The Natural Depravity of man !
Rom 8:7-8
7 Because
the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not
subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then
they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
What is the carnal mind ? It is simply man by nature. Remember Paul said of himself by nature
Rom 7:14
For we know that the law is spiritual: but
I am carnal, sold under sin.
Thats the Truth of all men by nature, sold under sin ! Another way of saying it is that by nature we are servants or slaves to sin !
Jn 8:34
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Rom 6:16-17
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that
ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
We are by nature devoted to sin ! We are entirely under the control and love to sinning.
This is so to the degree that by nature, our mind is enmity against God
Rom 8:7
This enmity means hating and opposing. Also notice about the carnal mind, it is not subject to the Law of God, and neither indeed can be ! Just forget about it. Now what is the Law of God here ? We know that the Law is Spiritual
Rom 7:14. The word Law is the Greek word nomos:
anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law,
a command
a) of any law whatsoever
1) a law or rule producing a state approved of God
a)
by the observance of which is approved of God
2) a precept or injunction
3)
the rule of action prescribed by reason
b) of the Mosaic law, and referring, acc. to the context. either to the volume of the law or to its contents
c) the Christian religion: the law demanding faith, the moral instruction given by Christ, esp. the precept concerning love
d) the name of the more important part (the Pentateuch), is put for the entire collection of the sacred books of the OT
The Law of God in its simplest, is any command of God, rule of action prescribed by God and reason, a precept or injunction.
A precept means:
a commandment or direction given as a rule of action or conduct.
A Injunction is:
a judicial process or order requiring the person or persons to whom it is directed to do a particular act or to refrain from doing a particular act.
Now understand this, Believing on Christ for Salvation is a Command of God, a Precept, a rule of action !
How do we know its a Commandment and therefore a Law of God ?
1 Jn 3:23
23 And this is his
commandment, That we should
believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
The word commandment here is the greek word entolē:
an order, command, charge, precept,
injunction
a) that which is prescribed to one by reason of his office
2) a commandment
a)
a prescribed rule in accordance with which a thing is done
And we know John is speaking about ones initial belief in Christ and not an ongoing believing because the greek word for believe is in the aorist tense, which is usually is a one point in time action !
In fact Paul uses the same tense when commanding or giving the imperative to believe to the Jailor
Acts 16:30-31
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said,
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Here the word is an aorist imperative ! The Imperative also means:
The imperative mood
is a command or instruction given to the hearer, charging the hearer
to carry out or perform a certain action.
Now, according to
Rom 8:7-8, the Natural man is not subject to any command or law of God, which to Believe on Christ for Salvation is ! And its also a Believing from or with the Heart as Per
Acts 8:37 and
Rom 10:9-10
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For [B
]with the heart man believeth unto righteousness[/b]; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Now the problem most religionists are going to have is this . The Heart contains the Mind, for the greek word for Heart is kardia:
lit: the heart;
mind, character, inner self, will, intention, center.
And what does the scripture say about the carnal Mind ?
Rom 8:7
7 Because
the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So How can a carnal Mind Person, one merely born of the Flesh ,obey the Command to Believe on Christ for Salvation when scripture says that it cannot do it ? If a man cannot do it while in the flesh, then it can only be done after he is made spiritual by New Birth, and so the Natural Depravity of man, that he cannot believe on Christ for Salvation because its a Commandment, a Law of God to do so !