Totally Depraved

The sin nature that we inherited from Adam is many times referred to in the Bible as the “flesh”.
This fleshly nature- sometimes also translated “Carnal nature” is at the core of our being and is the root of our personal alienation from God. This sin nature permeates our being and effects all our thoughts and actions. Thus Theologians refer to the Human nature as being “Totally depraved”.
The Apostle Paul refers to this nature as being the natural man and he also instructs us that the natural man is the enemy of God, is not subject to the law of God and cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God.

Naturally, we humans bristle at the thought that we are God’s enemies and at the core of our being sinful. We want to believe the humanist lie that man is basically good- that if all we do is fan the flame of that goodness everything will be alright and God will accept us. But nothing could be further from the truth.

For us to be right with God we must receive a new nature not just clean up the old. Paul goes further in Romans 5:18 and tells us “…even so through One Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned…Therefore as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation.” Romans 5:12,18a

Because of grace,
Tim

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