Are the Inclinations of Man’s Heart Continually Evil (Gen. 6:5)?

“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5).

Calvinists assert this passage supports of their doctrine of Total Depravity, which essentially holds that people are born evil. But does this passage really teach that?

First, this passage is about a specific generation of people—not everyone! This is more than evident from the context. Right after describing the immense wickedness of Noah’s generation (Gen. 6:1-7), the passage goes on to say: “But Noah found grace in the eyes of Lord” (Gen. 6:8)

And why did Noah find grace? Did God simply decide to be gracious to him for no reason? Of course not! The reason God was gracious to him is because Noah was not wicked. In fact, God specifically told Noah:

“Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation” (Gen. 7:1).

The passage also says, “Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God” (Gen. 6:9).

So even amongst this particularly wicked generation, Noah remained righteous. Did he slip up from time to time? Yes. (Only Jesus is sinless.) But Noah obeyed God’s laws and repented when he fell short. That’s the biblical definition of a righteous person—and that’s why God saved him from the flood!

Second, why would God have bothered judging Noah’s generation, if the next group would have been just as bad? It’s more than evident from the context that the reason God judged them is because they were a particularly wicked generation. But not every generation is wicked. In fact, some generations are righteous, according to Psalms 14:5.

Third, Genesis says the people of Noah’s day corrupted themselves (Gen. 6:11). They were not born corrupt.

Fourth, just because the people in Noah’s day had evil inclinations did not mean they had to obey them—any more than we today have to obey our evil inclinations. God always offers people a way to resist evil inclinations (1 Cor. 10:13; James 4:7), if we would but take it.

Fifth, the statement “Every intent of the thoughts of man’s heart was only evil continually” is hyperbole, similar to when someone today says, “The whole world has gone mad!” After all, if everyone’s heart was evil, then Noah’s would have been too; but that obviously wasn’t the case (Gen. 6:9, 7:1).

The Bible is filled with hyperbole. For example, John says, “Nobody receives His [Jesus’] testimony” (John 3:32); but then in the very next verse says, “He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true” (John 3:32-33). So which is it? Vere 32 is obviously hyperbole.

In another example, the Pharisees said about Jesus: “The whole world has gone after Him” (John 12:19). However, John said a few chapters earlier that “nobody receives His testimony”? So which is it? Both passages are obviously using hyperbole.

There is hyperbole like this “everywhere” in Scripture, and that’s what Genesis 6:5 obviously is too. Noah was at least one exception.

Conclusion: This passage in no way supports Total Depravity. Calvinists are misinterpreting the text.

By Alex Polyak, Answering Calvinism, 5/3/26.