caused by original sin. We have nothing that is not tainted by sin, and we can do nothing as good as it probably should be. This is why we cannot "earn" God's favor or grace no matter what we attempt to do for the Lord. It may not seem "fair." But, it is the human condition.
Westminster Confession
The "Westminster Confession (IX.3) explains it this way,
"Man by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation. So as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able by his own strength to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto."
 New Psychology
It is interesting that Psalm 51:10 says, "Create in me a clean heart, O God…" …"and renew a right spirit within me."
We know that our bodies will be "transformed" into their eternal state. Yet, our hearts must be "created" anew. In other words, everything about us can be "transformed" into something good. But, our "psychology," (our hearts), must be recreated to be made whole and good.
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