1. “Brought forth in iniquity” (Psa. 51:5).
Man is brought forth in iniquity and conceived in sin. Every human being is born as a sinner with a corrupt nature. Men sin because their nature is corrupt by birth. They do not need to learn how to sin because they are born with the innate ability to sin. A man does not learn how to sin from his environment; sin is the result of inward growth. The seed of sin is in him at birth; eventually, sin grows out from within.
2. “The imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Gen. 8:21).
Since man is born in sin, the imagination of his heart is evil from his youth. It is not necessary to be old, cunning, and deceitful in order to have an evil imagination. The imagination of man’s heart is evil when he is still young and “innocent.”
3. “The heart is deceitful above all things, / And it is incurable” (Jer. 17:9).
From his youth man’s heart not only has an evil imagination but is also deceitful above all things and is incurable. Nothing in creation compares with the wickedness of man’s heart. The heart of man is most deceitful and is incurable. It is not just slightly wicked; it is entirely wicked—altogether incurable. Moreover, the evil of the heart spreads from within. Although there may be no appearance of wickedness outwardly, the heart is corrupt within. This corruption is eventually manifested.
4. “In my flesh, nothing good dwells” (Rom. 7:18).
Consider man’s condition in himself. Nothing good dwells in his flesh. Since man was brought forth in iniquity and has an utterly deceitful and incurable heart, how can there be anything good in his flesh? No one can say, “I will do good,” and then does it. Is it not true with man that “to will is present...but to work out the good is not” (v. 18)? Since nothing good dwells in the flesh, a man cannot work out the good that he wills to do.
5. “Filled with all unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:29-31; see also Mark 7:20-23).
In addition to the fact that nothing good dwells in man’s flesh, his heart is filled with unrighteousness and sin. The seed of sin is in man and may spring forth at any time. Unrighteousness, lawlessness, sin, and filthiness do not originate outside of man but grow from within. No one is absolutely upright and clean, and no one is able to withstand God’s shining and examination of his inward parts.
6. “Enemies” of God; “Sons of disobedience”; “Not subject to the law of God, for neither can it be...cannot please God” (Col. 1:21; Eph. 2:2; Rom. 8:7-8).
Man is evil and corrupt; thus, the human nature is opposed to the nature of God. God loves righteousness; man loves sin. God desires holiness; man desires filthiness. Therefore, man is an enemy of God and a son of disobedience. Since man is God’s enemy, he is not subject to the law of God and does not desire to please God. Even if he desires to do so, it is impossible for man to obey God’s law or to please God, because man is thoroughly corrupt and has no ability to keep God’s law.
7. “Not...holding God in their full knowledge” (Rom. 1:28).
Since man commits sin and is an enemy of God, he does not hold God in his knowledge. Sin makes man numb; it causes man to lose his sense of God. The first result of man’s sin is that he no longer holds God in his knowledge. Men are not only sinful, but they also do not hold God in their knowledge.
8. “Lost”; “Like sheep have gone astray” (Luke 19:10; Isa. 53:6).
Since man sins and does not hold God in his knowledge, he is lost, like a sheep that has gone astray. Man was created for God; he belongs to God, and God is his Master. However, because man sinned and forsook God, he is lost and lordless. Men today are like sheep that have no master or shepherd, not knowing to whom they belong.
9. “Dead in your offenses and sins” (Eph. 2:1, see also v. 5; Col. 2:13; Luke 9:60; 15:24; John 5:24).
Man is not only sinful and lost but also dead in offenses and sins. Since man is dead in offenses and sins, he is powerless to do good or to be righteous. No one can do good or be righteous. Who does not feel powerless in trying to do good and to be righteous? With regard to goodness and righteousness, man is weak and powerless to the uttermost. He is as weak as someone who is dead.
Because man is deadened within, he is powerless to do good and unable to sense the shame of sin. Man is powerless with regard to righteousness and insensitive to sin. Death makes man powerless and insensitive. Hence, man is powerless and has no feeling within. People today are powerless with regard to righteousness, and they have no sense of shame or remorse with regard to sin.
Man’s being without feeling regarding sin may be likened to a corpse that has no feeling while lying in the garbage. Man’s insensitivity to sin is the result of being dead within; this insensitivity proves that man is dead within. Because he is inwardly dead and without feeling, man does many disgraceful things without feeling shame; he commits many deplorable deeds and is not grieved. When people watch sensual movies, they have no sense of shame but rather consider them quite pleasant. When people use filthy language, they are not ashamed but rather feel proud. It is indecent and shameful for a man to embrace a woman in a dance, yet people believe that it is noble and honorable. These examples prove that man is dead within. When man engages in sin, he is like a walking corpse.
10. “A slave of sin” (John 8:34).
Man has been sold to sin as a slave; man is a slave of sin and is not his own master. Man is dominated and manipulated by sin to do many things against his will. Although people desire freedom, no one is truly free; everyone is controlled and bound by sin. No one sins of his own accord; neither is anyone free from sin whenever he chooses to be. All the struggles of man against sin end in vain.
Originally, man belonged to God, but now he belongs to sin; originally, God was man’s Lord, but now sin is his lord. Sin has authority over man, making man its slave. Sin rules over man, causing man to commit sins and evil against his will.
11. “Having no hope” today (Eph. 2:12).
Men living on the earth today have no hope. They have no goal. Man is indeed empty and pitiful.
Day by day man labors and runs in vain. Although man seeks enjoyment and pleasure, he is actually pursuing shadows and chasing after the wind. Man is empty and has no hope because he lost God and is without God.
12. “Die in...sins” in the future (John 8:24).
Since man has no hope, he can expect only to die in his sins and to descend into Hades in sorrow. The final result of man’s sin is his full transfer into death. Since man lives in his sins for his entire life, he will die in his sins and enter into eternal perdition.
This is man’s condition in himself.