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MAN'S RUIN
Most everyone admits that men and women are sinners, but at the same time many think themselves not too bad. Indeed, humanly speaking, some people are not so bad as others. But man's ruin does not have to do with men and women being as bad as they can be. Rather it has to do with how bad off they are. If, due to Adam's sin, his posterity was only slightly wounded, perhaps a band aid or a bandage will resolve the problem. If, however, the race was infected with a more serious malady, perhaps a strong antibiotic is needed. But if the race died spiritually in Adam because of his sin, then his descendants need a spiritual resurrection. And this is in deed the case for we read: “...as in Adam all die...” (1 Corinthians 15:22). And again: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned,” (Romans 5:12). Not only natural death, but spiritual death passed upon all because of Adam's sin. So, without casting stones and judging who is a bigger sinner, we do not ask how bad individuals are, but rather how bad off they are. Being “dead in sins” mankind could not be any worse off than that. The effects of this spiritual death is seen in man's condition relative to the things of God. Paul wrote: “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God,” (Romans 3:11). Sinners often think they have God figured out. They devise plans of salvation by which they think to bargain with God and qualify for salvation. But not even one natural man – a man as he is naturally born – understands God and how to be saved. In fact this last verse tells us that nobody left to himself ever seeks after God. Men may seek prosperity and health and some preachers promise them these things if they will do this or that. Others seek after a better home life and seek to gain harmony in their homes by being religious. Perhaps the majority of people who turn to religion do so in order to escape eternal punishment. They may seek many things, but they do not seek after God. So we may assuredly say that mankind's ruin is total. His thoughts and motives are the works of a depraved mind and heart. He loves sins. He cannot please God. God says, “...the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God,” (Romans 8:7-8). Is there a remedy for man's awful condition? Yes! The gospel of Christ - “... how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). This is the saving message of the Bible.
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