For I know that in me
(that is, in my flesh)
nothing good dwells;
for to will is present
with me, but how to
perform what is good
I do not find.
For the good that I will
to do, I do not do,
but the evil I will not
to do, that I practice.
Romans 7:18-19
Wholehearted Christians, those who are committed to Jesus Christ will admit that there is depravity in them and they find it hard to fight against their fallen nature. They want to live a life of obedience and as Paul mentioned in the opening verses; there is evil in man causing man to not do what he knows he ought. The human heart is corrupt. As they attempt to live out their convictions they find that they are selfish in their desires, and are feeble in their halfhearted attempts to do the right thing. Do you find this in yourselves? Do you acknowledge that there are two conflicting natures? Paul certainly did and if not for the Grace of God giving us aid so that we can bear our iniquities, our faults, and that He gives mercy, we would never be able to rise above our fallen human nature. This is not give an excuse for our fallen nature, for we are new creatures and have the Holy Spirit living within us, giving us direction, and praying with groaning for us; "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26), making intercession for us, so that we are able to rise above our iniquities and if we fail, we have a Father who by means of His Son's death on the cross will forgive us our sins.
We must admit for we see in ourselves, in the history of mankind that this is the condition of humanity. Yes, there are differences within each individual, nuances of sin that are theirs to deal with, but the underlying principles remain the same. Unfortunately this is the truth. How do we give an explanation for our failures for within each person are capabilities that human possess and then when we compare those capabilities with what we have done with them, we pale in the contrast. We cannot rationally explain! This is the explanation that makes sense: mankind has lost their relationship with God and man has become flawed, and this is every person that is born. From the sin of Adam and to his posterity depravity is the plague that makes up our fallen human nature. Yes, we can say 'NO!" but we don't! Not until we have the power to overcome this evil, and that power is given to all of God's children, and when we become devoted to God and place all other persons, things, etc. secondly, then and only then will be become more and more sanctified and our lives to become more and more in harmony with God's will as to how we should live.
Mankind in every nation has attempted to have a god, or gods, that will give them hope and assurance that things will be better, either here and now or in the future after death. The problem with mankind is that they are depraved, totally depraved, and they cannot know the truth and come to know the true God who places moral restraints and gives us the knowledge that we can have ethical expectations. It when mankind sinks into more and more folly that they are further removed from the truth. The heart becomes harder and our response to God is handcuffed by our wickedness so that we cannot have the ability to respond. Our thinking becomes distorted and this adds to the problem, our fallen nature falls deeper into the dark pit of sin. Some think they are doing right, but they do not have the right understanding of our being, our fallen human nature.
Do not despair Christian, God did not leave us without aid, and He will not allow His people to be thrown into the Lake of Fire, Gehenna, for He will not lose any that He has chosen. We might not be able to overcome the consequences of our sin, or to override second causes, but we know this, we are new creatures in Jesus Christ, and we are secure that our home is with Him, for Jesus went to heaven to prepare for us a place whereby we live for eternity. This is the Good News: Jesus Saves! Unless we know the state of our humanity how will we be able to give due praise for what God has done for He came to earth to be the Son of God and do for mankind what mankind cannot do for themselves, even to die on the cross to make this possible. Mankind is not as some theologians would like us to be: to have some residual good that was not lost in the Garden of Eden by Adam's sin. Man is totally depraved, this is the Authentic Biblical Faith and Doctrine of the Church; but some would like it to be otherwise: it is not! God knows the state of our hearts, our fallen nature, and loves us just the same and will save us: at this point say hallelujah!
Who shall separate us '
from the love of
Jesus Christ? Shall tribulation,
or distress, or persecution,
or famine, or nakedness, or peril,
or sword?....Yet in all these
things we are more than conquerors
through Him who loved us.
Romans 8:35,37
Prayer is Praise To Our Holy God
Richard L. Crumb
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