The Total Depravity of Human Beings

MAIN TEXT: ROMANS 7:18-25

HIGHLIGHT VERSE: ROMANS 7:18
“For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” (NIV)

TOPIC POINTS:

Nothing Good Lives in Me – Romans 7:18-20
The Strength of What Lives in Me by Nature – Romans 7:21-23
The Overcoming Strength of What Delivers Me – Romans 7:24-25

INTRODUCTION:

Paul laments to the Romans the conflicting reality of flesh and Spirit in him. Although he had the law of God, it was powerless to save him. He acknowledges that by nature he is sinful and finds it easier to obey his sinful nature even in the face of God’s law.

Even as one with the desire to obey God in his mind, this sinful nature (the flesh) fights with those good desires in order to take him captive. He concludes that the only power able to rescue him is the mercy of God through Jesus Christ.

NOTHING GOOD LIVES IN ME

– ROMANS 7:18-20, GENESIS 6:5

The Bible describes two kinds of birth. Human birth is fleshly and comes by the man and woman while the second birth is divine and comes by the Holy Spirit. Everyone alive has the first birth but only some have the second which is needed to live after the first dies.

In our text, we see the failure of human nature to produce good. It is as God said, ‘only evil, all the time,’ enslaved to sin in all its parts. We are totally sinful, incapable of doing good until we undergo that second birth.

THE STRENGTH OF WHAT LIVES IN ME BY NATURE

– ROMANS 7:21-23, JOHN 8:34

The word of God is excellent for godly living, yet humans cannot do what they know will give them life. In his natural state, man is much in tune with evil than good, good is a foreign concept to his nature.

Even as a new man, Paul still laments the strength of this old nature to rear its head in the presence of God’s law. It wages war against our desire as believers to obey God and seeks to take us as prisoners of sin.

THE OVERCOMING STRENGTH OF WHAT DELIVERS ME

– ROMANS 7:24-25, ROMANS 8:18-21

As our text reveals, there is war within intent on keeping you imprisoned in this body of death. This flesh fights to defeat the God-pleasing desires of your mind. Your rescue must come from outside of you.

The big question now is, “Who will rescue you from this body of death?” The answer is found only in Jesus Christ. No mere human can rescue you because all are in the same prison themselves. Only Christ who can deliver you and give you true freedom. Thanks be to God!

CONCLUSION:

All human beings in their totality are sinful. Our thoughts, words and actions, completely enslaved to sin including whatever we might be doing to save ourselves. Nothing good dwells in our human nature. Any good we try to do comes from outside us. We are wretched and helpless.

But thanks be to God who delivers us through Jesus Christ. He alone has the power to overcome the strength of our sinful nature (John 6:44).

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Give a summary of our main text
Recite our highlight verse
What are the two kinds of birth described in Scripture?
What is the first and how does it come?
What is the second and how does it come?
What is the condition of our first nature when it comes to evil?
What is the condition of our first nature when it comes to good?
What has to happen for us to escape our first nature?
Even as a new creation, what does our old nature try to do everyday?
Who will rescue you from your helpless condition?