Total Depravity

"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins," (Eph 2:1)  This verse, among many others, magnifies the devastating consequences of sin in the Garden of Eden.  Man in this life is not as bad as he could be, for God does restrain evil all the time, yet this verse does reflect our inability to choose God apart from Sovreign Grace. 

The problem is that an unregenerate man seeks only sin, and never seeks God on his own.  He is given wholly to his sin and has erected idols in the place of worshipping God (Rom 1:22-25).  Even more so, "... the mind set on the flesh is death ... because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God." (Rom 8:6-8) In an unregenerate state, none are seeking God (Rom 3:11), and this fact asserts just how polluted man is.   The straw-man scenario that there are people out there searching for God and just can't find Him is simply not true.  In the same way, the other straw-man scenario that people are searching for God and He just won't show Himself to them because they are being "... prepared for destruction?" (Rom 9:22) is just as foolish.  Truly, none are seeking God apart from the work of the Holy Spirit. 

The reality of physical death existing all around us reflects the spiritual death that is already within those who do not know Christ, as was once the condition of we who now believe.  Nevertheless, with God all things are possible! Amen!  God in His great power breathes life into 'dead men walking' (the status of the non-believing one could say), empowering them to believe the gospel.  What great glory this is, and may we who have been born again by the Spirit of God rejoice! (Jn 3:8)  I say rejoice!  To Him alone be the glory alone for such an awesome act of Loving Grace! Amen!