The Impotency of the Human Will
The human will is not free due to the influence of sin and Satan, making it impossible for man to accept or reject Jesus as Saviour on his own.
The preacher delves into the meaning of 'Harpazo,' which signifies a sudden and forceful snatching away, often with violence and speed, as seen in various biblical instances. This term is commonly associated with the 'rapture,' describing the event where believers will be caught up to be with the Lord, emphasizing the certainty and security of this future event for the true church. The concept of 'Harpazo' conveys the idea of being forcibly seized or taken away, highlighting the believer's ultimate security in Christ, as no one can snatch them out of His hand.
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Does it lie within the province of man's will to accept or reject the Lord Jesus as Saviour? Granted that the Gospel is preached to the sinner, that the Holy Spirit convicts him of his lost condition, does it, in the final analysis, lie within the power of his own will to resist or yield himself up to God? The answer to this question defines our conception of human depravity. That man is a fallen creature all professing Christians will allow, but what many of them mean by "fallen" is often difficult to determine.
The general impression seems to be that man is now mortal, that he is no longer in the condition in which he left the hands of his Creator, that he is liable to disease, that he inherits evil tendencies; but, that if he employs his powers to the best of his ability, somehow he will be happy at last. O, how far short of the sad truth! Infirmities, sickness, even corporeal death, are but trifles in comparison with the moral and spiritual effects of the Fall! It is only by consulting the Holy Scriptures that we are able to obtain some conception of the extent of that terrible calamity.
When we say that man is totally depraved, we mean that the entrance of sin into the human constitution has affected every part and faculty of man's being. Total depravity means that man is, in spirit and soul and body, the slave of sin and the captive of the Devil--walking "according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Eph. 2:2). This statement ought not to need arguing: it is a common fact of human experience.
Man is unable to realize his own aspirations and materialize his own ideals. He cannot do the things that he would. There is moral inability which paralyzes him. This is proof positive that he is no free man, but instead, the slave of sin and Satan. "Ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts (desires) of your father ye will do." (John 8:44). Sin is more than an act or a series of acts; it is a man's make-up. It has blinded the understanding, corrupted the heart, and alienated the mind from God.
And the will has not escaped. The will is under the dominion of sin and Satan. Therefore, the will is not free. In short, the affections love as they do and the will chooses as it does because of the state of the heart, and because the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked "There is none that seeketh after God" (Rom. 3:11).
Sermon Outline
- I. The Question of Human Will
- A. Can man accept or reject Jesus as Saviour?
- B. Is it within man's power to resist or yield to God?
- II. The Nature of Human Depravity
- A. Man is a fallen creature
- B. The extent of the Fall's effects on human nature
- III. Total Depravity
- A. Man is the slave of sin and Satan
- B. Moral inability paralyzes man's actions
- IV. The Influence of Sin
- A. Sin blinds the understanding and corrupts the heart
- B. The will is under the dominion of sin and Satan
Key Quotes
“Man is unable to realize his own aspirations and materialize his own ideals. He cannot do the things that he would.” — A.W. Pink
“Sin is more than an act or a series of acts; it is a man's make-up.” — A.W. Pink
“There is none that seeketh after God” — A.W. Pink
Application Points
- Recognize the true nature of human depravity and the extent of the Fall's effects on human nature.
- Understand that sin has affected every part of man's being, making him a slave to sin and Satan.
- Seek God's help and guidance, acknowledging that man cannot seek after God on his own.