The Total Depravity of Man
Notes
Transcript
Handout
1. Introduction.
1. Introduction.
First Jhn. 2:2
2 He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.
If anyone goes to heaven, he or she will go because the blood of Jesus Christ erased his or her sin debt.
We have this misconception that some people are good people and others are not, but that is not what the Bible says. The Bible says, in fact, just the opposite.
Romans 7:18 “For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it.”
Romans 3:10–12 “as it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away; all alike have become worthless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one.”
Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;”
Psalm 51:5 “Indeed, I was guilty when I was born; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.”
The Bible is absolutely clear that man has no redeeming value. As a matter of fact, the best person you can think of is not much in the eyes of God.
All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment; all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.
Briefly, today, we are going to look at the total depravity and what it took for mankind to be righteous in the eyes of God.
2. What does total depravity mean?
2. What does total depravity mean?
Total depravity is the idea that humans are unable to love God with their whole heart, mind, and strength because humans are more inclined to serve their own desires instead.
Depravity affects every aspect of human nature including actions, thoughts, and intentions.
Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.”
Our depravity comes from Adam.
Adam’s sin, if I can say it like this, was worse than Eve’s sin, and the Bible evens tells us so.
1 Timothy 2:14 “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed.”
Eve fell because of the deception of Satan but not Adam. Adam was not deceived; Adam was disobedient.
Adam is the pattern for our depravity.
Now, here is an important to be made.
Total depravity does not mean that people are as sinful as they could be, and it does not mean that people have lost the ability to choose not to sin. It just means that man is going to choose to sin.
Let me give you some Scriptural examples.
Romans 1:21–23 “For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became worthless, and their senseless hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.”
Mark 7:21–23 “For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, self-indulgence, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a person.””
Have you ever thought about carrying out revenge? Do you know where that thought originates? It originates in your heart as a result of your depravity.
What about seeing a beautiful woman or a handsome man in revealing clothing and suddenly you almost whiplash yourself getting a second, third, and fourth look? Where does that originate? It originates in your heart as a result of your depravity.
You did not have to take a double-look, but you just could not resist.
Even Christians let their depravity come to the surface on occasion when they choose to sin because God makes it possible for any Christian to resist any temptation.I have said this before, and we always chuckle about it, but, seriously, why do you have to teach your children how to behave? Because if you do not, they will always choose to sin.
Those of you that are parents, let me ask you a question.
How many of you have ever had to tell your child more than once not to do something? Why? Because even in their youth, they are exhibiting the pattern of disobedience and depravity inherited from Adam.
All human beings since the Fall have inherited both Adam’s guilt and his nature to sin. As a result everything around us is affected. Even the Creation is groaning because of sin.
Romans 8:22 “For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now.”
Man’s depravity is causing the Creation to groan like a pregnant woman in the throes of tremendous labor pain.
Did you know you die because of Adam’s choice and your sin? It is the grand prize that you earn for sinning.
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Did you know you age because of Adam’s choice and your sin?
Ecclesiastes 12:1 “So remember your Creator in the days of your youth: Before the days of adversity come, and the years approach when you will say, “I have no delight in them”;”
If you read the opening verses of the 12th chapter of Ecclesiastes, you will see what sin causes regarding aging. That’s why Solomon writes that every single person would be better off if we had started serving the Creator in the days of our youth.
Every part of you has been corrupted by sin-the heart, mind, will, emotions, and desires.
Mankind is totally depraved.
Because of man’s depravity, man can have no relationship with God. Because of depravity, man deserves Hell. Because of depravity, even when I know better, I sin. Because of depravity, mankind is at enmity with God.
Mankind is left to ponder the question asked by Job so many years ago.
Job 25:4 “How can a human be justified before God? How can one born of woman be pure?”
Mankind is hopeless. There is nothing we can do, but PRAISE GOD, there was something God could do.
3. What does propitiation mean?
3. What does propitiation mean?
First Jhn. 2:2
2 He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.
Believe me, you ought to be saying AMEN!
Everyone in this building from the youngest to the oldest is depraved and hopeless.
Only God could resolve our hopelessness.
First John Chap. 2 v. 2 uses an interesting word. The Bible says that Jesus is the propitiation for our sins and the sins of the whole world.
Propitiation is the act of appeasing God’s wrath through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and only Jesus Christ could satisfy that wrath.
Propitiation makes it a reality to avoid divine retribution and to gain Divine favor. Propitiation satisfies God’s wrath against human sin.
Jesus Christ is our propitiation.
Dear friend, listen to me.
Above all else, God is HOLY and RIGHTEOUS. He cannot and will not overlook sin.
Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;”
“ALL” means from the youngest to the oldest. We all miss the mark. We all need someone who can satisfy God’s wrath, and there is only One who could satisfy it, and that On was Jesus Christ. Only Jesus Christ can satisfy God’s wrath.
To cover my depravity, God had to step out of heaven to be born in a manger. The God of glory had to humble Himself to be laid in a feeding trough.
He laid aside His glory to live on this planet as a man. The One who knew no sin had to live among sinners to justify sinners before God. He lived for me, and then He died for me. He was innocent, but He wrapped Himself in my guilt so He could appease or satisfy God’s wrath in my life.
Miraculously, three days later, His glory was returned as He was resurrected out of that tomb giving me eternal life.
Dear friend, Jesus Christ is the only way for you to be made right before God. God knew what it was going to take even before He said, “Let there be light.”
He knew the light in this world was going to be JESUS.
Revelation 13:8 “All those who live on the earth will worship it, everyone whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered.”
He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything?
For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
God knew His plans for you before this world was ever created. His plans were for you to have an eternal future based upon the hope brought into this world by His Son, Jesus.
One of the great Bible passages that describes what Jesus did as the propitiation of our sins is found in the Book of Colossians.
And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses.
He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.
He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.
Jesus Christ made it possible for you to have a relationship with God the Father even though you are depraved.
He took all of your sins and the consequences of those sins and nailed them to His Cross erasing the debt against you, but that is not all.
After He erased your debt, He was resurrected gaining complete victory over Satan. The Bible says that He disgraced Satan publicly. What does that mean?
It means that Jesus did not have a private, secret, invisible resurrection. The Bible tells us that over 500 witnesses saw the resurrected Jesus.
It was a public resurrection that totally humiliated and defeated Satan.
Listen to me dear friend.
You are depraved. You deserve God’s wrath. There is nothing righteous in you, but God’s righteousness is available to you.
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.”
God’s desire is for everyone to come and partake in the propitiation provided by Jesus Christ.
Romans 10:9–10 “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.”
Romans 10:13 “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
God has made it easy for you, even though it was not easy for Him. All you have to do is believe and call on the name of JESUS.
Dear friend, God has done all He can, and instead of giving us what we deserve, He gave us JESUS.
John 3:16 “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Jesus made it possible for you to have eternal life, but if you His payment for your sins, God will give you what you deserve, and your depravity will lead to an eternity of torment in the lake of fire.
Rev. Chap 14 v. 11 says that the lost are tormented day and night never having a moment of rest. It is what they deserve, but dear friend, God wants everyone to have a relationship with Him, and that relationship is made possible by Jesus Christ.
