Psalm 143:2

Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.

In the Overview, Bryan referred to this as “The Sinful Condition of Man after the Fall into Sin”. The Doctrines of Grace refer to this as Total Depravity, where depravity is defined as Moral Perversion, an Impairment of Virtue or Moral Principles. Some synonyms for Total might be:

• Comprehensive
• Thorough
• Utter
• Exhaustive
• Pervasive

I state, “You are Utterly Sinful, your Moral Perversion is comprehensive, you suffer a thorough impairment of virtue, and a pervasive impairment of moral principles!”

To which the world replies, “Whoa Bubba! I’m not really such a bad person!” And the church goer says, “Ok, I’ve done some bad things – but I’m not sure all those big words apply to us … Total? Utter? Exhaustive? I’m not even sure I know what all those words mean … but I am sure I don’t like them!” while the true Christian simply says “Amen!”

I considered numerous scenarios by which I could teach this doctrine and be of use to the Spirit in further grounding your convictions in the truth of it. After much prayer, I’ve fallen back on my own conviction that it is best to allow Scripture to speak for itself.

To that end, I intend to bring the whole counsel of Scripture to bear, converting my sword (if you will) into a Gatlin Gun and so demonstrate the scriptural teachings throughout the Bible on this topic that by the end you simple exclaim, “Damned!”

Literally, “Damned!” as in “I am damned!”, “You are damned!”, “We are damned!”

The Definition of Sin

Wayne Grudem defines sin as follows: Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature. Notice here a three-fold approach to what sin is:

· Acts – things we do such as steal, lie, murder, etc.

· Attitude – things we think or feel such as coveting (Ex 20:17), anger (Matt 5:22), lust (Matt 5:28), Jealousy or Selfishness (Gal 5:20), etc.

· Moral Nature – the internal character, the essence of who we are, can be sinful. (Eph 2:3) “We [Christians] were by nature children of wrath”. Even while asleep, an unbeliever, though not committing sinful actions or actively nurturing sinful attitudes, is still a “sinner” in God’s sight; he or she still has a sinful nature that does not conform to God’s moral law.

Also note that sin is defined in relationship with the moral law of God. Your experience will testify that sin brings about destructive consequences in your own life and the lives of others who are affected by your sin. But in the deepest sense, as a failure to conform to God’s moral law, it is more than just painful or destructive, it is wrong in the deepest sense of the word.

Sin ought not be approved in God’s creation. It is directly opposite to God’s character, and just as God necessarily and eternally delights in Himself and all that He is, so God necessarily and eternally despises sin. Sin is, in essence, the contradiction of the excellence of God’s character. Sin contradicts God’s holiness, and God must hate sin.

Where Did Sin Come From?

I’ll not spend a lot of time on this as I assume you are well aware of Adam’s transgression. Yet I’ll submit that even before Adam’s disobedience, sin was present in the angelic world with the fall of Satan and demons. Yet, with respect to our human race, Adam & Eve eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil was the first sin, and can be seen in many ways as typical of sin generally.

If you would like to look into this aspect more, see:

Gen 2:17
Gen 3:1-9
Rom 5:12
Rom 5:16
2 Cor 11:3
1 Tim 2:14
Rom 16:20
Num 22:28-30
Rev 12:9
Rev 20:2

The Doctrine of Inherited Sin

I’ve decided to invest my time with you discussing our sinful nature rather than sinful attitudes or actions. I’m certain that you are well aware of scriptural teaching on those two topics and it would only be a review.

The real meat tonight will be around how our natures are so perverted from birth that our actions and attitudes are simply sinful.

Our Key Passage tonight will be Romans 5:12-14 (Emphasis is Mine):

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all menbecause all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Notice that the context demonstrates Paul is not referring here to individual sins of action or attitude. The entirety is taken up with a comparison of Christ and Adam. Verse 12 demonstrates that through the sin of Adam, all men sinned.

Between Adam and Moses, there was no law – but there was death. Very good proof that God counted people guilty on the basis of Adam’s sin – this is further developed v18-19, one trespass (Adams) led to condemnation for all men.

When Adam sinned, God considered all who would descend from Adam as sinners. A simple analogy would be a cake tin. When you first get it, you make cakes in it that come out “perfect” – rounded sides, flat bottom, slight curve to the top – beautiful. Then one of the five kids gets a hold of the cake tin and a wooden spoon, to make wonderful noise! Now, the cake tin is a bit lopsided, and a number of dents have been made in the bottom. Every cake that comes from this mold will be lopsided and have an uneven, dented bottom – likely causing further issues with the integrity of the cake, making it apt to crumble, tilt, and just not look … right.

Simply put, the nature that we inherit from our fathers, back to Adam, is lopsided and dented in such a way that we are sinners before God. When God looks at us, we just don’t look … right.

Many will consider this “unfair” of God … but then we would also point out that if it is unfair of God to impute guilt to us through Adam … it is equally unfair of God to impute righteousness to us through Christ. It is the exact same thing, just simply in reverse and is precisely Paul’s point in Romans 5:19.

This is simply the way God designed the human race to work. God regards the human race as an organic whole, a unity, represented by Adam as its head. God also thinks of the new race of Christians, those who are redeemed by Christ, as an organic whole, a unity represented by Christ as head of His people.

In addition to the legal guilt God imputes to us because of Adam’s sin, we also inherit a sinful nature. Psalms 51:5 David says, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Don’t believe that this is referring to the sin of David’s mom. The entire context of Psalm 51 has nothing to do with David’s mom. David is confessing his own personal sin throughout.

So overwhelmed with his own sin, David looks back and realizes he was sinful from the beginning. All the way back to birth, he recognizes this sin, and past birth to conception. What a strong demonstration of our inherit nature to sin from the very beginning of life. Psalm 58:3 confirms the idea “The wicked go astray from birth…”

Our nature includes this desire to sin and Paul affirms that before we were Christians “we were by nature children of wrath” (Eph 2:3). Anyone who has children will attest that kids do not have to be taught how to do wrong, they inherently know that. As parents our goal is to teach them to do right, “bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph 6:4).

So now you are thinking, ok – I’m with you, and I see where you are coming from … but I still don’t feel Totally Depraved. Keep in mind that this tendency to sin does not mean that you are as bad, or sinful, as you could possibly be. Civil law, society, family, and the convictions of human conscience (Rom 2:14-15) work together as a restraining influence on our tendency to sin. So then, what do we mean?

We totally lack spiritual good before God. Romans 7:18 – I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. Titus 1:15 – To the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are corrupt. Jer 17:9 – the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt, who can understand it?

The Scriptures do not deny that sinners can do good in human society in some senses. Rather, they deny that sinners can do any spiritual good or be good in terms of a relationship with God. Apart from the work of Christ, we are like all unbelievers who, according to Eph 4:18 – are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to the hardness of their hearts.

Not only do we lack any spiritual good within ourselves, but we also lack the ability to do anything that will please God. Romans 8:8 – Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. In John 15:5 Christ says, “Apart from me you can do nothing”.

In fact, unbelievers are not pleasing to God, if for no other reason than the fact that their actions do no proceed from faith in God or from love to him. See Heb 11:6 – without faith it is impossible to please him. Jesus says in John 8:34 – everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin …. So unbelievers are in a state of bondage or enslavement to sin.

Though you might say a sinner can do some good, Isaiah refutes the idea in Isa 64:6 – all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. Paul quotes Isaiah in Romans 2:9-20:

9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Unbelievers are not even capable of understanding the things of God correctly, “for the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor. 2:14). Nor can we come to God in our own power, for Jesus says, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44).

But, if we have total inability to do anything spiritually good in God’s sight, then do we still have any freedom of choice? Certainly, those who are outside of Christ make voluntary choices, that is, they decide what they want to do, then they do it. The problem is that they only desire to do things that are counter to God. Their fundamental preference for sin and rebellion against God robs them of the most important sense of freedom – that is, the freedom to do right, and to do what is pleasing to God … because that is never a natural desire, it will never be a chosen action or attitude.

The application to our lives is evident: if God gives anyone a desire to repent and trust in Christ, he or she should not delay and should not harden his or her heart (Heb 3:7-8, 12:17). This ability to repent and desire to trust in God is not naturally ours but is given by the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and it will not last forever. “Today, when you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Heb 3:15)

APPENDIX

The Baptist Catechism

What is Sin? Sin is any attitude, desire, or action that is not done for the glory of God, comes from a heart of unbelief, or explicitly breaks a commandment of Scripture.

1 John 3:4 – 4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

Romans 5:13 –13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.

Romans 14:23 – 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

I Peter 1:16 – 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Matthew 5:48 – 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

1 Corinthians 10:31 – 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first sin? All mankind, descending from Adam by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in his first sin.

1 Corinthians 15:21-22 – 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

Romans 5:12, 18-19 – 12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— ….. 18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Into What condition did the fall bring mankind? The brought mankind into a condition of sin and misery.

Psalms 51:5 – 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Romans 5:18-19 – 18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Romans 7:18 – 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.

Isaiah 53:6 – 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 64:6 – 6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

John 3:36 – 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Ephesians 2:1-3 – 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

1 Corinthians 2:14 – 14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

What is the sinful condition into which all mankind has fallen? The sinfulness of the condition into which all mankind fell is the guildt of Adam’s first sin, the lack of original righteousness, and the corruption of our whole nature, together with all actual transgressions which come from this nature.

Romans 5:19 – 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Romans 3:10 – 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;

Ephesians 2:1 – 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

Isaiah 53:6 – 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Psalms 51:5 – 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Matthew 15:19 – 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.

John Piper, The Pursuit of God’s Glory in Salvation – “… total depravity means that apart from any enabling grace from God, our hardness and rebellion against God is total, everything we do in this rebellion is sin, our inability to submit to God or reform ourselves is total, and we are therefore totally deserving of eternal punishment.

It is hard to exaggerate the importance of admitting our condition to be this bad. If we think of ourselves as basically good or even less than totally at odds with God, our grasp of the work of God in redemption will be defective. But if we humble ourselves under this terrible truth of our total depravity, we will be in a position to see and appreciate the glory and wonder of the work of God discussed in the next four points. ”

Our Depravity in Relation to God

1 Corinthians 10:31 – 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Romans 14:23 – 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

James 2:10-11 – 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

Human Depravity is Total in at Least Five Senses

Affects Every Human

Romans 3:23 – 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

1 Kings 8:46 – 46 “If they sin against you [GOD]—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near,

Psalm 143:2 – 2 Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.

1 John 1:8 – 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Apart From His Grace there is no delight in His Holiness nor glad submission to his Sovereign Authority

Romans 3:9-11, 18 – 9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. …. 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

John 3:19-21 – 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Romans 1:18 – 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

Everything Man Does in Rebellion is Sin

Romans 14:23 – 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Hebrews 11:6 – 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Romans 7:18 – 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.

Inability to Submit to God and do Good

Romans 8:5-9 – 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

John 3:5-7 – 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

Romans 6:17-18 – 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

Ephesians 2:1-5 – 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

Ephesians 4:17-18 – 17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

John 6:44 – 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

I Corinthians 2:14 – 14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Jeremiah 17:9 – 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Our Rebellion is Totally Deserving of Eternal Punishment

Ephesions 2:3 – 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 – 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,

Mathew 25:46 – 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”