Man Fell
Man fell. The earth was broken. Our systems shattered. In the Genesis, the Bible records the account of Adam and Eve sinning and rebelling against God. They were banished forever from the Garden. I would imagine they were full of despair. Since that pivotal mistake, man has been at odds with God. We are all engaged in a hostile revolution with the God of the Universe.
Our Moral Depravity
Many times we fail to recognize how morally depraved we really are, but we are. There is nothing good in us. If we were left to our devices, we would ruin ourselves and others. The historic orthodox faith points to this. Paul talks about his own sin nature in Romans 7:14-15 & 18-20:
"For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate…18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me."
Notice his conclusion. There is nothing good in him.
The Need for a Savior
The church has failed in the modern era to preach and teach our own depravity, but we have to stay true to the historic faith. If we possess goodness, then there truly is no need for Christ. We do not need a savior if we can do this on our own.
Our True Standard
Our standard should not be measured against our neighbor, friend or family member. Truth be told, we could all find someone we are probably nicer than, but we do not measure ourselves against others. Our measurement for perfection is Christ, and this is where we fall miserably short. We are all sinners in need of a completely perfect savior.
The Good News
When Adam and Eve failed, the curse of sin and darkness entered us all. The Good News is that we do not stay in our sinful condition, but God made a way to bring us into relationship again with Him. The Bible says that while we were sinners, Christ died for us. He came down and died despite our sinful condition. This is our hope.
About the Author
Jason Kennedy
Pastor Jason Kennedy serves as Lead Pastor at Bakersfield First Assembly in Bakersfield, California, where he leads a vibrant church community focused on helping people pursue Jesus, grow in their faith, and engage in life-giving community while extending compassion to others in their daily lives.