FOUNDATIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH LESSON 9: THE TOTAL DEPRAVITY OF MAN Why we cannot help or save ourselves 1: SUMMARY In this lesson you will learn that while every person is not as evil as they could be, yet sin has corrupted every aspect of our being so that we are sinners by nature and by choice. Humankind therefore has no hope of every helping or serving themselves apart from God s gracious intervention. 2: BIBLE STUDY ROM 3:9-20 Read Rom 3:9-20 which assumes the context of a legal court in which charges are brought (3:9-12), evidence is summoned (3:13-18), a verdict is pronounced (3:19-20) and sentence is passed on the entire human race. The Charge (3:9-12) In verse 9 Paul summarizes what he has been arguing in the first two chapters of Romans, that All, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin. This is the charge which has been leveled against the entire human race we are all under the power and controlling influence of sin. Paul uses the singular for sin rather than the plural to indicate that he does not have specific, individual sins, in mind, but the comprehensive principle of sin that is at work in every person. This charge is very clearly and specifically leveled against humanity as a whole, all have sinned, and against every individual person without exception, none is righteous, no, not one. Five more times Paul will make use of the all/none contrast for emphasis. Legally Guilty: Vs 10 is in quotation marks because Ps 14:1-3 (Ps 53:1-3) is being cited this is God s evaluation of the human condition. As creator and righteous judge, He is the only one qualified to render an accurate judgment and His verdict is clear, none is righteous. This charge means that not a single human being is in right standing with God. Intellectually Blind: Vs 11 asserts that no one understands meaning that people do not have spiritual discernment or perception, we fail to grasp the true significance and importance of spiritual truth. Emotionally Lost: Neither our intellect, not our emotions are functioning as they ought, no one seeks for God. People don t desire, and hunger, and search intently for God. While they may go to church or practice various religious rituals to appease their conscience, there is a lack of 1
acute spiritual appetite to know God on His terms. Willfully Rebellious: Vs 12 asserts that all have turned aside which means that we have willfully and purposefully turned away from God and taken ourselves in a different direction. Utterly Useless: Because of our rebellion, we have together become worthless which is to say that we are no longer fit for the purpose for which God created us. As we saw in the last lesson, we were created to know and serve God, but because of our spiritual condition we have neither the will nor the ability to accomplish that for which we were created. Totally Depraved: Theologians call this description of human sinfulness, Total Depravity, meaning that sin has effected every aspect of our human nature: our intellect, emotions, and will. Sin has effected and infected every individual person and society as a whole.no one is as bad as they could be, but none is as good as they should be. When God asserts that no one does good he is measuring our good deeds against His own perfect standard. Compared to other people we may well do a great deal of good, but not when measured against God s standard of goodness (Is 64:6). Do you believe that you are Totally Depraved? Yes No Why do you think society as a whole rejects the above biblical evaluation and instead affirms that people are essentially good? What is the right biblical motive for doing good? What are some less than good motives people have for doing good deeds? The Evidence (3:13-18) The text goes on to summon tangible, undeniable evidence in support of such a harsh accusation. Verse 13-18 contain a series of quotations from the Old Testament, again indicating that it is God s own evaluation and evidence that is the final authority in the divine court. 2
Words (13-14): Vs 13 speaks of our lips, tongues, and throats clearly pointing to our speech. Even as an open grave gives off a foul stench as evidence of the decay that is within, so when people open their mouths their words betray the corruption of their hearts (Ps 5:9). Our words of full of Satanic deception. As the venom of a snake is hidden until they bear their fangs, so the words of people may seem innocent enough, but are laced with deadly poison (PS 140:3) and full of bitterness and cursing (Ps 10:7). We use our words to harm rather than heal, to curse rather than to bless and our words stand as evidence of our sinful corruption. Listen to yourself speak for the next few days. What harmful forms of speech are you guilty of? Works (15-17): Not only do we continually sin with our mouths, but also in our actions. Humanity has a long and continuous history of war, murder, hatred, oppression, violence, and injustice sinful actions arising from sinful hearts. Paul quotes Is 59:7-8 which pictures the wicked as running to shed blood. Behind them they leave only a trail of destruction. The term ruin is a compound word referring to something which has been broken in pieces, or shattered. The picture is one of total devastation which leaves in its wake only pain and despair. While world leaders regularly speak about peace and many pursue it through social and political reforms, yet lasting peace has not been realized by any nation in recorded history, the way of peace they have not known. As the Scottish evangelist Robert Haldane rightly observes, The most savage animals do not destroy so many of their own species to appease their hunger, as man destroys of his fellows, to satiate his ambition, his revenge, or his cupidity [greed] What are some solutions that are put forward for humanities plight? Why are these solutions inadequate for dealing with the heart of our problem? Worship: Humanities fallen condition is shown not only in our broken human relationships, but especially in our relationship to God. Paul quotes from Ps 36:1, Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes. Because men s ears are attuned to the lies of sin, they do not fear God. Said another way, our love for sin draws us away from love for God. We prize, value and pursue sin, we worship ourselves and sin, rather 3
than worshiping the one true God who created us. We do so without fear of God s holiness or judgment. The Verdict (3:19-20) The charge has been laid, the evidence summoned and the court now awaits the final verdict. The scene is one of tension as the accused stands condemned without even a single word to say in defense. The evidence is so damning that every mouth is stopped and the whole world held accountable to God. WE ARE ALL, EVERY SINGLE PERSON, GUILTY AS CHARGED! We have broken God s Law in thought, word, and deed. We have willfully rebelled against Him and left a pathway of destruction behind us. The harder we try, the less we succeed. Our lives are an utter shamble, our relationships broken, our worship lost and our excuses feeble. We all stand justly condemned and deserving of God s righteous and eternal judgment. Explain in your own words why we are completely unable to save ourselves from God s wrath against our sin. The Solution (3:22-26) Fortunately, although our case is hopeless from a human perspective, it is not hopeless from a divine perspective. God has, in fact, done for us what we could not do for ourselves. Read Rom 3:21-24 which describes what God has done. God has made a way(21): God has manifested His way of righteousness. It is a way not based on imperfect human worth, merit, works or accomplishments but based on Christ s perfect righteousness. Apart from the law (21): It is a righteousness which comes to us apart from the law. In other words it is not a righteousness which is gained by our imperfect attempts at keeping the Law. By Faith in Christ (22-23): Christ walked in complete obedience to God and offered His body up as a sacrifice to pay the penalty for sin. As such, God s righteousness has been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Those who turn away from trusting in their own goodness and works and instead trust in Christ s perfect life and sacrificial death are forgiven of their sin and credited with Christ s righteousness, an exchange which the Bible calls justification. 4
A Free gift (24): God accomplishes this not in response to human merit, but despite human sin. He offers His way of salvation, His righteousness, as a free gift, one which cannot be earned but must be received by faith with thanksgiving. Explain in your own words why the life and death of Christ is the only solution for every person s sin problem. God s wrath/ justice is fully satisfied (25): God put Christ forward as a propitiated by his blood. which is to say that God s outrage against sin is fully satisfied because an objective, tangible payment for sin has been made through the death of Christ on the cross. God didn t merely ignore sin, or overlook justice, but satisfied the demands of His own justice in and through the death of Christ. The penalty for our sin has been paid in full. That is the good news of the gospel! 3: APPLICATION According to 1 Jn 1:9 Christians make it a habit to confess their sin to God. That means we 1) call it sin, 2) call it forgiven and 3) call on God to change us. Do you regularly confess your sin to God? Spend some time confessing your sin now. Do you ever struggle to believe that God can and has forgiven you? What truths from this lesson should encourage your faith? 5
4: FURTHER DISCUSSION These questions are intended to help you think more deeply about the subject matter at hand and provide the basis for further discussion with another mature believer. At the heart of human problems lies the problem of our heart, which is sin. Psychology doesn t attribute human problems to sin but to genetics, upbringing, circumstances, etc. In fact it doesn t acknowledge sin as a problem at all. Discuss how this undermines the ability of psychology to help believers with their problems. Legalism is the attempt to gain or maintain our relationship with God through our good works. What evidence is there of legalism in other religions? What forms of legalism do we find even in the church? Discuss where and how you struggle with legalism. If salvation is a free gift and cannot be earned, then what is our motivation for doing good works? Why should we not just continue sinning without fear of punishment? (hint: Rom 6) Sinful thoughts, words and actions come from the fact that our fallen human nature is inclined toward evil from birth. We cannot stop sinning until we experience a change of heart. How does the gospel address our heart problem? (hint: Ezek 36:24-27; 2 Cor 5:15-17; Tit 3:5-7) What implications does our sinful depravity have for raising children? 5: MEMORIZATION The following Scriptures would be good to memorize and meditate upon as they summarize the truths contained in this lesson: Rom 3:10-12 Rom 3:23-24 6: FURTHER STUDY In the book of Galatians Paul is addressing a heresy which threatened the gospel itself. It taught faith+works as necessary for salvation. Read the following passages to gain some insight into this dangerous distortion of the gospel: Gal 1:6-9; 2:15-21; 3:10-14; 5:1-15. See also Acts 15 where this same question is hotly debated in the early church. Psalm 32 celebrates the blessing of forgiveness. Read through this psalm and spend some time confessing your sin to God and thanking Him for forgiveness in Christ. Read the free ebook Are People Basically Good? (Crucial Questions Series Book 26 by R.C Sproul; obtainable from http://www.ligonier.org/blog/rc-sprouls-crucial-questionsebooks-now-free/free) 6