Total Depravity

Just a quick note I would like to share. A thought you might call it. But this thought did not emanate from my mind out of nothing. It came to me as I was contemplating the nature of man and the reason why we need a saviour. This reason being total depravity of the human soul. And by this I mean the incapablilty of mankind doing anything righteous enough in order to warrant the forgiveness of God. Man is born not with a tabula rasa (clean slate) as Pelagius would have it, but with a definite bent towards sin. Man is not born neutral to God. He is brought into the world with a curse placed upon his head. A guilt that calls for a death sentence that is irremovable. That is, unless that man has those sins removed from his charge. Which only the blood of Christ can remove. Christ took upon himself, on the cross, the wrath of God reserved for man upon death.

But I digress, though in a good way.

So, I turn now to the laws of our countries and our obedience (or lack thereof) towards them. It would seem to be a large piece of evidence to prove the depravity of man in the biblical sense to say that we cannot obey them. But this is not true. We do have prisons for a reason. And they are not there to lock the bad people up, or keep them away from the good people. No, we are all of us bad people. The reason we have prisons is because we have rules. And laws. And those laws are broken. But my focus is neither upon the judicial system, nor it's ways up keeping the peace. It is focused on those who follow the laws. Who obey the posted speed limit (at least somewhat); those who help old people across the street; yes, even those who volunteer at the soup kitchen over Christmas time, or even all year round. This is for you.

I am driving 5 km over the speed limit and cars are flying passed me. Most times passing over double yellows. So I think to myself "why do I have to follow the speed limit when no one else does?" And it hits me. I think that somehow, someway, I might deserve a reward, or even a pat on the back , because I am only going 5 klicks over. And as I follow this thought through, I come to realize how depraved we really are. How depraved I really am. How badly I need Christ. Each and every minute of every day.

Why is it that when we obey the law, or do something that might be called good, we think we deserve some credit? credit for what? Doing what is required of us? What is expected of us? Would I not be expected to drive the speed limit? Am I not supposed to help an old lady acros the street? Or save a drowning child? Why would I expect something for doing what I should? If my father told me to mow the lawn, why should I expect some grand reward for doing what I was told? Maybe a short "thank you" or "good job my son" would suffice. So how is it that we would come to think that we deserve anything for doing our normal duty?

As long as we are not as bad as the next guy, we are alright? I don't rob banks. I don't beat my wife or my child. I don't speed... too often... Look at me. I am a good person. I rescue dogs from the pound and I volunteer at the soup kitchen on weekends.

What should we expect for such 'good deeds'? A thank you, or a reward? Nonsense. Such things are our duty. And the thought of even thinking we might deserve something for doing them is proof of our depravity. If we were not depraved, such things would be common place. No need to talk about the man who saved a drowning child. It happens all the time. No need to talk about the work done for Ethiopian hunger. It's taken care of. That stuff is common place. But that is not the case.

Think of humanity as a student. This student constantly gets D's. But, on every report card there is at least a C+. Or sometimes it's a B. On rare reports, it is even been an A. We are so used to the D's that the B looks awesome. We reward the child for a B, though he should be punished for the D's. This is humanity. We know we are D students. but we won't admit it because every once in a while we see a glimmer of hope in a B+. This proves our depravity. We need Christ to save us. We are always going to be D students. We can never pass the grade. Even with our somewhat occasional B or A, we are still D students doomed to failure.

No matter how bright those B's look, the rest of it is bleak and dark without the blood to wash us of our guilt.