“And you [He made alive], who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” (Eph 2:1-3 NKJV)
Part of regeneration is the opening of the mind to spiritual realities. As it is written, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” (2Co 4:3-4 NKJV) Satan has a dark cloak over the minds of the unbelieving, and they cannot see the truth of their condition. This is the key to understanding depravity.
The reason people continue to reject the Gospel in light of irrefutable evidence is not a lack of education, but an inability to see the truth as it relates to their own lives. A lost man will always justify his sinful actions. He will convince himself that the wickedness he commits is not deserving of death. He has believed the lie that you can sin and not die. Just as the serpent told Eve, “you will not surely die,” the depraved says, “I will not surely die.”
This renders the sinner incapable of repentance because he sees no need to repent. Without the quickening of the Holy Spirit he will continue in his delusion until the judgment where the full weight of his foolishness is realized.
Make no mistake this is not forced upon the sinner, he sins willfully. He is by nature a child of wrath, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. It is not God that makes him a sinner. “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” (Jas 1:14-15 NKJV)
This being true, surely you must praise God. You He made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins. Is this not cause for a great celebration? The seed has been broadcast to many, but He removed your blindness. “For many are called, but few [are] chosen.” (Mt 22:14 NKJV)
Having eyes to see, let us all walk worthy of our calling. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God [did] by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those [who live] according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded [is] death, but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace.” (Ro 8:2-6 NKJV)
Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
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