Human Nature In Four States

The State of Sin Romans 3:10-19

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. 5:12). We do so by nature (Psa. 58:3; Rom. 8:7). And we have all wilfully forsaken him from our youth up, by our own, calculated, deliberate choice (Isa. 53:6; Eph. 2:1-3). Read Romans 3:10-19. Read those verses again and again, keep reading them until God the Holy Spirit convinces you that you and all other are altogether guilty and without excuse before God. You will never seek the mercy and grace of God in Christ until you are convinced of your sin, convinced that you are without excuse, and convinced that you are personally guilty before the holy Lord God.

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. 15:19-20). – So evil we are that we cannot and will not do good (1 John 1:8-10). If you die without Christ, this is what you shall be forever in hell. There will be no changes on the other side of the grave. Whatever else hell may be, it is a place of ever-increasing torment, blackness, darkness, corruption, and burning lusts, without satisfaction.

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