"Total Depravity"

Of the five doctrines of grace, Total Depravity is perhaps the most humbling. It strips away every ground of human boasting and brings the sinner face to face with the terrible reality of his natural condition. Scripture does not present mankind as spiritually sick, needing only a little help from God. It presents us as spiritually dead, alienated from God, enslaved to sin, and unable to save ourselves.

The Bible declares, "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins." (Ephesians 2:1) A dead man does not need encouragement to make himself alive. He needs life to be given to him. In the same way, the natural man does not merely need better teaching, stronger determination, or a more favorable environment. He needs the sovereign God to give him spiritual life.

Total depravity does not mean that every person is as wicked as he possibly could be. God's common grace restrains sin, and men may perform outwardly good and admirable deeds. But beneath the outward appearance lies a heart corrupted by sin. "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9). Sin has affected every part of our being:  our minds, our desires, our affections, our wills, and our actions.

Paul gives us a devastating description of fallen humanity: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." (Romans 3:10-12)

Notice the words: "no one." Left to ourselves, we do not naturally seek God. We may seek religion, happiness, morality, success, or even the blessings of God but fallen man does not, by nature, desire God Himself.

This is why Jesus said, "No one can see the kingdom of God, unless he is born again." (John 3:3) The word "can" is important. Our problem is not merely that we will not come to God. Apart from divine grace, we cannot come. Jesus later declared, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me, draws him." (John 6:44)

Ephesians 2 gives us the glorious answer. We were "dead in transgressions," but "because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ." (Ephesians 2:4-5) Salvation begins not with man's decision, but with God's mercy. The spiritually dead do not raise themselves. God gives life. The blind do not create sight for themselves. God opens their eyes. The rebellious sinner cannot manufacture a new heart. God creates in him what nature could never produce.

This truth makes salvation entirely a work of grace. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8) The sinner has nothing in which to boast. Even our salvation is designed to silence human pride and magnify divine mercy.

Total Depravity therefore does not leave us without hope. Quite the opposite! It shows us why the grace of God is so astonishing. If our problem were merely weakness, we might boast that we contributed something. If our problem were ignorance, we might boast that we learned something. If our problem were merely a lack of opportunity, we might boast that we seized an opportunity. But when Scripture tells us that we were dead in sin, the only explanation for our salvation is the sovereign mercy of God.

What a Savior Jesus is!

He did not come merely to make salvation possible for men who could save themselves. He came to save His people from their sins. He bore the wrath that their sins deserved. He died as the Substitute for sinners who could never rescue themselves. And through His sin-atoning sacrifice, God receives all the glory.

The doctrine of Total Depravity brings the sinner low, so that the grace of God may be exalted high. It leaves no room for boasting in human goodness, human wisdom, human will, or human achievement. "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:31)

Beloved, never minimize the depth of your natural ruin, for when you see the greatness of your sin, then you will marvel all the more at the greatness of God's grace.

You were not rescued because you were worthy. You were not chosen because you were better than others. You were not saved because you possessed some natural goodness that distinguished you from the rest. Salvation is entirely of grace.

And this is the wonder of the gospel: God takes those who are spiritually dead and makes them alive in Jesus. He takes those who were enemies and makes them His children. He takes those who were lost and brings them home. He takes those who had no righteousness of their own and clothes them with the perfect righteousness of Jesus.

The deeper we understand the ruin of man, the higher we will lift our eyes to the Redeemer. The more clearly, we see our helplessness, the more precious His grace becomes.

"To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." Revelation 1:6

[AI Generated]

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Take Me as I Am

Here is this sin, Save me from it! 

Here is this snare, Break it to pieces! 

Here is this lust, Lord, subdue it! 

Here is this temptation, Deliver me out of it! 

Here is my proud heart, Lord, humble it! 

Here is my unbelieving heart, Take it away, 

and give me faith, give me submission to Your mind and will. 

Take me as I am with all my sin and shame and work in me everything well pleasing in Your sight!

[Joseph Philpot]

Jeremiah 17:14 ... Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.❤

Feeding Sheep, or Amusing Goats?

An evil is in the 'professed' camp of the Lord, so gross in its impudence, that the most short-sighted Christian can hardly fail to notice it. During the past few years this evil has developed at an alarming rate. It has worked like leaven, until the whole lump ferments! The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing, than hinting to the Church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them. 

From speaking out the gospel, the Church has gradually toned down her testimony then winked at and excused the frivolities of the day. Then she tolerated them in her borders. Now she has adopted them under the plea of reaching the masses! 

My first contention is that providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the Church. If it is a Christian work, then why did not Christ speak of it? "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature and provide amusement for those who do not relish the gospel." No such words, however, are to be found. It did not seem to occur to Him. Where do entertainers come in? The Holy Spirit is silent concerning them. Were the prophets persecuted because they amused the people or because they confronted them? The 'concert' has no martyr roll. 

Again, providing amusement is in direct opposition to the teaching and life of Christ and all His apostles. What was the attitude of the apostolic Church to the world? "You are the salt of the world" not the sugar candy. You are something the world will spit out not swallow. Had Jesus introduced more of the bright and pleasant elements into His teaching, He would have been more popular. When "many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him," I do not hear Him say: "Run after these people, Peter, and tell them we will have a different style of service tomorrow; something short and attractive, with little preaching. We will have a pleasant evening for the people. Tell them they will be sure to enjoy it! Be quick, Peter, we must get the people somehow!" 

No! Jesus pitied sinners, sighed and wept over them but never sought to amuse them! In vain will the epistles be searched to find any trace of the 'gospel of amusement.' Their message is, "Therefore, come out from them and separate yourselves from them Don't touch their filthy things..." Anything approaching amusement is conspicuous by its absence. They had boundless confidence in the gospel and employed no other weapon. After Peter and John were locked up for preaching, the Church had a prayer meeting, but they did not pray: "Lord, grant unto your servants that by a wise and discriminating use of innocent recreation we may show these people how happy we are!" 

No! They did not cease from preaching Christ! They had no time for arranging entertainments. Scattered by persecution, they went everywhere preaching the gospel. They turned the world upside down that is the only difference from today's church. Lastly, amusement fails to affect the end desired. Let the heavy-laden who found peace through the concert, not keep silent! Let the drunkard to whom the dramatic entertainment had been God's link in the chain of their conversion, stand up! There are none to answer! 

The mission of amusement produces no converts! The need of the hour for today's ministry is earnest spirituality joined with Biblical doctrine, so understood and felt, that it sets men on fire. Lord, clear the Church of all the rot and rubbish the devil has imposed on her, and bring us back to apostolic methods! 

 [Archibald Brown]

Matthew 5:13 ... Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

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Return, Return!!

When in health and prosperity we often wander from God. We forget our obligation to Him and fail to realize our dependence upon Him.

Then comes God's rod at first, perhaps, a gentle stroke. If that is not heeded, then comes a heavier stroke. At length, if we still fail to pay attention to His discipline, we are not only smitten but torn!

Then we reflect, are convinced of our folly, and begin to seek after a way of escape but all is dark, dreary, and dead. We begin to sigh and groan, doubt and despond; and the more we look at our conduct, or into our hearts the lower we sink, and the more miserable we become!

We try every human means available for deliverance; but to us, they have no life, power, or savor and we are driven to self-despair.

Then a friendly voice says to us, "Come, and let us return unto the Lord!" He invites us; He is willing to receive us, and He is ready to forgive us. He will bind up our festering wounds, He will heal our wounded hearts, He will apply the cleansing blood and the healing oil and so He will cure and bring us health!

Carry, then your wounded heart to Jesus. Go to Him as torn as you are; confess your sins frankly and fully, without excuse; plead His precious promises, His loving invitations, and his atoning blood. He will speak peace to your soul and enable you to rejoice in the freeness and fullness of His forgiving love.

Remember, whatever change may have taken place in you that Jesus is the same, He has not changed! His love is as great, His mercy is as tender, His grace is as free, and His Word is as faithful, as ever!

He still says. "Come unto Me and I will give you rest!"

Help me, O Heavenly Father, to come to You when I fail. Help me to remember who You are. Heal, restore, and bless me, I pray!

[James Smith]

Hosea 6:1 ... Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

Hosea 14:4 ... I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. ❤

Christ, Who is Our Life

Paul's marvelously rich expression indicates that Christ is the source of our spiritual life. "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins!" Ephesians 2:1. That same voice which brought Lazarus out of the tomb, raised us to newness of life.

Christ is now the substance of our spiritual life. It is by His life that we live. He is in us as, the hope of glory, the spring of our actions, the central thought which moves every other thought.

Christ is the sustenance of our life. What can the Christian feed upon but Jesus? O wayworn pilgrims in this wilderness of sin you never get a morsel to satisfy the hunger of your hearts, unless you find it in Him!

Christ is the solace of our life. All our true joys come from Him. In times of trouble, His presence is our consolation. There is nothing worth living for, but Him. His loving-kindness is better than life!

Christ is the object of our life. As the ship speeds towards the port so the believer hastens towards the haven of his Savior's bosom. As the arrow flies to its goal so the Christian flies towards fellowship with Jesus.

Christ is the exemplar of our life. If we live in near fellowship with the Lord Jesus, then we shall grow like Him. We shall set Him before us as our Divine example, and we shall seek to tread in His footsteps. "Whoever claims to live in Him, must walk as Jesus did." 1 John 2:6

Oh! how safe, how honored, how happy is the Christian since Christ is our life!

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

Colossians 3:4 ... When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

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Never Forget!!

 Remembering 9-11-2001.

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Last Breath

You may not believe in God or the Devil now.  But, the moment you take your last breath, you will.

Hebrews 9:27 ... And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: ❤

Unsearchable Riches

In books I converse with men; in the Bible I converse with God. The more I read, the more I long to read. The Scripture is always new, always instructing, always delightful. The value of the Bible is inestimable. It is not only a perfect map of the spiritual world; but the believer surveying its riches and beauties and pleasures, has a good warrant to say, "All these are mine, for God Himself is mine!" God has spared me to read through His Word once more. 

Oh, what a treasure what unsearchable riches there are in this golden mine! I have never dug deeper, nor found more precious jewels than upon this last perusal. Indeed, upon every reading of the Bible it grows more precious to me, as it has become the conveyance of the unsearchable riches of Christ to me. It is our duty to read and meditate on the Word, but we should always do it with the fixed dependence of our hearts upon His divine teaching. Without meditation, the Word itself will profit us nothing. 

The Word of God can be made useful to us, only by the enlightening of the Spirit of God. It is by continual dependence on the teaching of the Spirit, that we come to find its value and to taste its pleasures. For it then opens a new world to us a spiritual and eternal world. Thanks be to Him who revealed His Word to me, who opened my eyes to see wondrous things out of His Word, who often made me look up and say, "Oh, how sweet are Your Words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" 

God has made His Word very precious to me. My love for it has grown much in taste and value. In taste, it is sweeter than honey. In value, it is more precious than gold, yes, than much fine gold! As I dig deeper, the mine becomes richer, and the treasures of grace are greatly enhanced by their being the pledges of glory. The great end and design of the Scripture is to conform us to itself. When the Word is understood and believed and lived upon God makes it the means of conforming the whole man to it. It is so assimilating that every tint is to be seen upon him.

[William Romaine] 

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Job 23:12 ... Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

Psalm 119:103 ... How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Jeremiah 15:16 ...  Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts. ❤

Pick Me!!

I thank You, Lord, that I can bow before You to be stripped of my pride. Convict my heart. Wash me clean. Make me holy and acceptable in Your sight. Convict me when I am tempted to want to be right, or to have the last word. Forgive me for being proudly defiant and presumptuous against You, rather than sitting still and listening for Your instruction.

Stir up Your Holy Spirit within me. Prompt me to be still before You as a living sacrifice. Prompt me daily. I cannot do this on my own. Prompt me to get up at dawn. Prompt me to cry out before You. Prompt me to pray for those who have wronged me. Mold back the parts of me that are out of Your alignment.

Smooth out my rough edges. Let Your countenance shine before me as You see the good thing You are doing in me before Your eyes. I am Yours, Lord. Use me. Pick me. I am here.

                                                           word-of-encouragement.com

Psalm 51:10 ... Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. ❤

There is a Difference!

The path to eternal life is narrow and challenging, while the path to destruction is broad and easy.  Choose Life. Choose Jesus.

Matthew 7:13-14 ...  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. ❤

Society's View of Salvation

Just as our culture has redefined sin, and reshaped its understanding of God, it has also radically distorted the meaning of salvation. The prevailing message is that people are essentially good, that no one is truly guilty, and therefore no one needs to be saved from the righteous wrath of God. Salvation, if it is considered at all, has been reduced to becoming a better person, doing one's best, finding personal peace, discovering one's true identity, or simply being a decent human being.

But the Bible presents a radically different picture. Salvation is not self-improvement; it is deliverance from the guilt, the power and ultimately from the presence of sin! Salvation begins with the devastating recognition that we are heinous and destitute sinners who deserve God's righteous wrath and cannot save ourselves. It is not something we achieve; it is something God graciously accomplishes for helpless sinners. We are not saved because we imagine that we are better than others and deserve to be saved. We are saved because Christ died for undeserving, ill-deserving, and Hell-deserving sinners bearing the wrath which our sins deserved.

Our society instinctively resists this message because it wounds human pride. We want to believe that we are "good people", hence we deserve to be saved. We prefer a salvation that requires no repentance, no submission to Jesus, and no acknowledgment of guilt. Many have embraced the comforting idea that there are countless paths to God, that sincerity is what matters, and that a loving God would never condemn anyone. But Scripture offers no hope for such vain delusions.

Biblical salvation is therefore exclusive by the fact that there is only one way to be saved. Salvation is not found in our goodness, our religious achievements, our morality, or our sincerity; but by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus alone. The same holy God whom sinners have offended, has provided the only sufficient sacrifice for their sin.

And this salvation is received only through sincere repentance and faith. We are not merely called to profess that Jesus lived and died for sinners. We are called to turn from sin, surrender to Jesus, and trust wholly in Him for salvation. The gospel does not promise that God will receive us, so long as we are sincere and desire to go to Heaven. It promises that in Christ alone, sinners can be forgiven, justified, reconciled to God, and made new.

The world imagines that we all have good hearts at the bottom, and that God will receive everyone into Heaven. But the Scripture says, "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked!" (Jeremiah 17:9)

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

Romans 5:8 ... But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ❤