Saturday 10 May 2014

Read: Romans 1:18-32

"DING DING!"

The bell goes off and the boxing match begins! If human nature could have a boxing match then Romans 1:18-32 could be a blow-by-blow description of an amazing fight. In the red corner we have good human nature. Being very enthusiastic this fighter is supported by the humanists, the modern media and western society in general. According to them humans are essentially good at heart. Anything bad that people do is merely a corruption that comes from outside of them. It might be a rough upbringing, a genetic predisposition towards evil or the influence of some kind of media. Despite all this people are still basically good and don't really deserve judgment.

In the blue corner we have bad human nature. The idea here is that the human heart is essentially evil by nature and not good. Man deserves judgment for his actions. The evil things that people do are not the result of outward influences but spring from evil within their hearts. Calvin called this Total Depravity. Total depravity is not that people are as evil as they possibly could be but that evil has spread in some way to every part of a person. Everything they do is now tainted in some way by the evil within them.

Word Moment

The Bible describes people as drowning in sin to show everyone's need for salvation. We don't need scientific debate about human nature, we have the Word of God. The word of God is the light that brings people to salvation. Why not seek to share the word with someone today.

"DING DING!" The bell rings and the fighters advance towards each other. Good human nature throws a punch by arguing that people are bad because they don't know God. Bad human nature deftly dodges the first punch and returns with a well aimed punch in verses 18-20: God's nature is revealed in creation, man actively suppresses the truth and chooses evil. Good Nature: 0 - Bad Nature: 1

Bad human nature follows up with another volley in 21-23, mankind knew God and yet rejected Him and turned away to follow God. It's not that they didn't know, they actively rejected Him. BAM! Another great punch. Good Nature: 0 - Bad Nature: 2

Good human nature is reeling by this point. How will he stand up against this attack? Just as he is about to fight back bad human nature comes right back with a quick right and left combination: sinful man has exchanged God's truth for the lie of worshipping created things. God has given them over to their own sexual immorality. What's more because of this man has exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones and perverted what God has made. This springs not out of outside influences but out of rebellion against God and the worship of idols. Good Nature: 0 - Bad Nature: 4

Nothing can stop bad human nature now. He comes in swinging with a final salvo. Mankind has rejected God and He has given them over to their own sinfulness. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness. They even invent new ways of doing evil! They know God's righteous requirements but they still choose to continue sinning and to approve of those who do the same. It's a knockout!

Paul and the rest of the Bible is especially clear: mankind is evil to the core. The problem is not external but internal. Sin doesn't come from outside but out of evil hearts. They actively reject God. There is no capacity within them for them to turn to God and make themselves right with Him. Only God in His grace can come and rescue mankind. Let us praise Him that He does...

Discussion Questions for families and groups

Imagine that someone tells you that all people are basically good.

1. How do you respond from Romans 1:18-32 seeking to convince them that they need the gospel?
2. What would it mean for our faith if people were basically good?

Prayer:

Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

• Praise God for His grace to us, that despite our brokenness and our inability to return to Him that He loved us and rescued us. Praise Him that He is at work in our lives through His Holy Spirit to transform us to be more like Christ and to change us from the sinful state we used to be in. Pray that He would continue to work in your life to change you to be more like Him.
• Pray for the gathering of God's people around the world tomorrow. Pray that wherever people gather that God's word would be faithfully preached. Pray that the Holy Spirit would be working to change hearts and change lives. Pray that God's people would love and serve one another as they gather and that the gospel would be proclaimed into the world powerfully and effectively.

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