Seven Cornerstones – Part 2

Worldview of Sin

Worldview – a particular philosophy of life or conception of the world.

2. All human beings are sinful by nature; every choice we make has moral considerations and consequences.

Total Depravity

The doctrine of total depravity reflects the Reformed viewpoint of original sin. That term—original sin—is often misunderstood in the popular arena. Some people assume that the term original sin must refer to the first sin—the original transgression that we’ve all copied in many different ways in our own lives, that is, the first sin of Adam and Eve. But that’s not what original sin has referred to historically in the church. Rather, the doctrine of original sin defines the consequences to the human race because of that first sin.—R.C. Sproul

Without Total Depravity, we as humans will naturally and with fleshly intent try to justify and idolize our natural goodness. This seeks to take away the Glory of God and falsely lessens the work of Christ’s grace in our lives.

The fall of humanity was the 

 of depravity.

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.—Genesis 3:6–7 (ESV)

No good 

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.—Isaiah 64:6 (ESV)

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?—Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV)

Six Primary Points of Depravity According to 

 .

What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. “Be The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”—Romans 3:9–18 (ESV)

1. No one is without sin (v.10)
2. No one seeks after God (v.11)
3. There is no one who is good (v.12)
4. Their speech is corrupted by sin (vv.13-14)
5. Their actions are corrupted by sin (vv.15-17)
6. Above all, they have no fear of God. (v.18)

Does depravity mean that we are as 

But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.—Romans 14:23 (NLT)

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.—Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)

How can we be 

 from depravity?

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. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—Ephesians 2:1–5 (ESV)

There is no way out of depravity except for 

 !

The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. 26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”—Matthew 19:25–26 (NLT)

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”—John 3:3 (NLT)

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.—John 1:12–13 (NLT)

So what is required for us to be conformed to the image of Christ is not simply some small adjustments or behavioral modifications, but nothing less than renovation from the inside. We need to be regenerated, to be made over again, to be quickened by the power of the Spirit. The only way in which a person can escape this radical situation is by the Holy Spirit’s changing the core, the heart. However, even that change does not instantly vanquish sin. The complete elimination of sin awaits our glorification in heaven.—R.C. Sproul

Every choice we make is a moral building block to life, but none is more important than who we understand Jesus to be!