One of the foundational doctrines of Scripture is the depravity of man (Genesis 6:5). What this means is that, as a result of the fall of Adam in the garden, every single human being is now born with a sin nature (Romans 7:18) that falls short of the glory of our original state (Romans 3:23). This fall has affected every single area of our being. We are dead in trespasses and sin (Ephesians 2:1-3) and separated from fellowship with God. We are a part of God’s creation, and He indeed is our glorious Creator, but we must be born from above in order to be a part of His family (John 3:1-8). Herein lies the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is “the power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16) to all who repent (Luke 13:1-5) and believe in Christ as their atoning sacrifice and Lord (John 3:14-16). Until we are regenerated by The Spirit of God (Titus 3:5), we are unable to understand the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:14). In fact, until our eyes are open to the truth of Jesus, the gospel itself seems foolish to us (1 Corinthians 1:18).
Oh what a wonder is the new birth! When we are born again, we do not simply turn over a new leaf; we are really made a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). Though we are still sinners with a fleshly nature that has the ability to sin (1 John 1:8-10), our hearts and desires are changed as we read and obey The Word of God. Until we are born again, our natural tendency is towards the very things that God calls sin (Revelation 9:20,21). The bad news is that we cannot do anything to bring about a change of heart. We may indeed claim to believe in God, but that can only prove that we are not fools (Psalm 14:1a). When man fell we didn’t become atheists, we became idolaters with a desire to worship anything but the True and Living God (Romans 1:18-25). This depravity has been the cause of all the human ills that we see in today’s society. Only turning to Christ alone can bring about the kind of change that lives for the glory of God.
Reader, have you been born again of The Spirit? Have you experienced a real change wrought by the Spirit of God? Look to Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on Calvary as the provision of The Father that takes away your sin debt and grants you the gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23).
