Fall

In his third chapter, Plantinga discusses the sad reality that creation did not remain as God had created it, "very good". He talks about the first sin of Adam and Eve and of the consequences of that sin for all that God had created. Through this first sin, death and evil were given a place in this world.

When we think of evil, it is usual to separate it into two categories. We think of natural evil when we think of the distruction caused by earthquakes, hurricanes, famine, and other, naturally occuring disasters. We think of moral evil when we think of sin, evil caused by willful action. Plantinga spends alot of time on moral evil in this chapter in relating it to the Reformed doctrine of total depravity.

In Romans 3, the apostle Paul is talking to the Jews and asking them why they think that they are better the Gentiles. He says this,

What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways:And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.(Romans 3:9-18 KJV)

Paul explains here that by nature, no one can, or indeed desires to serve God. This is the doctrine of total depravity, not only that we do not turn to God, but that rather, we turn away from him. Our human nature is a slave to sin and the devil.

Paul goes on in the chapter to talk about the redemption found in Jesus Christ. Without the grace of God, our redempion would be impossible. We can neither save ourselves, nor desire to be turned from our sin apart from the work of the Holy Spirit. We also know that we will not feel the fulness of our freedom from sin until we reach heaven. While on this earth, it is still a constant struggle with the "old man" of sin that remains in us.

Talking about this concept of total depravity in class reminded me of a book called "Lord of the Flies". My cousin had to read this book for school and she told me all about it. The story is about a group of British schoolboys who are stranded on a desert island. For a little while, they get along, but eventually, a struggle for power and leadership begins. The boys break up into different parties, and, rather than help eachother survive, they sabotage and fight with eachother. In the end, it turns into an all out war and some of the boys are killed. The idea of total depravity is clear in this book. "Inocent" children who have not been exposed to this sort of violence before get caught up in the greedy stuggle for power and are willing even to kill one another. It is human nature to think about ME and what I want rather than looking for the good of my neighbor, and it is obviously the trap these boys fell into.