Theology for Everybody: Romansنموونە

(Continued from Day 73)

The fifth aspect of total depravity is deeds. “No one does good, not even one” (v. 12). People say, “Oh, you’re a good person,” but that simply isn’t true. No one does good. That doesn’t mean you can’t or don’t do “good” things like the Good Samaritan. The Bible says, “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Have you ever done a good thing with a bad motive? Motives matter. For something to be a genuinely good deed, the motive of the heart and the actions of the hands or the words of the mouth need to be done out of pure love for God, without ulterior motives. Paul wants us to stop looking at bad people and comparing ourselves to them and start looking to Jesus and comparing ourselves to Him. God’s categories are not good and bad people but rather people (who are all bad) and Jesus (who is perfect).

The sixth aspect of total depravity is words. “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive” (v. 13). Our words come from a place of death within us. It’s like when Jesus told the religious, “For you are

like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.” There is a stench of death on our words. Religion is the opposite of relationship with Jesus—religion is all about performing outwardly for people and not being transformed inwardly by God. The Lord said, “People draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me” (Isaiah 29:13).

Technology has allowed us to communicate more than ever, but what we communicate is death, not life. Just as the apostle Paul prophesied, it is bitterness and cursing. “I hate you. I judge you. I condemn you. You’ll never change; you have no hope or future.” We live in a culture of death, and Paul says the words that come out of us will literally kill people. “The venom of asps is under their lips” (v. 13). An asp is a deadly reptile. Cleopatra possibly died by suicide through the intentional bite of an asp. Like an asp, what we say can poison and destroy people. Do you remember the saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me”? Well, it’s not true. Death inside us flows out from our hearts and bursts forth through our mouths.

The seventh aspect of total depravity is the body. “Their feet are swift to shed blood” (v. 15). Late historians Will and Ariel Durant wrote, “In the last 3,241 years of recorded history, only 268 total have seen no war.” We may say, “Well, I’ve never killed anyone,” but the leading cause of death in the United States is still abortion. The most dangerous place to be is a mother’s womb, even though it should be the safest. The greatest threat to human life is at the hands of a physician who swore to preserve life. Churches were forced to close during the global pandemic in 2020, but abortion clinics remained open. We cannot think we have evolved beyond barbaric acts, such as taking an innocent human life. Paul’s condemnation of humanity is essential, and it is just.

The eighth aspect of total depravity is emotions. “In their paths are ruin and misery” (v. 16). Paul says our emotional lives (on the inside) are in ruins. We tend to be burden givers rather than burden lifters. We tend to harm people rather than help people. Until God remakes our emotional lives, we are emotionally unwell.

The ninth and final aspect of total depravity is the soul. “The way of peace they have not known” (v. 17). Until you have peace with God, you will not have the peace of God. And until you have the peace of God, you cannot bring the peace of God to anyone else. Your soul is troubled, unhealthy, and unwell apart from the Holy Spirit. In summary, everything about us needs redemption and renewal.

Today’s Reflection

In which aspect has your struggle with sin been the most difficult?