For Christians to understand the Calvinist view of election, the spiritual condition of man must understood. The reason for this is because the Calvinist maintains that man is unable to come to God on his own because of his fallen nature. Man was created in the image of God from the beginning; however, as a result of the sin and disobedience of our first parents Adam and Eve, the image of God in which we were created has been marred. Beginning from the time of the flood and continuing throughout the rest of the Scriptures, God’s word describes this fallen state of man. The Bible states that man is morally corrupt. The Scriptures state the following concerning man’s spiritual condition:
Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord smelled the soothing aroma; and the Lord said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done” (Gen. 6:5; 8:21).
The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it (Jer. 17:9)?
As it is written, “There is none righteous , not even one; there is none who understands, there none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is one who does good, there is not even one” (Rom. 3:10-12).
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us… (Eph. 2:1-4)
The Scriptures teach that the thought and intent of man’s heart is only evil continuously; man’s heart is deceitful above all things; there are none righteous and there are none that seek God; men are dead in trespasses and sins and are by nature children of wrath. The Fall of Adam affected every person to the very core of their being. What would all of a sudden make a person who is in this spiritual condition want to choose Christ? Mankind is in rebellion and God’s justice demands punishment for sin that all rightfully deserve.
Man left to himself will not choose Christ. Even our Lord said in John 6:44, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.” He goes on to say in verse sixty-five of chapter six, “And He was saying, ‘For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.'” Mankind does not have the will or desire to come to Christ; even more, mankind does not have the ability to come unless the Father comes to get them or grants them the ability. This is the condition of every person. How then can we ever come to Christ? To be continued…
Writer Bio
Joshua Banks is senior pastor and founder of Shepherd’s Rock Bible
Church in Kingsport, TN. He holds a Bachelors degree in Ministry from
Luther Rice University, a Master of Arts in Theological Studies, and a
Master of Divinity both from Liberty University. Joshua and his wife
Amanda, along with their 5 children, reside in Gate City, VA.
