Sunday, December 26, 2010

The greatest indictment in the Bible

Rom 3:9-13...for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are 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. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips

This great indictment and very important Bible Truth is a necessary subject for any student of the Bible to know and understand. This great indictment is a Biblical accusation made against fallen man who is criminal in the eyes of God. God's Word from Genesis to Revelation teaches why man is criminal in the eyes of God. Why man is rebellious against the will of God. Why man is a violater of Divine Law. Why man naturally "rejects" Christ; and why behind every sin that man commits is "rejection" of the Lord Jesus Christ.

These many issues are taught in the Word of God and that's the reason why the Apostle Paul compared fallen man to the light of the holy presence of Christ...in all of his preaching. Paul preached Christ and manifested the power of God's Grace. The Apostle Paul in all of his letters made this great contrast between fallen man and the power and glory of the supremacy of Christ. When a comparison is taught between fallen man and the revelation of Christ, man see's himself as he really is. Man see's his fallen void and emptiness. Man see's his rebellious nature that shows him he's an enemy against God. Man in light of Christ see's himself out of harmony with God. Thus he realizes his need for a Saviour.

The Apostle Paul was a converted Jew with knowledge of the fact that Jew's violated the Law of Moses, but Paul also indicted the Gentiles who were also accountable to God by their own conscience. Paul realized all men, both Jew and Gentile were "under sin". Notice the language, "under sin" which implied the carnal nature dominated the heart of man.

What is man? What is the nature of man? How does the Bible define the human being and the human make-up? The Bible teaches the make-up of a whole man is spirit, soul, and body. Within this human make-up and human being is the inherited fallen nature of man that controls the whole man...spirt, soul, and body. What controls the spirit man? What controls the soul of man? What controls the body of man? Within the human make-up you have the mind, the will, the intellect, the thinking, the understanding, the reasoning, etc. All these faculties of the mental process are part of the human make-up. The Bible teaches these faculties are inclined to sin, inclined to reject Christ, inclined to rebell against God, inclined to live unholy, inclined to do wrong, etc.

Notice the following Bible language of the King James version...
Men are under sin
Men are servants to sin
Man is carnal sold under sin
Man is born disobedient because of Adam's sin
Scoffers are "willingly" ignorant...showing the human will is controlled by sin
Men have the deceitfulness of sin within their being
Men have the deceivableness of unrighteousness and receive not the love of the truth
The mind is "blinded" with sin
Human understanding "darkened"
Man is without strength
Men are enemies against God..rebellious by nature...rejecters of Christ
No man is good...no not one

There is no goodness found in the heart of any man. The heart is...polluted with, tainted with sin, and morally corrupt. When you realize that the carnal nature has this much dominion over you...you can then see why man's choices, decisions, and intentions can seem right but still fall short of the Grace of God. Human effort can fail. God's Grace will never fail.

Paul knew about the whole being of man and the entire human make-up. Paul realized that man's natural charcter was controlled by the carnal nature that "compells" man to sin against God.

1 Cor 2:14...But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

A natural man (without God) is lawless by nature. Rebellious by nature. Carnal by nature. Why? Carnal is the make-up of fallen mans nature. The rebelliousness and lawlessnes of fallen man is what Paul was bringing these charges against. This indictment in Roman's 3 brought charges against fallen man... both Jew and Gentile. Why did Paul accuse the whole human family of being guilty in eyes of God. Because man is morally corrupt and sinful. The will is tainted by the fallen nature. The choices are intended to be right but man still does wrong. Why does man choose to do right and still do wrong? He's controlled by indwelling sin which the Bible defines as a carnal and corrupt nature.

Rom 3:9-13...for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are 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. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips

Why does God's word say there is none righteous? Because "self" cannot make man righteous. Why don't men understand God? The natural man cannot receive or know about the spiritual things of God. Men don't seek God because they are self seekers. Men cannot go the way of God without God's Grace. God's ways and man's ways are opposite. Men do things "unprofitable" in effort to acheive, to advance toward, or to acomplish God's favor. No man can do good without Christ beause there is no good found in the carnal heart of man. The heart of man is filthy in the eyes of God...so likewise man's tongue and words are filthy also.

Paul made this great indictment against fallen man because he knew how desperately man needs to be saved from the bondage of sin, and liberated from the Devils nature. The Gospel message about who Christ is and what Christ is doing brings the Grace of God to a lost and morally corrupt world. The power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ breaks the yoke of bondage caused from man's siful nature. This power of Divine Grace "gives freedom to the human soul of a believer in Christ". For the first time...man can do right because he's made right by the Grace of God. Man can be holy because he's made holy by the Grace of God. Holiness and righteousness of heart are given when man accepts the person of Christ.

2 Cor 4:3-4...But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Christ "breaks" the human will from rebellion to obedience. Christ turns the attitude of rejection to acceptance. God declares man to "be" righteous and to "do" right. Believers in Christ are led by the Spirit. The human will is taken out of the picture by the Grace of God. We are so blessed to live in this Church Age where Christ performs the greatest of miracles...the "new birth". This blessing and miracle of the new birth found in the Grace of God qualifies man to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire...that sanctifies the heart of man from all carnality. Yes, my brother the Grace of God can purify your heart from "all" carnality even as Christ is pure. God's Grace has the power to do it!

Compare God's Grace with Paul's indictment against fallen man and you will see Christ. Compare yourself with Christ and you will either see your need to be forgiven or your need crucified from self. Read the Roman letter in chapter three and ponder this great indictment against fallen man. May it bless your heart and life with Christ.