SMALLISH WESTERN TOWNS

As Christians and non-Christians alike we have many assumptions of how we think God operates. Most of these assumptions are birthed under the presumption that God exists to serve us. Never before this point in history have we as Christians been so insistent that we can somehow tip God’s hand in our favor. There seems to be this ideology plaguing the minds of modern evangelicals that we in fact are more important than we really are. That we as humans could replace or supplement or complement or even add anything to the perfect love and community that exists within the Trinitarian God is arrogant and foolish. We are fallen and apart from Christ have no redeeming value whatsoever.

It is a harsh statement to be sure. But be that as it may, does its brevity make it any less true? Even apart from Christianity and apart from Holy Scripture can any one honestly say that they believe man is intrinsically good?
 

We can say that people do good and are generally “good people” and arguments could be made to this end. (It is important to note that people can perform social good, but there is a recognition that even these works are insufficient to God).  However, the conclusion can be drawn that even though those individuals might be doing good and are “good” that ultimately their actions are for selfish gain. They perform these acts of goodness as a means to an end, specifically to fill a void within themselves. This void groans and begs to be filled with acts of contrition so that somehow the realization that we need a Savior will disappear. So we don’t have to admit that by ourselves we can’t obtain lasting peace and joy.

We are a spiritually corrupt race. Because of the sin of one man, our father Adam, our whole race fell (Romans 5:19). The heart, emotions, will, mind, and body are all affected by sin. We are completely inundated with sin. It says in Genesis that the wickedness of man is great, and that the intentions of his heart are wicked continually (Gen 6:5).

The Bible does not paint a favorable picture of the whole of humanity. We are seen in a light cast by the first sin, dimming the quality of a man’s character to that of filthy menstrual rags (Isaiah 64:6).

But it wasn’t always this way. It is described in the Westminster Confession of Faith: ‘Man, in his state of innocency, had freedom, and power to do that which is good and well pleasing to God; but yet, mutably, so that he might fall from it. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, has wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good…’

In the beginning man was created good (Genesis 1:31). As such, Adam and Eve were, and remain, the only individuals in the history of the world with the ability to act in a true state of free will. Given only one command by Creator God in their free will they acted in rebellion and partook of the fruit. They squandered unity and communion with God for a lie of eternal life and the attaining the knowledge of God. Even in free will man choose to be separate from God, abdicating his gift of eternity. Because of this we are instead born into a life of literal slavery to self, sin, and Satan, altogether unable to respond positively to God.

This all-encompassing depravity separates us from God in all facets of our being.

We have darkened minds (Romans 8:7, 1 Corinthians 2:14) and darkened hearts (Romans 1:21, Ephesians 4:18-19). We are enslaved to sin (John 8:34, Titus 3:3) and abide under futility (Ecclesiastes, 1 Peter 1:18). We are declared dead (Ephesians 2: 1 & 5, Colossians 2:13).

Finally in Romans 3 we are told ‘no one seeks for God (v. 11).

So how to we reconcile this to scripture that seemingly contradicts the conclusion Paul reached in Romans 3? After all, in Joshua 24 we are told to ‘choose for yourselves today whom you will serve’ and in Matthew 6 to ‘seek first His kingdom.’ It is only reasonable to conclude that there are several other passages that say the same thing.

I think it’s important to understand that just because God issues a command doesn’t mean that we will have the ability to meet the conditions of that command. Jesus commanded Lazarus to come out of his grave, but this did not suggest that Lazarus had the ability to do so. He was dead and as such had no means to do anything but continue to lie in his grave. Similarly, we are dead in our trespasses (Ephesians 2:1 & 5) until God speaks life into us and gives us the ability to hear and obey his command.

We also need to understand the difference between descriptive and prescriptive language. God’s commands are prescriptive as He is presenting law and decree which He expects us to fulfill. Descriptive language is, as it suggests, a narrative which outlines what did, is or will happen. Those passages which tell us to seek God and repent are prescriptive, demarcating a way of submission. Passages which outline man’s failure to comply and act upon God’s commands are descriptive.

As a result, both descriptive and prescriptive scripture are maintained. We are clearly told to seek the Lord, but as fallen creatures we are unable to do so unless God so works that obedience into our hearts.

God is just.

‘For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.’ (Romans 9: 15 & 16)