Spoken at SGBC

9-7-97

Romans 15

3:9-18

Human Depravity

"Hear ye! Hear ye! Court is now in session! These are words the Apostle Paul could have used to introduce the first three chapters in Romans. His goal in writing the letter was to make clear the doctrine of justification by faith whereby men have imputed to them the very righteousness of God.

Before he gets his main point he first puts the entire human race on trial to prove their unrighteousness. It is essential he does this. For until man knows he is a hopeless sinner he cannot appreciate the gracious salvation God provides by faith in Christ.

Having shown the guilt of the Gentiles in chapter one and of the Jews in chapter two Paul now speaks of them together. In our text for today our brother describes human depravity and makes no distinction between Jew and Gentile. For as he has already proven and stated in chapter three verse twenty three, "All have sinned and come short of God's requirements."

The text we study this morning teaches the undeniable truth of Total Depravity. We are about to see that sin has infected and affected every man, woman and child in every aspect of their being. Man has been totally ruined by sin. His mind, understanding, heart, emotions, will, desires, actions and his speech are all damaged by sin. So extensive is this damage humans have become the slaves of sin, self and the Devil. Hear the word of the Lord.

That humans are slaves to sin is made clear by Romans 6:16-18 NASB. Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, EITHER OF SIN RESULTING IN DEATH, OR OF OBEDIENCE RESULTING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS? {17} But thanks be to God that though you (The Christian.) WERE slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, {18} and HAVING BEEN FREED FROM SIN, YOU BECAME SLAVES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

That we are slaves of self is taught in James 1:14-15 NASB. But each one is tempted when he is CARRIED AWAY AND ENTICED BY HIS OWN LUST. {15} Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

That we are slaves of the Devil is revealed in 2 Timothy 2:24-26 NASB. And the Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, {25} with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, {26} and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, HAVING BEEN HELD CAPTIVE BY HIM TO DO HIS WILL.

Even though man was created with a free and unrestricted will. It is no longer the case. As sons and daughters of Adam and Eve humans are slaves of sin, self and the Devil. Because of this humans are both unwilling and unable to please God. Let us hear Paul's description of fallen man as found in Romans chapter three. The section opens with a question from Paul's imaginary Jew.

(Romans 3:9-20 NASB) What then? Are we better than they? (They, meaning the Gentiles. Paul replies. . .) Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; {10} as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; {11} THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; {12} ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE." {13} "THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING," "THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS"; {14} "WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS"; {15} "THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, {16} DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, {17} AND THE PATH OF PEACE HAVE THEY NOT KNOWN." {18} "THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES."

Verse nine could read, "Don't we enjoy some access to God that is not available to the Gentiles?" No, says the Apostle, we have already proven this to be true. All humans are sinners. All are equally condemned by the law of God. Look with me at verse ten.

(Romans 3:10 NASB) as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; By this Paul means, there never has been and never will be a righteous person acceptable to God apart form faith in Christ. Why? The answer to this question is found in Romans chapter five. Go with me to Romans 5:12-19 NASB. Therefore, just as through one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, BECAUSE ALL SINNED (We all sinned in Adam and inherited from him a sin nature, or a propensity and desire to sin. As soon as we are able we embark upon a career of sin. Paul continues . . . ). . . {18} So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to ALL MEN, (every person without exception) even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. (The "all" refers to every person who believes in Jesus for salvation.) {19} For as through the one man's disobedience the many (All men) were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many ( All believers.) will be made righteous." This is why there is none righteous, not even one. It is because we have all been MADE sinners by our parents Adam and Eve. Beyond that we all practice sin the moment we are able to express the content of our evil hearts. There is no righteousness in the heart of any human.

Still describing sin's effects Paul continues, "THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;" (Romans 3:11 NASB)

Here we see what sin has done to man's mind. We humans like to think were pretty smart. We believe ourselves to be understanding creatures. This is true, to some extent, when it comes to earthly things. But when it comes to spiritual things Man is spiritually insane. That is, we are not in our right minds. We do not understand the way of salvation by faith in Christ, therefore, we will not seek God. The classic supporting scripture for this truth is 1 Corinthians 2:14 NASB. "But a natural man (A person who is not born again.) DOES NOT ACCEPT the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and HE CANNOT UNDERSTAND THEM, because they are spiritually appraised."

This verse makes an all encompassing statement. All humans who have not been born the second time are incapable of understanding the Gospel. The unsaved person does not accept the fact that men can only be saved by faith alone in Christ alone. He will not accept the fact that there is a Heaven to gain and a Hell to shun. Why? On the human level it is because the Gospel and every other spiritual truth sounds like foolishness. Why does it sound like foolishness? Because he CANNOT understand spiritual things. Why can't the sinner understand spiritual things? It is because spiritual things can only be understood by those who are spiritually alive. This is something which men ARE NOT by natural birth. A person must be born again, raised from spiritual death to spiritual life, BEFORE he can understand and appreciate spiritual truth. Until then, he or she is spiritually dead and, therefore, spiritually blind, deaf and dumb. That is why the sinner will not and cannot understand the Gospel. That is why the sinner will not seek God! THIS IS WHY MAN'S WILL IS NOT AND CANNOT BE THE KEY TO SALVATION.

That men are not saved by the exercise of their will is made very clear by the scriptures. Hear the word of the Lord on this. (John 1:12-13 NASB) "But as many as received Him, (To receive Christ is to believe or trust in Him as Lord and Savior.) to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, (We would all agree that those who truly believe in Christ's name are born again. But how did this rebirth come to pass? Was it the result of a decision of the human will? John declares that those who were saved . . . {13} . . . were born (That is born again.) not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

Now hear the Amplified version of the same two verses. John 1:12-13 "But to as many as did receive and welcome Him He gave the authority [power, privilege, right] to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in - adhere to, trust in and rely on - His name; [Is.56:5.] 13 Who owe their birth neither to bloods, (ancestry) nor to the will of man [that of a natural father], but to God- They are born of God!" Finally, speaking of how a person is saved, Paul says, Romans 9:16 NASB. {16} So then it DOES NOT depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy." You see, it must be this way for there are none righteous and there are none who will seek God.

Do we believe what the Bible says or don't we?

God is and must be the all in all of salivation. For sin has darkened the minds of men to the extent they cannot comprehend the simple truth set forth in Gospel. They cannot see their sin, guilt or need of repentance and faith. They do not understand that hell is in their future and they will not run to Christ. Indeed the scripture declares they cannot. Hear again the word of the Lord.

(John 6:44 and 65 NASB) "NO ONE CAN COME TO ME, UNLESS the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. . . .{65} And He was saying, "For this reason I have said to you, that NO ONE CAN COME TO ME, UNLESS it has been granted him from the Father."

Ladies and Gentlemen, fallen men have no spiritual freedom! Those born only once are slaves of sin, self and the Devil. They are in bondage to such an extent they cannot go to God, unless He first raises them from spiritual death. A man must be born again, brought to life or regenerated BEFORE he can see or understand the Gospel and cry out for salvation.

Praise be to God that with the call or the drawing of God comes all things necessary for salvation. God gives the sinner eyes with which to see truth, ears with which to hear truth. He gives him a new heart and mind along with the gifts of repentance and faith toward Jesus Christ. It is then, but only then, the once rebellious, obstinate sinner, runs gladly and with joy to Christ for salivation and forgiveness of sins. This is free and Sovereign Grace. It is grace extended to sinners, not in response to their seeking God but in spite of their refusal and inability to seek God. Salvation comes to pass without man's help, contribution or cooperation. When we see a person cry out to Christ for mercy and grace we are looking at the evidence of life, not its cause. "For it is not of him who wills or of him who runs but of God who shows mercy." When one by divine mercy is born from above he cries out in faith to Jesus.

Return with me to Romans 3:12 where Paul continues to describe fallen humanity. "ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE."

All have turned to the left or the right. None walk the straight and narrow way of holiness. The Apostle's reference is to an Isaiah passage which says this. "All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way . . ." (Isaiah 53:6 NASB)

Because men have gone astray to serve themselves instead of God they have all become UNPROFITABLE OR USELESS. What does this mean? Hear the words of John Gill on this;

"The word unprofitable in Ps 14:3 and Ps 53:3; is sometimes translated, "they are become filthy." By some it is translated, "they are corrupt"; or, "they are turned to corruption." The metaphor is taken from stinking flesh, which is tainted and corrupted, and so good for nothing, hence it is "unprofitable." Likewise men, being corrupted by sin, are of no use, service, or advantage to God, to men, or to themselves. On the contrary they are nauseous to God, and to all that are good. They are hurtful to themselves and others." (This quote has been modified for ease of understanding.) Sinful man does not understand, does not seek God, has turned aside to sin and has become USELESS.

Paul is not finished with his description. Look with me at the last phrase in verse 12. (Romans 3:12 NASB) " . . THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE."

In this whole section Paul is attacking the fortress of human pride. This house is very strong and must be struck again and again before it comes tumbling down. The sinner must be made to understand that human goodness cannot make one right with God. In fact, "There is none who does good, there is not even one!" No son or daughter of Adam and Eve can do anything that God would call good. Hear the word of the Lord.

(Isaiah 64:6 NASB) "For ALL OF US have become like one who is unclean, And ALL our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And ALL OF US wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take US away." No man woman or child, outside of faith in Christ, has or can do anything truly good in the eyes of God. The very best of our deeds are sinful if we have preformed them apart from faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, (Romans 14:23).

The description of sinful man continues in verse thirteen and following.

(Romans 3:13-18 NASB) "Their throat is an open grave, (Here is the idea of corruption and uselessness again.) with their tongues they keep deceiving," "The poison of asps is under their lips"; {14} "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness"; (Matthew 12:34 declares that, " . . the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart." Until God gives a man a new heart his mouth is full of poison or sin. Man's bad and evil heart affects his actions as well as his speech. Paul reveals this in what follows. . . ){15} "Their feet are swift to shed blood, {16} destruction and misery are in their paths, (Sinners are anxious to get on with their sin. They move swiftly from this evil to that evil. They go down many paths to get what they desire but . . . ) {17} . . . the path of peace have they not known." (Which is to say, there is no satisfaction, no fulfillment, no rest in the things they pursue. These are not at peace with God, man or with themselves.) {18} "There is no fear (literal fear, respect or reverence) of God before their eyes."

This is the doctrine of Total Depravity. It is the truth about fallen humanity. Man is not free, he is a slave of sin, self and the Devil. Man is in fact, dead to God in the midst of his sin. We are all fallen and we cannot get up. We are all together without hope and without God in this world. We who are Christians today were in this exact same condition. What was it that made the difference? How is it that we have been saved? It was, beloved, brought to pass by the Sovereign intervention of our merciful God. Look with me at our closing text.

(Ephesians 2:1-10 NASB) And you (Christians) were dead in your trespasses and sins, {2} in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, (We were slaves of the Devil.) of the spirit that is now working IN the sons of disobedience. (unbelievers) {3} Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, (i.e. slaves of self) and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. {4} BUT GOD, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, {5} even when WE WERE DEAD in our transgressions, MADE US ALIVE together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), {6} and RAISED US UP with Him, and SEATED US with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, {7} in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. {8} For BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN saved through faith; and that NOT of yourselves, it is the GIFT of God; {9} NOT as a result of works, that no one should boast. {10} FOR WE ARE HIS workmanship, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Men cannot save themselves but God can and does save sinners. He saves them in spite of their sin for reasons known only to Him. He saves them by the power of the Holy Spirit creating in them a new heart while imparting the gifts of repentance and faith toward Jesus Christ. Are you responsible to believe in Jesus for salvation? Yes you are! Must you come to Him, confessing your sin and seeking His mercy? Oh yes you must! But when you do, you can only offer thanks to God. For it is Him who has set you free from sin, self and the Devil. It is Him who has drawn you to Himself and made willing and able believe. Salvation is by free and Sovereign Grace through faith in Jesus Christ the Lord. To Him be the glory forever and ever, Amen.