NATURAL CHARACTER

Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible….

Ephesians 2:1-3 NKJV

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 

² in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience

 ³ Among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

The second result of depravity is that which Paul describes in Ephesians 2:2-3 “Walking according to the course of the world, living in lust, indulging in evil desires, and being natural.”

This “nature” which is attributed to all the lost is the fountain of every manner of evil.  This is pointedly affirmed in I Cor. 2:14  It is worth noting what this “natural man” cannot do. 

A.    He does not accept the Spirit’s activity

B.     He cannot understand this work of the Spirit.

This brings us to this person’s activity.  It is described in Romans 1; I Cor. 5:10-11; I Cor 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21; and of course Mark 7:20-23.  The fruit of the bad tree or water from the bitter fountain will never be better than its source.

Observation of society can recognize that all are not equally evil.  There are kind and gentle people who are our friends and neighbors.  But it remains a certain fact that “all have sinned, and there is none good, no not one.”

Mankind’s deeds are the result of their nature.  This is illustrated in II Peter 2:22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”  Peter quoting from Proverbs 26:11 affirms the fact that as animals act according to their nature, the lost person will always do this also.

Depravity then has the Divine side, that is judgment.  And it has the human nature of a world of evil activity.

This is not a discussion of the origin and transmission of sin, the certain mark of its identification, or the final judgment.  But it is a declaration of its recognition by God and its results in every person’s activity.

Please read Romans 3:9-18 for the extent of sin in mankind.