Not an Insult But a Necessity ~ a Terrible Diagnosis

    The doctrine of the total depravity of all men without exception is not revealed to insult us. The revelation of total depravity in the Bible is the diagnosis of a terrible disease we all have by nature – the terrible disease of sin. 

Because of self-righteousness and pride, the natural man sees it as an insult to his self-proclaimed dignity and goodness, but he does not know the real depths of his own depravity and the seriousness of sin as it rules and mars his whole life and being. 

Total depravity does not mean that we are all as bad as we could be in the eyes of men and according to man’s twisted standard of good and bad. Thank God for His restraining power to keep some from going the full depths of our fallen, sinful natures. 

Total depravity means: 

     (1) Having no righteousness of our own naturally, we are incapable of producing righteousness and goodness by our best efforts to keep the law – “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin," (Romans 3:20). 
 

    (2) Having no spiritual life naturally, we are born spiritually dead with no desire or will for the things of the glory of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. We do not know, desire, or seek after righteousness God’s way in the Gospel of His free and sovereign grace through the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 3:11-12). 

This is revealed to God’s people by the Holy Spirit in the new birth as He convicts us of sin, righteousness, and judgment, showing us our need of Christ through the grace of God and His righteousness alone for our complete salvation and justification before God. This is when God’s people are born again as the Holy Spirit imparts life to a dead sinner and gives that sinner a desire to seek and cling to Christ for all salvation  

 

—preacher Bill Parker

Christ-honoring audio Gospel sermons here, friends:

 https://www.sermonaudio.com/broadcasters/reignofgrace/

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