Luther’s teaching: men are completely hopeless, helpless, corrupt and
depraved and can accomplish no good thing in and of ourselves;
as a consequence of original sin, was totally depraved, destitute
of free will, that all works, even though directed towards the good,
were nothing more than an outgrowth of his corrupted will, and in
the judgments of God in reality mortal sins. God “imputes”
justification which is not the eradication of original sin but a
juridical state as snow covers dung.
Biblical argument:
Romans 5: 15-18 But the gift is not like the transgression. For if by
that one person's transgression the many died, how much more
did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one person Jesus
Christ overflow for the many. And the gift is not like the result of
the one person's sinning. For after one sin there was the judgment
that brought condemnation; but the gift, after many transgressions,
brought acquittal. For if, by the transgression of one person, death
came to reign through that one, how much more will those who
receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification
come to reign in life through the one person Jesus Christ. In
conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came
upon all, so through one righteous act acquittal and life came to all.