Morning Thoughts - by Elder Philip Conley - Depravity and its Consequences

Morning Thoughts

This morning, there is not really a single Scripture on my mind. Rather, I have been contemplating the foolish notion that the religious world spouts incessantly. Their foolish notion boils down to two main points that I can see. The first point is their total lack of knowledge of total depravity and its dire consequences. The second main point is their lack of understanding on the suffering of Christ. These two points go hand in hand, and one cannot fully understand the second without fully understanding the first (as fully as we can know here below). Therefore, what is so vital and deep to the understanding of these points?

To fully understand the suffering of Christ, one must fully be acquainted with the depravity of man. Man's natural state is so dire, that he cannot even grasp the very knowledge of the existence of God. (Psalm 53:1) Such knowledge is too high for him. If he cannot even grasp the knowledge of the EXISTENCE of God, how in the world is he going to ACCEPT the offering of God (so called, I speak this foolishly)? If one cannot even see the existence of a Supreme Being, why on earth would they seek after that which they do not even know to be there?

After one considers that man does not have any knowledge much less desire toward God, what does he do? Paul said in Galatians 5 that the works of the flesh are MANIFEST. That means that one does not have to peer around corners and peepholes to find it. It is open, evident, and unabashed. Just flip through the TV channels, pages of the paper, or (more easily) search the internet. All of man's desires, lusts, and imaginations are easily found to any that inquires. So, after finding out what man is fully not doing, it can be easily seen what man is fully doing with his thoughts and actions.

Now, after finding this out, how can one say that all of this wickedness can be wiped away by one act on our part, whether it is baptism or whatever? It seems much less fair in my mind that one righteous act by man, could obliterate an entire lifetime of complete wickedness. To me, that is much less fair than the doctrine of election or predestination will ever be. How can one say that a man who is wallowing in the deepest, darkest mire that there is could somehow pull himself up by his own bootstraps and by that one act stay out from the mire forever?

So, if this deepest, darkest mire (that I cannot fully describe in words to do justice) holds us captive, how do we ever stand righteous in the sight of the Almighty? Job queried the very same thing in Job 9:2. How can such a worm ever hope to see the regions of bliss and ? How can a wretch ever behold the Lord's face in righteousness? The sacrifice of our Lord is the ONLY thing that was, is, or ever will be suitable for such a cause.

This sacrifice goes far beyond the mutilation done by the hands of wicked men. Why? Because other mortal men have gone through similar torture. This sacrifice goes beyond being nailed to a cross. Why? Because other men in the pages of history have been crucified. This sacrifice goes even to the point of our Lord tasting in justice what we should rightly taste through eternity. This sacrifice goes even to the point of Him being forsaken of His Father. This sacrifice goes to the point of carrying our sins into the land uninhabited forever. This sacrifice goes to the point of laying down a perfect and righteous life. These things are things that no elect child of God will EVER suffer. This is what makes the sacrifice of Christ so noble. This is what makes Him our Saviour! To fully understand the sacrifice of Christ, one must fully understand how far down they were, and that is how far down He had to go to get us! One righteous act on our part to pardon our sin? I think not, and I hope that I am never found trying to frustrate the grace of God by advocating such.

In Hope,

Bro Philip