THE DEPRAVITY OF HUMANITY

Psalm 14 declares the depravity of humanity. Every person is born tainted with sin (cf. Rom.3:23). The Psalmist says, “there is none who does good,” (v.1b), “there is none who does good, not even one,” (v.3b). This does not mean that all are as bad as they might be, but that even what men call good in comparison to others is still contaminated by sin in comparison to God’s perfect standard—falling short of His glory (Rom.3:23). 

This depravity affects OUR COMPREHENSION (v.1a, 2). So that the question is, “Have they no knowledge…?”  They are fools who deny God’s existence. The word does not mean people who are mentally deficient (they may be highly educated), but morally deviant. They choose to reject the evidence for God in order to avoid thinking of judgment. They are free then to pursue their own wicked ways—to eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow they die, and that’s that.

Depravity produces OUR CORRUPTION (v.1b, 3). The rottenness of who we are permeates every facet of our being. It perverts our thinking and it pollutes our passions.  From a wicked heart flows vile conversation and vicious conduct. Sin is woven into the fabric of our fleshly existence.

Such depravity is seen in OUR CONSUMPTION (v.4). We use and abuse others—chewing them up and spitting them out when we have consumed all they can do for us. We are by nature takers and not givers. Life revolves around us. We craft our own plans and refuse to call on the name of the Lord. 

William Henley’s poem, “Invictus,” displays this attitude:

Out of the night that covers me,

      Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

      For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

      I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

      My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

      Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

      Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

      How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

      I am the captain of my soul.

Depravity leads to OUR CONDEMNATION (v.5). The fear of death hangs like the shadow of a gallows over humanity. The terror of hell awaits all sinners.

Yet, we read of others that God calls, “My people,” (v.4), “the generation of the righteous,” (v.5), and “the poor,” (v.6). Who would these be?

Depravity is overcome by OUR CONVERSION (v.6-7). While we cannot fix ourselves, God can convert us from sinners to saints. From what we all are as, “the children of man,” (v.2a) we can become the children of God through regeneration (cf. John 1:12-12). It is the discarding of the filthy rags of self-righteousness (cf. Isa.64:6) and being clothed in the righteousness of Christ by faith through repentance (cf. Phil.3:7-9). We run to God for “refuge” (v.6b) and trust Him for “salvation,” (v.7a). 

The converted acknowledge their spiritual bankruptcy as “the poor,” (v.6) for Jesus promised, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” (Matt.5:3). To those God then “restores the fortunes of his people,” (v.7) by the riches of His grace in Christ Jesus (cf. Eph.1:7). Rather than everlasting regret and grief in hell, there can be eternal rejoicing and gladness in heaven (v.7b)!

In connection with conversion, it is fascinating that the names, “Jacob,” and “Israel,” are used here. Those were the names of the same man. Jacob  (meaning supplanter) was a cheat, a scoundrel, a man always seeking to climb the ladder by pulling others down—a model of depravity. Yet, he met God and surrendered to Him. The Lord changed his name to Israel (prince with power with God) indicating his conversion.  Has that happened to you?

THE HEART OF THE MATTER

“The preparations of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.

A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.

The wise in heart will be called prudent, And sweetness of the lips increases learning.

The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds learning to his lips.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16:1, 5, 9, 21, 23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Your heart is important.  It is the organ that enables the rest of you to go on living as it pumps blood that feeds the other organs.  When I go for a physical, the doctor listens to my heart, takes my blood pressure, checks my pulse rate, and does an EKG.  Recently, I went to the emergency room, thinking I was having a heart attack.  It turned out to be an infection around my heart—painful, but one from which I recovered quickly. Still, it got my attention!

In Scripture, the heart is seen as even more than that—going beyond the organ that pumps blood, and being the seat of our thoughts, emotions, motives, and actions. It is the core of our being.  The heart of the matter is  a matter of the heart. If we are not healthy there, then we are not healthy at all—physically and spiritually.  Five times in Proverbs 16, Solomon references the heart.

1.  OUR HEART IS THE SEAT OF OUR INTENTIONS (v.1). Sadly, left to ourselves, even the best of our intentions is misguided because, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jer.17:9). The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart.  From this foul well arises foolish speech.  Yet, God is sovereign, and able to transform both heart and speech, if we cast ourselves on His grace.

2.  GOD REJECTS THE PROUD IN HEART (v.5). Those who are proud in heart do not think they need God.  They seek the glory that only belongs to Him.  This shuts off the supply of grace.  “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6; 1 Pet.5:5). On which side of that issue do you want to be?

3.  FOLLOWING YOUR HEART IS A DANGEROUS THING (v.9). “Follow your heart,” is the misguided advice we hear from the culture.  Since our sinful heart beckons us to appease the flesh, we become like rats following the Pied Piper to our doom. The wise submit to a Sovereign God who has infinite knowledge and power.

4.  WE CAN BECOME WISE IN HEART THROUGH LEARNING GOD’S WORD (v.21). The whole point of the Proverbs (and indeed all of Scripture) is to direct us to truth and away from deception.  This is what we experience, when we receive Christ who is, “The way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6a). Our minds can be renewed.  We can have a new heart—and a sweet vocabulary rather than a poisoned one.

5. OUR SPEECH REVEALS WHAT IS IN OUR HEART (v.23). Jesus said, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke‬ ‭6:45‬). Listen to someone long enough and you will know whether they have a depraved heart or a regenerate one.

How is your heart?

WASTED WORDS

“He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself. Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” (Proverbs‬ ‭9:7-9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

There was a pastor who became an undertaker. When they asked him why, he answered, “Now, when I straighten them out, they stay straight!”  I can sympathize.  The truth is, however, that we don’t have to straighten everyone out.  That is the work of the Spirit.  You cannot make a blind man see or a deaf woman hear.  Yet, we may be the personality type who insists on trying.

Jesus put it this way, “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” (Matt.‭7:6‬). Sometimes, it is best to let sleeping dogs lie.  The scoffer is not one who needs more information.  They have already heard the truth and have rejected it—militantly and stridently.

Some preachers would have been better being pugilists.  They continually climb into the ring with their verbal fists up.  Saying the right thing, the wrong way, the wrong time, to the wrong person, is still wrong. Often, the root of our relentless stream of rebuke is a motive to be right.  We may be more concerned to win an argument than to win a soul—a point of pride.

Christ’s counsel was, “And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” (‭Luke‬ ‭9:5‬). Words are worth too much to waste.  Go on to the next person—they might listen.  Instruct the wise and they will become more wise and love you—even if you rebuke them.

There are times we must stand up and speak to the scoffers.  It is not so much about them as reinforcing our own convictions and to let the weak and wavering who are listening to them know that they need not be swayed by their folly.  May God give us discernment to know when to speak up and when to shut up.  Words are worth too much to waste.  Sow Gospel seed on receptive soil if you can, and do not cast it on rocks intentionally.  Opportunity is fleeting.

Regeneration is a supernatural work.  If I can talk someone into believing something, someone else can talk them out. There is a place for apologetics, but there is also a time to say our piece and move on. The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit (1 Cor.2:14). It is foolishness to them.  God does use the power of the Gospel we share to do a miracle, but in the final analysis, a miracle is what it takes—not our brilliance and eloquence.

FOLLOW YOUR HEART?

Read Jeremiah 17.

We have heard the instruction, “Follow your heart!” We dare not! Rather, heed the will of God found in the Word of God. The heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked. Sin has been engraved on it with a diamond-tipped, iron pen, so that what we think is good is bad and that which we brand bad is good.

The people of Judah were doomed to judgment for following their hearts’ diabolical desires. They worshipped the creation rather than the Creator. They trusted in what they could see instead of the immortal, invisible God who saw them.

The beautiful, bountiful blessings of a land flowing with milk and honey would be stripped and plundered by a marauding army. It would be as though they were sitting in the gasoline of God’s wrath, and their sins were the match they would continually be striking, until one day the explosive flame of HIs fury ignited.

We can know the blessing of trusting in God or the cursing of trusting in ourselves. To look to the Lord as our hope is to find the stability of being rooted by the river of His grace, the beauty of evergreen foliage where we reflect His glory, and the productivity of fruitfulness as His Spirit works in and through us.

Jeremiah testifies to his faithfulness in a populace that had forsaken the Lord. He cries out for God to spare him even as he visits judgment on his generation. He confesses his hope in the Lord.

It is never easy to stand alone. But, really the child of God never does—the Lord is near all who trust in Him. We can speak against the evil of our day. They may not be persuaded to repent. This generation may choose to stop their ears to the truth—that is the deceitfulness of the heart. What I have control over is my own path—to choose God’s way, as I look to His wisdom and lean on His strength. In the words of the old hymn:

“Stand up, stand up for Jesus!
Stand in His strength alone,
The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own.”

SEEING CLEARLY

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. (‭Isaiah‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬ NKJV)

My eyesight is terrible.  Unless I had my glasses on, you would not want to ride down the road with me!  Thankfully, my vision can be corrected.  Spiritually speaking, our vision often becomes foggy--we fail to see things as God sees them for our eyes are focused on the things of the world.  We need the Word of God to be a lens where we can see things from God's perspective.  It is what happened to Isaiah in chapter six of his prophecy.

There was AN UPWARD VISION OF DEITY (v.1-4).  The first look must be upward!  Then we will see God's sovereignty.  At this time, the throne in Jerusalem was empty.  King Uzziah was dead.  The monarch had been a tower of strength--and until slipping near the end of his reign had been a good and godly leader.  Now that he is dead, the prophet is concerned--his vision of the future clouded with uncertainty and anxiety.  God directs him to look behind the human ruler to the heavenly One.  The ever-changing events around us might lead us to fear, unless we see clearly the unchanging God above us--and that leads to faith.  Isaiah not only saw God's sovereignty, but His purity.  The angelic seraphim cry out His chief attribute: "Holy, holy, holy...!"   Even these majestic creatures are in awe of God's glory, covering their faces with two of their six wings!  The very sanctuary is shaken, and so is Isaiah!  Too many see God as a kindly grandfather--irreverently referring to Him as, "the Man upstairs."  No!  He is the almighty, infinitely holy God! We need to recover the proper perspective of God.

This vision of Deity leads to AN INWARD VISION OF DEPRAVITY (v.5-7). Seeing God for who He is enables us to see ourselves as we really are.  This brings conviction.  We tend to compare ourselves with other people--and we can always find someone more wicked than we are.  When we compare ourselves to God, however, we see the utter depravity in our hearts!  Conviction then leads to confession.  Isaiah confesses his tongue trouble--for our speech reveals what is in our hearts!  Confession then brings cleansing.  My old preacher grandfather used to say about this text, "God burned the devil out of Isaiah."  He did--and He will cleanse us too!

Now we are prepared for AN OUTWARD VISION OF DESTINY (v.8). The man of God looks into a wide world full of God's glory!  It is his destiny to embrace the opportunity to bring others out of the darkness of sin and into the light of glory!  Hear God's request, “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?”  The Lord is still looking for laborers today.  The fields are ripe and ready for harvest--sadly, the laborers are few.  See man's response, “Here am I!  Send me.”  Jesus looked out on the masses, meandering through life as lost sheep without a shepherd, and He was profoundly stirred in His soul.  He would give His life to save them!  Now, He asks us to join Him in that work.  Let us eagerly embrace the task!  This is the church's destiny.  Let us give ourselves to it wholeheartedly!  God help us to see clearly!

CONTRASTS ON CALVARY

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.  (Luke 23:34)

If you go to a jeweler to buy a diamond, they will often display it under a bright light as it lies upon a black velvet cloth.  The contrast between the light upon the diamond and the darkness of the cloth serve to intensify the sparkle of the precious gem.  So it is when we see Jesus on Calvary—the contrasts of the black backdrop of evil present there cause His love and grace to shine all the brighter.  There are seven contrasts for us to consider.

THE SAVIOR SPEAKING AND THE SOLDIERS SILENT.  Jesus’ words are recorded by the Gospel writer, while the soldiers are not said to utter a syllable.  The precious Lord with intense effort gasps the most wondrous prayer, and His executioners do not respond.  They do not care.  That is the case of many in our world today.  You share the Gospel with them and they are oblivious.  They just shrug and go back to what they were doing.

THE SAVIOR LOOKING UP AND THE SOLDIERS LOOKING DOWN.  Christ’s eyes were lifted to Heaven as He addressed the Father.  The soldiers focused on the garment for which they were gambling.  Is our heart set on Heaven or captivated with the world?  The direction of our focus says much about the destination of our soul—up or down!

THE SAVIOR’S SACRIFICE AND THE SOLDIER’S SELFISHNESS.  Jesus was giving all He had to give while the soldiers were getting all they could gain.  His love longed to help others, while their lust was about what they desired for themselves.  In the middle of “sin” is the letter “I.”  Self-centeredness is the essence of evil.  Love for others is the essence of God, for “God is love.”  (1 John  4:8)

THE SAVIOR’S COMPASSION AND THE SOLDIER’S CRUELTY.  In death we see Jesus’ compassion, but the soldiers were brutal butchers—black-hearted executioners, absent an ounce of pity.  News reports today shock us with the savagery of terrorism and heinous murders.  It writes in crimson headlines the depravity of man.

THE SAVIOR’S SPIRITUAL DRIVE AND THE SOLDIER’S SECULAR DESIRE.  Christ was captivated by the eternal, while the soldiers were caught up in the material.  Where is your heart?  Are we living for this world or the world to come?

THE SAVIOR’S WISDOM AND THE SOLDIER’S FOLLY.  The Omniscient One spoke of the soldier’s ignorance.  True wisdom comes from above.  Those without Christ are in spiritual blindness, walking toward the abyss, oblivious to the doom awaiting them.

THE SAVIOR DIRECTED BY PURPOSE AND THE SOLDIERS DRIVEN BY CHANCE.  Jesus was on mission for God.  He was fulfilling His purpose; He always did.  For the soldiers, it was about the roll of the dice—the luck of the draw.  We can be like Jesus, however, and realize, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.”  (Ps.37:23) 

In these contrasts, are we aligned with the Savior or akin to the soldiers?  Apart from a new birth our hearts are as foul as the fiends who nailed Jesus to the tree.  We may as well have held the hammer and driven the spikes into Him, for our sins were the reason He suffered so.  That, however, is why He came!  So He prays, “Father, forgive them!”  Have you received the gracious gift of eternal life?  If you have not, do so now!  If you have, express gratitude today!