Topic #1 Condition of mankind and why we cannot be true to ourselves

Christian Delacruz / #1 Youth Conference Messages

Iglesia Vida de Fe

Preached: October 13-14, 2023

Topic #1 – Condition of mankind and why we cannot be true to ourselves - Ecc.7:20 and Romans 3:9-12

Salutation - Who I am and where i'm from

The importance of the message of the Gospel- these words are matters of eternity.

Today the Lord in his providence have allowed you to listen to his word and that's a privilege that not everyone in this world will have

Let's come before the Lord in prayer

Thank you to the pastors and elders of this church for giving me the opportunity to speak to the youth tonight.

The topic i was given is called Condition of mankind and why we cannot be true to ourselves

Ecclesiastes 7:20 (ESV):

"Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins."

Romans 3:9-12 (ESV):

"What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.

Both of these verses emphasize the universality of human sinfulness and the fact that no one is truly righteous on their own. They highlight the need for God's grace and redemption through faith in Christ.

This verses give us 3 clear statements

No one is righteous = just, correct, innocent.

No one seeks after God =.

Seeking God is not an inherent human tendency."

Inclination to seek God is not found within human nature."

"Human beings do not naturally pursue a relationship with God."

"Without divine intervention, people do not actively seek after God.

No one does Good =

I've seen many people do good in this world. What then is it saying no one does good?

Before we continue let's make it clear that the context of good here is in seeking the things of God. not about good deeds

**Nature of Sin says that all men, as a consequence of the Fall, are born morally corrupt, enslaved to sin, at enmity with God, and unable to please Him or even of themselves to turn to Christ for salvation.

That's what is called the Original Sin: All humans inherit a sinful nature from (Legal representative Headship) Adam and are born in a state of sinfulness. - (Cause and effect) Romans 5:12: "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned."

Also Rom 3:23 says for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Missed the mark examples of basket ball or target practice

Every person has fallen short of God's perfection."

"None are exempt from the reality of sin."

"In the eyes of God, no one is without sin."

"All individuals are guilty of transgressing God's commandments."

"Sin is universal, affecting every human being."

Sin affects every aspect of human nature, leaving no part untouched by its corruption.

All men? Are there any exceptions?

Psalm 143:2 (ESV) - "Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you."

2 Chronicles 6:36 (ESV) - "there is no one who does not sin."

Isaiah 53:6 (ESV) - "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way."

Micah 7:2-4 (ESV) - "The godly has perished from the earth, and there is no one upright among mankind; they all lie in wait for blood, and each hunts the other with a net. Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together. The best of them is like a brier, the most upright of them a thorn hedge."

You may hear preachers say

"There is within the human soul an inner goodness that desires to love and do good to others." - Joel Osteen

"In the heart of every person, there is a spark of divine goodness waiting to be ignited." - Desmond Tutu

"The image of God in humanity means that deep down, we carry the potential for goodness and compassion." - Rob Bell

So are people good deep down?

Mark 7:21-23 (ESV):"For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile (Contaminate - taint- profane) a person."

Psalm 5:9 (ESV):"For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue."

Let me give un an illustration of the thoughts in a projector

Brother and sisters, how wicked is our sin!!!!

This 3 enemies of our soul The world the devil and our sinful nature are in agreement

Our sinful nature is incline already to choose wrong

The world its inviting Look come have all you want be free

The Devil alway like roaring lion looking to devour always decieving

The world says…

"Follow your heart; it knows the way."

"Believe in your heart, and you will be unstoppable."

"Your heart knows the truth, trust it."

"Listen to your heart; it may be on your left, but it's always right."

"Follow your heart, and you'll never lose your way."

Scripture is clear that our minds, thoughts & hearts because of sin are deceitful

Jeremiah 17:9 - "The heart is deceitful(Dishonest above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?"

Genesis 6:5 (ESV):"The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually... from his youth."

Proverbs 10:20 (ESV):"The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth."

Proverbs 28:26 (ESV): "Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered."

Do you see our Condition and thats why we cannot be true to ourselves

Here are some effects of sin

Makes us rebel against God: Sin is fundamentally rebellion against God's authority and a violation of His commandments.

1 John 3:4: "Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness

People are in bondage: Humanity is enslaved to sin and incapable of choosing God without His divine intervention.

Incapacity for Good: Fallen humans cannot do anything truly good or righteous apart from God's grace.

Romans 7:18-19: "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing."

Also because Sin brings God's just condemnation, so apart from Christ, all are deserving of eternal punishment.

Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Is man basically good or basically evil?

All men? Are there any exceptions?

Are people good deep down?

Are men totally depraved? Is every faculty of the person corrupted?

Heart/Mind (Deceitful)

Will/Choosing (Enslaved)

Affections/Desires (Perverted)

(Utter Ruin

Young people examine yourselves

In what ways have you experienced the deceitfulness of my own thoughts and desires?

Are there aspects of your life where you feel enslaved to certain habits or desires?

Have your desires led you down paths that I later regretted?

In what areas of your life do you see signs of ruin, whether it's in relationships, personal well-being, or spiritual growth?

Sin blinds us to the truth of the Gospel and the beauty of God's grace.

Therefore there is a Need for Redemption: Only through God's sovereign grace can individuals be redeemed from the power and penalty of sin.

I really want this message about sin and about your sinful condition and mine to be hope-giving and life-producing.

Isn’t there something deeply satisfying about someone who knows your flaws to the deepest level of your being—

knows your worst condition—and says, “I love you, and I know a way that you can be set right with God and right with others.

Romans 6:23 (ESV): 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Isn't it more encouraging when someone speaks honestly and offers real solutions, rather than just making casual conversation and giving you temporary feel-good fixes, especially when you're aware that things aren't going well?"

"It might seem kinder, gentler, and more loving to hear that you're okay instead of being told you're a sinner and seriously ill. But in reality, it's a dangerous form of kindness, like a doctor who won't tell you the truth about your curable cancer because they want to spare you from feeling discouraged or scared."

Let me close with some observations.

1. Ruined Relationship with God

Being “under sin” is first and foremost a ruined relation with God.

Not, first, a ruined relation with other people. Verses 10–18 begin and end with this point. Verse 10–11: “There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God.” And verse 18: “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Everything in between these verses has to do with the meaning of sin in human relations.

But at the beginning and the end being “under sin” means that we have no fear of God and we don’t understand him and we don’t seek him. Verse 11: “There is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God.”

Fix this firmly in your mind, sin is mainly a condition of rebellion against God, not mainly a condition of doing bad things to other people.

This is why it is so sad and so pointless when people argue that they are pretty good people, and so don’t need the Gospel.

What they mean is that they treat other people decently: they don’t steal, kill, lie much, or swear much, and they give to some charities. But that is not the main question.

The main question is: Do you love God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength? Do you love his Son, Jesus Christ?

God is the most important person in the universe. It is not a mark of virtue to do nice things for people while having no love or reverence or passion for God.

Sin is, first and foremost, a resistance to finding joy in God. And that resistance results in a darkened mind that then suppresses the truth and does not understand God.

So the mind that is “under sin” does not seek God and does not know God and does not fear God.

And it doesn’t matter what we do for people; if we treat the King of the universe with such disdain, we may know that we are profoundly “under sin.”

Am I aware of my own sinful nature and the ways in which I fall short of God's standar

Have I considered the consequences of my sins, both on myself and on others? How have they impacted my life and relationships?

Have I genuinely repented for my sins, acknowledging them and turning away from them in my life

Do I recognize my dependency on God's mercy and grace to bring me back to spiritual life?

Finally, if this is who we really are by nature—people who are “under sin” and therefore, as Romans 1:18 says, under the wrath of God—then is it not the best news in the world that the entire point of the book of Romans and the whole Bible and of Christianity is that God, in his great mercy, has made a way of salvation from sin—the power of sin and the penalty of sin?

We are just centimeters away from it. Romans 3:21–22—“But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe.”

If today you will believe in Jesus Christ, and turn from your sin, and renounce all forms of self-salvation, the very righteousness of God will be yours as a gift, and replace your unrighteousness for which Christ suffered and died on the cross. I beg you, on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. Trust him for his great salvation.

Lets Pray