Day 114

Of the fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof.

Chapter 6, Paragraph 4.

“From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil,…“

Scripture Lookup

Romans 8:7

Colossians 1:21

Reflection

Springing from the original corruption of Adam and Eve, sin has infected every part of you, and every part of me. Our nature is fallen. We do bad things because we cannot but sin. Do good? Not possible on our own: “the mind set on the flesh…does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,” (Romans 8:7, NASB). Because of our fallen nature, we have no ability to do good. Not only can we not do good, we are totally unwilling to do good.

This can be a difficult truth to accept. We want so much to point to something good in us, to say “See! I’m not that bad!” But you don’t have that. I don’t have that. Stop clinging so tightly to your self-righteousness, because your self-righteousness is non-existent. “There is no one righteous” (Romans 3:10) There is no one who does good.

When we let go of our desperate desire to make ourselves righteous, and realize that we are wholly inclined to all evil, the provision of Christ is that much more glorious to us. For God’s righteousness becomes our righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. It is His perfect work we rest in, and nothing in ourselves. He justifies us, He sanctifies us, and He will glorify us. What a freeing deliverance He has granted to His people!

Questions to Consider

• Can you see in your life how you were wholly inclined to evil before you came to know Christ?