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

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 – Psalm 51:5; Job 14:4; Romans 3:23; 5:12-17; Mark 7:21- 23; Ephesians 2:1.

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

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.)

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). 

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. 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. 

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). 

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.

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).

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.

Romans  6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 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). 

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

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),

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

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  3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:  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.  3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.  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;  3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

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.

By the perfect sacrifice of His blood (1 Corinthians 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),

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.

1 Peter  1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:  1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,  1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

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  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). 

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.)  5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.  5:19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

“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).

Isaiah  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.

John  1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

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.

 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 n 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).

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.

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

 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:

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.

Let us pray.