“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” – Hebrews 7:25 (NIV)
One only needs to crack open a history book to see the depravity of man. Even the most noble of ideologies, the most benevolent of movements, fall prey to the corruptive force that is human nature. Throughout history, man has tried to wrestle with the problem human depravity by proposing ideas and methods that would eventually take man to a perfect society where their corruption will cease to persist. However man, in his finite understanding, can and will continue to only come up with solutions that may address and solve part of the problem, but never the whole. The unfortunate result is that the part which was not dealt with festers and grows until it completely destroys every noble aspect of the movement or ideology. Why does this happen? The reason is that man constantly applies small bandages to gaping gashes. Man’s depravity is total. It is inherent and affects every single person born into this world. It does not discriminate against race, gender, or socio-economic status. As long as human beings exist, depravity will exist.
What then is the solution? Total depravity deserves a total solution. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross had as its intent to deal with the root of human nature; its inherent wickedness. God knew that man could not save himself because all have fallen short of His standards. Since God is holy and just, He cannot tolerate sin and by His standards, all who sin face death. Yet, God in His love did not want to send His creation to such a fate and thus sent His Son to die in place of humanity. If an individual only believes that Christ came to die in order that the penalty of their sin may be satisfied, then they are completely forgiven. Christ’s act of redemption through His death and burial is complete and final. It had to be so in order that each and every sinful desire of man would hold him back no more. Through an acceptance of this fact, man can be elevated out of his corruption. Not by his own hands, but by those of Christ working through him. Total depravity is a problem bigger than humanity itself, and it needs a person bigger than humanity and its depravity to solve it.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
