The Essentials Part 1: The Depravity of Man

1. Introduction

1. Times are perilous and the truth will sustain you through these difficult days. This series will focus on the essentials you need to know and understand.

2. Today is about the depravity of man. If you get this wrong, all of your theology will be flawed. 

II. Scriptures

1. Romans 3: 9-18: “What then? Are we Jews[a] any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” “Their throat is an open grave;   they use their tongues to deceive. “The venom of asps is under their lips.” “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Spiritual inability)

2. Ephesians 2: 1: “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins.” (Spiritual impossibility)

3. Jeremiah 17: 9: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately (incurably) sick; who can understand it?” (Spiritually deceived)

4. Ephesians 4: 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.” (Spiritual darkness)

5. Mark 7: 21-23: “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Polluted foundation)

6. Psalm 51: 5: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Spiritually conceived in sin)

7. John 8: 44: “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (Spiritually a child of Satan)

8. Isaiah 1: 5-6: “Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil.” (Spiritually sick)

III. What does depravity mean?

1. We are not talking about utter depravity. Depraved people can be kind to animals, help ladies across the street and perform other acts of human kindness.

2. By the depravity of man, I mean the spiritual inability to come to God on their own. 

3. Depraved people are dead in sins, not on life support, they are dead. Ever seen a dead person, what were they capable of?

4. Depraved man is incapable of coming to Christ for salvation.

IV. How does this impact evangelism?

1. If you think man is in charge, you will make your evangelism smooth and easy so as to convince the person that coming to Christ is a good decision for him. You will do egg hunts for Easter, throw Super Bowl parties on Sunday night, endorse cultural issues so as to appear loving and kind to the world.

2. If you think man is totally depraved and God is in charge of salvation, you will know that it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that a lost soul comes to Christ. You tell the truth about the gospel, knowing that the gospel message is offensive to the lost. You give the truth to the mind and the Holy Spirit will apply to the heart.

V. How does this doctrine affect my life?

1. It should make you humble. When you understand that God saved you in spite of your depravity and He gave you a new heart.

2. It should make you more compassionate to the lost. We wrestle not against flesh and blood. Man is depraved and so were you.

3. It should make you truthful in your presentation of the gospel. Since it will take the Holy Spirit to work on the sinner’s heart to bring him to Chgrist, you don’t need to “sugar coat” the message.

4. It should make you more devoted to Christ since He is the one that imputes holiness to you and causes you to walk in holiness in practice. 

V. Conclusion

1. Good theology leads to better living.

2. Bad theology brings heartache and suffering.