The Basic Truths about Mankind

By Dane Gardow

Man's Inherited Sinful Nature

We are all born into this world with a sinful nature utterly hostile toward God and wholly inclined toward sin and evil. It is not just what we do that is evil, but the very essence of who we are that is evil. Because of our fallen human nature, there is nothing good in us, since every aspect of our being has been tainted by sin—including our intellect, emotions, desires, hearts, motives, and physical bodies. We lack the ability to do anything that would please God, to understand anything of God, and even the ability to come to God, because we all naturally hate the light of God's purity and love the darkness of our sinful pleasures. This corruption is framed within our very being from conception—we are conceived in sin and estranged from the womb. As soon as we are born we go astray, indulging in sinful passions even as infants and children; no one is born pure and every intent of man's heart is evil from his youth. Since we are born with a sinful nature and because the wrath of God burns fiercely against sin, we are born naturally into this world alienated from Him and the life He offers, with His wrath upon us.

Man's Universal Guilt

All have sinned and become corrupt in the sight of God. The Bible declares that there is no one who is righteous, sinless, or good, and no one can purify himself from his sin. Since the consequence for sin is death, death has spread to all mankind because we have all sinned and incurred the guilt of having broken God's law. Therefore, it is appointed for all to die once and afterward comes judgment, resulting in condemnation, because God's law invokes the curse of eternal destruction on those who have broken it in any one point.

Man's Enslavement to Sin

Mankind is not only guilty of sin, but is also enslaved by it. Man's own profound love for sin and evil demonstrates that he is a slave to it and taken captive by its lusts and pleasures. Since the Bible teaches that a man can only be freed from sin by the Lord Jesus Christ, all people left to themselves therefore will always remain enslaved to sin—loving it, desiring it, and indulging in its pleasures. The only thing mankind has done and continues to do is actively and relentlessly indulge in sinful passions, desires, and practices, whether in thought, word, or deed.

Man's Hatred Toward God

Though God has revealed Himself very clearly so that all are without excuse, mankind has refused to honor Him and instead has exchanged His truth for a lie, choosing rather to serve figments of their own imagination—such as false religions or ridiculous, unproven claims like evolution—rather than Him. In their rejection of God, they have become utter fools, further adding to the depravity and futility of their minds and hardness of their hearts. None of them seeks God; He is in none of their thoughts. And though people may have their own idea of God whom they think about or pray to, nevertheless, they refuse to acknowledge the true living God as He has revealed Himself in Scripture. Their minds are hostile toward Him because of their hatred that is rooted within their sinful nature; and because of this they will not be subjected to Him—they are not even able to do so.

Man's Evil Heart & Mind

There's a widespread sentiment that's all about "following after your heart" which not only contradicts the Bible but is extremely destructive and foolish. The Bible declares that our heart is bound in foolishness, it is full of evil, and insanity dwells within it all throughout our lives. Nobody can know the heart; it is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Out of the heart of men proceed all the evil things imaginable, including evil thoughts, sexual immorality, thefts, murders, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. Along with our depraved hearts, our minds too are hostile and engaged in evil deeds. The very means that convicts us of what is right or wrong—the conscience—is itself evil, seared, impure, unclean, and defiled. Our heart is the last thing we need to follow and the truth will never be found within us. If you follow your heart, the way may appear to be right but you will find it to end in death; the way of the fool is right in his own eyes. Truth can only be found in Christ and confidence should be only in Him.

Man's Wicked Religious Efforts

Many people trust in their own personal beliefs and others believe they can make it to Heaven by following some form of religion. However, the problem that still remains, which none of these things can take away, is the fact that mankind is guilty of sin and all sin will be punished by God. No religion can take away someone's sins and no one can make himself pure. If a person does all he can to live right or follow some religion, his guilt will still be there and because of that he will be condemned. People are so inclined to trust in their own beliefs or try so hard to please God and yet the wretchedness of their sins, which He hates, is ever before Him. The Bible says that our greatest righteousnesses are but grotesque, filthy menstrual cloths in God's sight. The only way a person can be made right with God is through Christ, because He alone has the righteousness God requires and it is only through Him in faith that it is attained. Those who refuse to believe and follow Him are accounted wicked, so that even their prayers are sinful abominations to God.

How God Likens Mankind

If anyone wonders what God thinks when He looks down at mankind, here it is. Man is detestable and corrupt. The word of God likens man to maggots and worms which breed and feed upon putrid, rotting flesh. Man continually returning to his evil passions has been compared to rabid dogs not fit for holy things, which lap up their own vomit and viciously devour the hand that feeds them. Mankind is compared to filthy swine wallowing around in mud and manure, destitute of any sense of what is truly worthy or valuable. God has also compared His punishment of sinners as sweeping away dung until it is all gone. As you can see, all throughout the Scriptures God is revealed to have an extremely low opinion of mankind, and this is emphasized here in order to destroy every sense of pride that will prevent one from humbly coming to the truth and finding eternal life in Christ.

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