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The Total Depravity of Infants

>I always thought "depravity" was a poor word choice for Calvinism's first
>axiom.

I kinda prefer the term "total inability" myself. It puts the whole thing, at least for me, in the perspective of my relationship with God. On my own, I'm fallen...dead in my sins...totally unable to do anything to better my sinful state. Hhhhmmmm....that's probably why I love grace so much!

As for my children...this doctrine helps me realize what's really important. What amuses and dismays me is that a lot of people will shout, "All babies are totally depraved!" and then will rush in with feeding schedules, harsh training regimens, and all sorts of other draconian responses. As if these things will help! The all-too-common approach seems to be, "Our children are totally depraved and therefore we need to turn to this child rearing program that is guaranteed, if followed faithfully, to produce whitewashed tombs."

Uh, that's not my goal as a parent.

It's really tough to look at the cutest, sweetest babies ever born (my six, of course) and realize that, unless God powerfully intervenes in their lives, they are all headed straight for hellfire and damnation. So, if anything, the doctrine of total inability should drive us to our knees. It should make us want to present the gospel to our children in season and out of season, but seasoned with so much grace and love that they will gain as accurate a picture of our God and Savior as we can possibly give them. It is, after all, His goodness that drew us to repentance---not His divine feeding schedule or His draconian training methods.

The other thing we need to realize, as Rick pointed out, is that we're all still image-bearers. Yeah, that image is distorted by sin, but it's not destroyed.

Also...those us us who are the adults in the family have had a lot more time practicing and getting "good" at sin. Many of us have been practicing being selfish and manipulative and egocentric for decades before our baby comes along. And that tiny little being is brand new at this sin business. So I tend to warn new parents (if any of them want to hear it) that they need to worry a lot more about their own sin and selfishness than they need to worry that some tiny, helpless baby is on a rampage to have his own way. I really doubt that babies emerge from the womb thinking, "Today my family---tomorrow the world---next week the entire universe!"

When I hold my little newborns...I see a sweetness, an innocence, an openness. It makes me cry. This is what I was like, before I let sin mess things up. Each completely trusting little bundle convicts me of how little I trust my Heavenly Father. Ah...to be able to cry "Abba" to Him!

It's interesting that Jesus didn't mention the sinfulness of children. He talked about the special place they have in the Kingdom, about how their angels always see the face of the Father...about how their faith is worth emulating. He talked harshly about millstones for those who offend the little ones.

What can I say? I love babies. When I look at them, I don't see total depravity. I see God's goodness. When I hold my own in my arms, especially in those first few weeks, I see God's grace and mercy and generosity towards me---and it overwhelms me.

copyright 1999 by Rebecca Prewett

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