…We are constantly told that Americans are in terrible physical
condition. We tend to avoid daily exercising and eat far too much.
All this, we are told, will lead to greater health problems. 1/3 of those
born in 2000 will develop diabetes. As bad as this is, there is something
far more serious than our physical condition…it is our spiritual
condition. When we are born we are spiritually D. O. A. Theologians refer to
this as total depravity.
…
This is our greatest problem! Our condition is far worse than most
would imagine.
THREE QUESTIONS HELPING US TO GRASP MAN’S DESPERATE CONDITION
AND NEED FOR SAVING GRACE.
…Don’t ever underestimate your sin, nor God’s intense hatred of it.
I. What
Does It Mean For Us To Be Totally Depraved?
(Ephesians 2:1-5)
A. It
is unfortunate the term total depravity stuck, for there are better words that
describe the Bible’s teaching on this subject.
…Total depravity can be misleading, suggesting a moral condition
of utter depravity.
…Utter depravity means that a person is as wicked as he can possibly
be. NO! One man writes that there is room for deprovement!!!
B. TOTAL
DEPRAVITY refers to the effect of sin and corruption on the whole person.
…To be totally depraved is to suffer from corruption that pervades the
whole person. Sin affects every aspect of our being: the body, mind,
will, and emotions.
C. A
better term would be RADICAL CORRUPTION. Sin penetrates to the ROOT of
our being.
D. Paul
tells the Ephesian Christians that this was their condition at birth. They
were dead…
…All people are born in this condition. God’s wrath abides over every
single person…(v. 3)
…ORIGINAL SIN does not refer to the first sin, but to the result of
that first sin, and that result corrupted all of Adam’s offspring.
II. What
Is The Extent Of Our Depravity?
(Romans 3: 9-18)
A. Man
is morally bankrupt. (vv.9-10) “None are righteous”
1.
This is the
hopeless condition of all humanity. Hopeless…what a terrible thing!
2.
From God’s
perspective, no one has any righteousness. (like Monopoly $...)
3.
We have no natural
ability to please God. None.
B. Man
possesses a mind that is blinded. “none understands” Lack spiritual
perception…
…it is not that there is any light, for there is light, yet man cannot
see it. Blinded by sin…
…Romans 1 tells that all men know God, but “suppresses the truth.”
Because of man’s love of sin, he” exchanges the truth of God for a
lie.” (Romans 1:25)
…many are highly educated sinners…and if the truth
could be known, hate God.
C. Man’s
will is defective, held captive by sin. “None seeks God.” (v. 11)
…Jonathan Edwards wrote The Bondage of the Will, where he tells that
man freely chooses that which he deems best at that moment. Fallen man is
not neutral. Man is a fugitive from God, and never chooses God.
Our natural bent is to flee from God.
III. What
Are The Consequences Of Our Sinful Condition?
(Isaiah 59)
A. Sin
brings guilt, true legal guilt. (vv.1-3)
1.
God is not indifferent
to our sin. (v. 1-2)
2.
God holds us morally
accountable…”hands stained with blood…fingers…guilt.” (v. 3)
B. Sin
alienates us from God. (v. 2) It has “separated you from God.” It is
a barrier.
C. Sin
alienates us from one another. (vv. 4-6) Crime and harm…justice has
disappeared.
D. Sin
brings suffering to us. (vv. 10-11) “we growl and moan
mournfully…”
E. Sin
brings death. (v. 10) “We are like the dead, and we die.” 150,000
people every day…
…God told us that the “wages of sin is death.”
(Romans 6:23)
WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT OUR CONDITION? The Doctrines of Grace tell us that God
has GRACE for sinners. We cannot solve our problem. We don’t
need help…we need to be saved. No one comes to God, until God first
changes the sinner’s will, then he or she comes. This is how God saves
the lost.
LESSONS FOR OUR LIVES:
-
Know that sinners do not want to be saved…God must first change them!!
-
Unsaved men and women are not as evil as they could be…
-
The will of the unsaved person is in bondage to sin and never chooses God!
-
Total depravity shows our need for God is saving grace!
-
Consider today…your sin before a Holy God…confess/repent/believe upon
Christ.
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