Doctrine 4. Total depravity, guilt and sinfulness of all men.

DOCTRINE 4: TOTAL DEPRAVITY, SINFULNESS AND GUILT OF ALL MEN .

Holding on to the twenty two doctrines of the Bible, requisite for readiness for the imminent rapture or eternity with God.

Revelation  2:25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

Revelation  3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.  3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Beloved brethren our Lord Jesus Christ said emphatically before His ascension that, He would be coming back for the faithful followers of His in the imminent rapture.

John  14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

The blessed Holy Spirit affirmed that the imminent rapture shall happen suddenly in a moment.

1 Corinthians  15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

In addition, He revealed that the dead in Christ and the living saints shall be caught up in this event.

1 Thessalonians  4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.  4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

So Jesus in love exhorted all Bible believing believers to live in readiness for the imminent rapture.

Matthew  24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

However from glory our Lord affirmed that, the Bible believing believers that shall be part of the imminent rapture or eternity with Him, are those that hold unto the totality of the doctrines till He comes.

Revelation  3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.  3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

The blessed Holy Spirit said that for both the minister and the members of the church who desire eternity with God, must live by the totality of the doctrines of the Bible.

1 Timothy  4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

No wonder when our Lord was to ascend back to heaven, He gave a firm instructions that His church must be taught the totality of God’s unfailing unchanging infallible eternal words in the Bible.

Matthew  28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

This becomes a compulsion for every Bible believing believers who desire eternity with God or partaking in the imminent rapture.

Revelation  3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.  3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

TODAY BY THE GRACE OF GOD, WE SHALL BE STUDYING IN DETAILS,  BIBLE DOCTRINE 4: TOTAL DEPRAVITY, SINFULNESS AND GUILT OF ALL MEN.

God’s Word teaches:

The total depravity, sinfulness and guilt of all men since the fall, rendering them subject to God’s wrath and condemnation – 

Psalms  51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Romans  3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans  5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:  5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.  5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.  5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.  5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.  5:17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

Ephesians  2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

The total depravity, sinfulness and guilt of all men since the fall renders all sinners subject to God’s wrath and condemnation (Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-6; Romans 5:17,19; Psalm 51:1-5). 

God’s warning

Genesis  2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.  2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

The fall of man.

Genesis  3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:  3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.  3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:  3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.  3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
First Adam led humanity to sinLast Adam redemeed and reconciled them back to God.

Romans  5:17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)  

5:19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Man was created in the image of God, and he was righteous and holy. 

Genesis  1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.  1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Man was a crown of God’s creation (Genesis 1:26,27; Psalm 8:5-8; Genesis1:31). 

Psalms  8:5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.  8:6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:  8:7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;  8:8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

Through voluntary disobedience and transgression, man fell into the depths of sin. 

In consequence of this, every one born through our first parents (Adam and Eve) became sinners, shapen in iniquity and utterly void of the holiness of God.

Job  14:4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

Isaiah  48:8 Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb

Every man became totally inclined to evil (Psalm 51:1-5; Romans 3:10-18,23; 7:14-21; John 3:18,36; Romans 5:12-17; Job 14:4; Isaiah 48:8).

Listen to depravity of unregenerate people inside or outside the church.

John  3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Isaiah  48:8 Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb

Romans  7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.  7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.  7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.  7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.  7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.  7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

As a result of the fall of man (Adam and Eve) all men born through man and woman became sinners through inheritance. 

By inheriting the nature of sin, man became depraved. There is nothing in the natural man that has not been affected by the power of sin.

The entire nature of man, mentally, physically, morally and spiritually has been affected by sin. 

The testimony of the scriptures is that the image of God in man has been seriously marred by this great fall. 

As a result of the fall, and the nature of sin inherited, man became separated from God, totally alienated from the perfect, holy and pure God. 

This separation is the cause of the beginning of sorrow, shame, fear, heartaches, and manifold problems, spiritually and mentally. 

Man became a transgressor and debtor to God (Romans 1:32; 6:23; Ezekiel 18:4; Hebrews 9:27).

Romans  1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Ezekiel  18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

Hebrews  9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

All these have brought man under the wrath and condemnation of God, for “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” 

There is nothing we can do for ourselves to commend us to a righteous and holy God. 

There is nothing the natural man (Fallen away from grace) can offer to appease God for man to escape His righteous judgment.

The Bible describes the fallen nature of man in various terms. 

Jesus Christ referred to sinners outside the kingdom of God as swine and dogs. 

“Give not that which is holy unto dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you (Matthew 7:6; Mark 7:25-28). 

He also referred to them as goats (Matthew 25:33).

Matthew  25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Paul in his epistle to the Philippian church warned them to beware of evil workers and dogs (Philippians 3:2). 

Philippians  3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

Also, in his epistle to the Romans, he referred to the fallen nature of man as “there is none righteous, no, not one”, “they are together become unprofitable”, “their throat is an open sepulcher”, “whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”, “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10-18,23). 

Romans  3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:  3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.  3:13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:  3:14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:  3:15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:  3:16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:  3:17 And the way of peace have they not known:  3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.  3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Jesus and John the Baptist described men as “vipers” (Matthew 3:7; 12:34).

Jesus

Matthew  12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

John the Baptist

Matthew  3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Variously, the unregenerated man is characterized by reprobate mind, being filled with all unrighteousness – immorality, covetousness, full of. envy, murder, man is defiled and polluted (Romans 1:28-37; Mark 7:21-23), 

Mark  7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,  7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:  7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

treacherous, transgressors, “workers of iniquity”, “their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasters and destroyers” (Isaiah 48:8; 59:5-8), 

Isaiah  59:5 They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.  59:6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.  59:7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths.  59:8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

cunning and crafty, full of wickedness, blind, foolish with darkened understanding, children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3; 4:14)

Ephesians  2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

. The Bible says that the whole head of man is sick.

 The heart devices wicked imaginations, and has come far short of the glory of God. 

All men have become enslaved to sin, and because sin dwells in the natural man, man is conceived in sin, born in sin, grows up in sin – by nature and habit, he is a sinner. The natural man cannot resist sin.

The consequence of the fall of man is that man became totally depraved, and the immediate effect was his separation from the holy God, and a curse upon Adam and his descendants (Genesis 3:1-6,14- 19,23,24; Romans 5:12; 8:22). 

Genesis  3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;  3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;  3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.  3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

God’s judgment also came upon all men: “the soul that sinneth, it shall die”, “for the wages of sin is death” (Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23). 

The human race has rebelled against God and broken His law, but the love of God constrained the holy God to plan for man’s redemption to fulfill the law that “without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22). 

Hebrews  9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Therefore God undertook the redemption work for man by sending Jesus Christ to die for him.

 Jesus Christ became the Divine Provision of a Perfect Substitute and Sin-bearer (Genesis 22:7,8,14; 3:15; John 3:16; Hebrews 9:22). 

Genesis  3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

John  3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

He became the Lamb of God (John 1:29; Matthew 1:21). 

John  1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Matthew  1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

By the perfect sacrifice of His blood (1 Cornthians 5:7) 

1 Corinthians  5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

and through His blood man has complete protection from the fatal and eternal consequence of the fall, from the curse of the broken law (Exodus 12:13; Galatians 3:13),

Exodus  12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Galatians  3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

complete removal of the guilt and condemnation of sin, and full redemption by faith in Him (Isaiah 53:4-8; Acts 8:32-35; 1 Peter 1:18-21; 2:24).

Isaiah  53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.  53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.  53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.  53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.  53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

The atonement is the reconciliation of sinful, fallen man to God made possible through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 

The vicarious death of Jesus Christ is the substitution of the sufferings of Christ for the punishment of all sinners in the world. 

The prime purpose of this is the full redemption of fallen mankind.

Through this “mercy-seat”, sinners are reconciled to God.

 The power of sin over the natural man can only be broken by the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Romans 5:17-19). “For as by one man’s disobedience, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man shall many be made righteous.”

God demands repentance from all sinners to avail themselves of the provision of redemption made in Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53:5-7; Matthew 20:28; 26:28; John 3:14,15; 1 Corinthians 5:7; John 1:12; 3:18,36).

John  3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:  3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Repentance is the change that takes place in the penitent’s attitude towards sin.

 It is turning away from sin to God. 

Sincere and total repentance and godly sorrow for sin through the agency of the Holy Spirit are important pre-requisites for salvation.

 Repentance is the deep inward experience, which makes the sinner turn from sin to God.

 Therefore, God demands repentance from all men (Mark 1:15; Matthew 4:17; Luke 13:3,5; 24:47; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30). 

Mark  1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Acts  2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts  3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts  17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

When a sinner hears the gospel empowered by the Holy Spirit, the sinner will have deep, godly sorrow for his sins and acknowledge them by confessing all manner of sins.

 He goes before God in the merit of the atonement  made by Jesus Christ through His vicarious death and accepts the sacrifice as a substitute for the punishment of his own personal sins. 

On the basis of this process of genuine repentance, the sinner asks for forgiveness and pardon based on the promises of God in the scriptures (Proverbs 28:13; Isaiah 55:6,7; 1 John 1:9; Ezekiel 18:21,22). 

Promises of God for penitent sinner.

Proverbs  28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Isaiah  55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:  55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

1 John  1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

As the sinner repents genuinely, he receives forgiveness and pardon (Romans 8:16; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 2:2,3).

Romans  8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

2 Corinthians  5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

1 John  2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.  2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

Beloved brethren, what are you going to do with your knowledge of this doctrine? 

Everyone of us are descendants of Adam and are sinners by birth.

We are subject to God’s wrath and judgement.

But then Jesus took our place and paid the gruesome shameful painful and excruciating death to redeem us all.

Our Lord alone can save us from all sins,, without and within.

Matthew  1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Sin without salvation.

Sin within, the second work of grace, sanctification.

Praise God, you might have attained these two works of grace.

So continue your walk with God till Jesus comes.

But just in case you have not been biblically saved or sanctified.

The good Lord is calling you to come now and experience the two biblical experiences.

Psalms  51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: 

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Psalms  24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

1 John  1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

So come now.

Isaiah  1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Matthew  11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Remember Jesus said you should believe and hold on to this doctrine till He comes for you not to slid back into sin and be unprepared for the imminent rapture or eternity with God.

God said to Moses, He would blot out the name of anyone who sin.

Exodus  32:33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

Jesus warned you to remember Lots wife.

Luke  17:32 Remember Lot’s wife.

So hold on to this doctrine and avoid the undoing of Adam.

Revelation  2:25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

Revelation  3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.  3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

LET US PRAY.