Human Nature In Four States
The State of
The picture drawn of fallen man in this Book is not a pretty one. It is not the picture given by educators, moms and dads, sociologists, psychiatrists, preachers, or politicians; but it is a true and accurate description of us all by nature. What is more, though we all naturally deny it (because we despise the fact of it), we all know that it is an accurate description of ourselves.
Hear the Word of God. "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." "The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.” There are no exceptions. All men are, from the moment of conception, sinners. We all came forth from our mothers’ wombs speaking lies.
Sin
is not the result of man’s environment, the evil influences of a corrupt
society, or the result of a perverse educational system. Sin is the nature of
all men. We are, as the Lord God declares, “a
sinful people, a people laden with
iniquity, a seed of evil doers, children that are corrupters.” How did we
become such? We “have forsaken the Lord!”
We
did so representatively in our father Adam (Psa. 14:3; Rom.
We
are, everyone of us, and everyone of our children, sinners, corrupt at heart,
corrupt by nature, corrupt by choice, and corrupt by practice. -- So vile, so
corrupt we are, that the thoughts of the human heart are only evil continually
(Gen. 6:5; Matt.
This is called “Total Depravity.” We are depraved, spiritually dead sinners by nature, incapable of changing our condition, or even wishing to change it. Man is so depraved that it is utterly impossible for him ever to escape the wrath of God, if left to himself. But, blessed be God, that which is impossible with men is possible with God! By the work of his sovereign, free, distinguishing, effectual grace, some men and women are made new creatures in Christ. May God be pleased to do for you and me what we cannot do for ourselves. Oh, may God be pleased to save us from ourselves, for Christ’s sake!
Don Fortner