Many people have trouble with the concept of total depravity. While not denying they are sinners, many people feel that their sin isn’t bad enough to condemn them. What they don’t understand is that any sin is wholly unacceptable to God. Let’s suppose I invite you over to my house this Saturday morning for omelets. The day comes, you knock at my door, I let you in, and go to the kitchen to prepare the meal. There on my counter are several mounds of chopped onions, green peppers, ham and sliced mushrooms. Nearby is a bowl of grated cheese. While you wait in the dining room I reach into the refrigerator for the eggs. To my shock, I discover that I have only six eggs. That’s okay, except that one of the eggs is rotten. There isn’t time to go get fresh eggs, so I say to myself, "I’ll just mix this rotten one in with the good ones and they’ll never know the difference." In a few minutes when I serve the omelets, you begin sniffing the air. "What’s that funny smell?" "Oh, don’t worry about that. One of the eggs was rotten, but I just mixed it in with all the rest." Would you accept that omelet? No, you wouldn’t. And neither will God. (Ray Prichard Message on Romans)
Paul has already charged that both Jews and Gentiles are guilty before God. Now he declares that all men are sinners and he seeks to prove it with references from the Old Testament. "All are under sin" (v. 9). This sin reaches into every area of life:
1. Our character - “There is no one righteous, not even one” (v. 10)
2. Our mind - “There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God” (v. 11)
3. Our heart - “All have turned away, together they have become worthless” (v. 12)
4. Our speech - “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit” (vv. 13 14)
5. Our feet - “Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways” (vv. 15 17)
6. Our eyes - “There is no fear in their eyes” (v.18)
The doctrine of Total Depravity means that sin has affected every part of man’s being——his mind, his emotions, his will, his intellect, his moral reasoning, his decision making, his words and his deeds. No part of man’s being is exempt from the debilitating effects of sin. There is an evil seed inside each of us, that may lie dormant for years and suddenly pop up without warning.
APPLICATION:
Even though I am totally depraved, God still loves me and has a wonderful plan for my life.
