“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” (Ephesians 2:1–3 ESV)
“I mean what kind of God requires that we actually go out and tell people about Jesus so that they are rescued from Hell? They should just all go to heaven without repentance that would create such a perfect place.”
The previous quote concerns two biblical doctrines: the nature of God and the nature of humankind. Why does God command His disciples to go and tell people about their need for salvation? Why are people needing to hear from God’s disciples about their need of salvation? The questions, and their respective answers, are intertwined.
Preciously, we biblically examined the nature and character of God. Today we biblically examine the nature and character of humankind.
God created man directly and immediately in His image and likeness. God created man free of sin with a rational nature, intelligence, volition, self-determination, and moral responsibility to God (Gen. 2:7, 15–25; James 3:9).
God created man to glorify God, enjoy God’s fellowship, live his life in the will of God, and by this accomplish God’s purpose for man in the world (Gen. 26-31; Isa. 43:1-7; Col. 1:16; Rev. 4:11). However, Adam’s sin of disobedience to the revealed will and word of God resulted in a loss of innocence.
“Adam incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death; became subject to the wrath of God; and became inherently corrupt and utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace. With no recuperative powers to enable him to recover himself, man is hopelessly lost. Man’s salvation is thereby wholly of God’s grace through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ (Gen. 2:16–17; 3:1–19; John 3:36; Rom. 3:23; 5:12-21; 6:23; 1 Cor. 2:14; Eph. 2:1–3; 1 Tim. 2:13–14; 1 John 1:8),” explains Dr. John MacArthur.
All individuals were in Adam. Therefore, humankind possesses a nature corrupted by Adam’s sin. This fallen, sinful nature is transmitted to all individuals of all ages; Jesus Christ being the only exception because of His virgin conception and birth. All men are thus sinners by nature, by choice, and by divine declaration (Ps. 14:1–3; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:9–18, 23; 5:10–12). The only hope sinners have is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:21–26 (ESV) – “21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Ephesians 2:5–10 (ESV) – “5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Colossians 1:3–7 (ESV) – “3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf.”
This is the truth God command believers in Christ to share with those condemned in their sin (Matthew 28:16-20; Romans 10:11-17). Sinners need the credited righteousness of Jesus Christ. This righteousness is available by grace alone, through faith alone, and in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone, according to Scripture alone to the glory of God alone.
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 