The Age of Depravity

In observing developments and trends, I am always drawn to the state of the human mind.  I am constantly amazed these days at what the human mind is capable of. On the one hand what the mind can achieve in the area of technology is almost beyond belief. But the area of the mind’s activity that comes up more often these days is in the area of depravity. A secular definition of depravity is simply defined as “moral corruption and wickedness”. 

The Bible also emphasizes the aspect of depravity of the human mind a great deal. Note Ephesians 2:1-3: “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.”

That is the reality of our world. That’s just daily living, pursuing the ‘lusts of our flesh”, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of our minds. This mind of a human being is a special aspect of God’s creation. He created a physical brain, but He supplied a spirit element to that brain which made humans a unique and special creation: “But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding” (Job 32.8). When the spirit in man connects with the Holy Spirit, it enables a human to connect to God. 

But when the mind is not connected to God’s Spirit it is directed by “the course of this world.”  A course that is directed by Satan, the “prince of the power of the air”. The mind never operates in a vacuum.  It’s either connected to the Holy Spirit or it’s connected to the prince of the power of the air.  There’s no intermediate off switch.  It is one or the other.

The word “lust” that Paul used in Ephesians comes up a number of times biblically, but not much in modern usage. Paul clarifies for us its meaning: “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another” (Titus 3:3). All of those are headings that one can add all kinds of examples to from the course of this world today.

Speaking about the human mind, the Apostle John instructs: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. . . . For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world” (I John 2:15-16). The word “lust” simply means a longing or a strong desire, especially for that which is forbidden. 

Lust is a force that can totally dominate the mind. Paul cautions us to not let these strong desires for what is forbidden well up within our minds because the consequences are not good: “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. . . . Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” (Romans 6:12,16).

The results of lust expressing itself in terms of human conduct, serving pleasures, living in malice, hating one another without restraint grow into profound wickedness as it was in the days of Noah: “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. . . . And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart” (Genesis 6:5-6). Mankind was in a position where every thought, all day, every day, was anti-God, was intent on evil.

Christ pointed out very clearly, that as in the days of Noah, the same conditions would exist close to the time of His return: “And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man” (Luke 17:26).  Christ also instructs His people to be careful not to be drawn into the moral depravity of the world’s cultures: “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth” (Luke 21:34-35). 

The whole concept of morality is slipping around the world. Morality is simply a system of values and principles of conduct.  It makes a distinction between right and wrong, good and bad behavior.  And we need to be very aware of any effect the “course of this world” can have on us because the world will come again to a point where God will once again consider the earth’s “utter destruction”.  However, as in the days of Noah, there was not utter destruction because Noah found grace in God’s sight. He remained in a right relationship with God on his own.

In the end-time there is also a saving factor as there was with Noah and the flood.  That factor holds God back from allowing utter destruction.  John the Baptist’s work prior to Christ’s first coming is the example: “He (John) will also go before Him (Christ) in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17).

Luke is referring to Malachi 4:5-6: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

There is an Elijah-type work to be done prior to Christ’s return. But what does an Elijah-type work look like? It is a call to “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, With the statutes and judgments” (Malachi 4:4). God’s people are to remember and practice the intent of God’s laws. We are to become living examples of the Way that Christ directed His mind and conduct (Philippians 2:5-8). We are the saving factor that holds God back from utterly destroying the earth. “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened” (Matthew 24:21-22).

God through Paul appeals to all humanity to do this: “. . . knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Romans13:11–14).

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11–14). 

Those who allow Christ to transform their natural minds into a spirit led mind are those who become a “people prepared for the Lord”, His own special people.  They are the reason that He does not utterly destroy the earth.  They embrace God’s morality of what is right and wrong, what is good and evil.  “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” (Romans 8:3–5).

God’s commandments, His laws, are an expression of His love. And His commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:2-3). The application of forgiveness and redemption places our minds in contact with God’s mind. But this mind, the power of a spirit led mind, must be used: “Beloved, while I (Jude) was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. . . . keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 3,21).

The law is user friendly. To a mind attached to God it is holy, just, and good. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia defines law this way: “the primary function of Hebrew law was to serve as a personal and national guide to ethical, moral, social and spiritual living under the covenant deity.”

God’s law in another definition of a carnal mind is: “Common law in the western hemisphere is not concerned primarily with what is right or wrong but with what is permissible or not permissible.”  It’s not a matter of right and wrong!  That is morality in this world today – whatever is permissible.

Think about all the things that are permissible today and you very quickly have depravity.  As the world moves away from any real moral foundation, God’s people are to have a law-based morality: “He who despises the word will be destroyed, But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded. The law of the wise is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death (Proverbs 13:13-14).

Brian Orchard