1248. Man's Lost Condition
Man's Lost Condition
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom_3:23).
In the 5th chapter of Romans God has given us a fourfold view of the unsaved. We certainly will grant that God can give an accurate and an undisputed testimony concerning the heart of the wicked. No man ever protographed the face with a clearer prospective than that with which God photographs the inner life. Four things are said in Rom_5:6, Rom_5:8, Rom_5:10.
1. All men are sinners (see Rom_5:8). The word "sinners" has to do with our deeds. We are sinners in act. The 1James , 2 d chapters of Romans sum up for us the outflowings of the human heart. First of all, the Gentiles are set forth as sinners. Secondly, the Jews are set forth as sinners, and thirdly, the whole world is declared guilty before God.
The fruit of sin, as seen in the 1st chapter, includes these words, "Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, deceitful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful."
The 3d chapter gives the vision of both Jew and Gentile and proves all under sin: as it is written, "There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God."
There is no doubt that all men are sinners.
2. All men are ungodly (see Rom_5:6). This is God's second statement. The word "ungodly" carries a distinctive meaning. Sinners are ungodly because they have ruled God out of their lives.
In the Book of Genesis God saw the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Man was not only corrupted before God, but the earth was filled with violence, man had cast off all allegiance to God. He was sinful and he was ungodly.
Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go." Pharaoh was ungodly.
At the tower of Babel, the men of the world said: "We will make us a name." Their thought was to break every tie that bound them to the Living God. They were ungodly.
3. All men are enemies (see Rom_5:10). This is a step further. The unsaved are sinners because they are corrupt; the unsaved are ungodly, because they have cast God out of their mind and have broken allegiance with God; the unsaved are enemies because they have set themselves together–against God.
They have not only refused to obey God, but they have joined together to fight Him. The very last picture of the tribulation is that of the antichrist, the king of the earth, and their armies together to make war against Christ and against His army (see Revelation 19).
4. All men are without strength (see Rom_5:6). They are sinners and helplessly so; they are ungodly without any possibilities of becoming Godly; they are enemies setting themselves together against God, and in all of this they are without any strength with which to better themselves. They cannot by any means change their nature. Their strivings, their prayers, their self-negations, their attempted good works, their gifts, are all without avail.
There is not a lost man in all the land who can save himself. The leopard could sooner change his spots; the Ethiopian could sooner change his skin, than the sinner could change his heart. Those accustomed to do evil cannot do good.
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR