| THE SINFULNESS, DEATH AND BONDAGE OF MANKIND [14] What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? [15] Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. [16] How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water? - Job 15:14-16 46. If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near; - 1 Kings 8:46 ( also see 2 Chronicles 6:36 ) 6. But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 7. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. - Isaiah 64:6-7 Within these few scriptures, the Word of God clearly reveals the inherent wicked and sinful nature of mankind. The prophet Isaiah goes so far to state that even mankinds� attempted works of righteousness are in Gods� judgement to be nothing more than fithly rags. That is to say that our own good works and righteousness are unacceptable to God. Mankinds� righteous and good works cannot save. The scriptures continue by writing; 4. Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is: that I may know how frail I am. 5. Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. 6. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. 7. And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee. 8. Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish. - Psalms 39:4-8 1. Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. 3. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. 4. None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. - Isaiah 59:1-4 Again the scriptures show the complete hopelessness of mankinds� sinful nature. Even in our best efforts and intentions as writes the Psalmist, mankind is nothing more than vanity. In spite of our best efforts at goodness and righteousness we still continue to fall short of Gods� goodness and righteousness. Consequently as the prophet Isaiah writes, our sins and iniquities, our faults and shortcomings cause us to be seperated from the Living and Holy God. Therefore, our sins separate us from God and eternal life. Moreover, the scriptures continue to reveal the inherent hopelessness and depravity of the sinful, human condition; 1. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. 2. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. 3. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. - Psalms 14:1-3 9. What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15. Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16. Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17. And the way of peace have they not known: 18. There is no fear of God before their eyes. - Romans 3:9-18 [23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; - Romans 3:23 Notice that within the instruction of the scriptures, all mankind is guilty of sin in Gods� judgement. There is not any person who has ever lived on earth, ( the only exception being Jesus Christ, Gods� Son ), who has not committed sin. Therefore, the scriptural conclusion is that all mankind is sinful and thus corrupt in Gods� judgement and deserving of death. The scriptures continue by writing; 20. For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. - Ecclesiastes 7:20 4. Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. - Ezekiel 18:4 All mankind is sinful. Sin seperates mankind from the Living God who is holy and eternal life. Moreover, the righteous and good works which sinful mankind performs even with the sincerest of intentions are not able to justify us in Gods� judgement. God does not accept such corrupt deeds because of His holiness and therefore hatred of sin. The end result of sin is condemnation and death in a lake of fire and brimstone; 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. - Revelation 21:7-8 17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:17-18 12. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. - Revelation 20:12-15 28. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. - Matthew 10:28 18. For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. - Isaiah 38:17-18 4. Return, O Lord, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake. 5. For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? - Psalms 6:4-5 23. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. - Romans 6:23 No sinner can escape the end result of sin, i.e. condemnation and death in the lake of fire, without the mercy and salvation of God. Someone will ask; " Why does God want to send people into an eternity of hellish torment ? " . Good question. The answer is that in reality, God does not desire nor want to do this. Hear Gods' words in the book of the prophet Ezekiel; 23. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? - Ezekiel 18:23 30. Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. 31. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 32. For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye. - Ezekiel 18:30-32 ( see also Ezekiel 33:11 ) God is speaking and warning His chosen people and shows that His desire for His people is not condemnation and death but rather repentance and life. Someone might say, " But in these Old Testament passages, God is only talking to His chosen people, Israel. God's words are not meant for all people . " . This is an untrue statement. Hear Gods' words in these New Testament passages; 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. - 2 Peter 3:9 16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. - John 3:16-18 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. - John 6:37-40 God does not want sinners to end up in hell but rather God wants sinners to confess their sins, believe on His Son Jesus Christ and repent so that they can have eternal life. God has provided the means to save and redeem sinful mankind out of our wretched and hopeless condition. As the holy scriptures of Gods� Word reveal the depravity and hopelessness of mankinds� sin, so also do those same scriptures reveal how the Living God has made salvation freely available for any person who chooses to believe in His Son, Jesus Christ. |
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