Although it is certainly true that we learn how to commit new sins, and children learn to sin by what they see and hear — especially on TV — the fact that we sin has a far deeper explanation. David gives us that explanation in Psalm 51:5 when he writes, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." Or as the versification has it:
Behold, in evil I was formed,
And I was born in sin
But Thou wilt make me wise in heart,
Thou seekest truth within.
Here we have the awesome reason why we have such a multitude of sins and need a multitude of mercy to have our sins forgiven.
No, David is not blaming his mother or father. He is explaining why every man, woman, and child with an earthly father is a sinner. The awesome fact is that no one has been born without sin except the Son of God Who came by a virgin birth. Adam and Eve were created righteous, but from Cain onward each child came into this world with a heart that hated God. God's truth was not in his inward parts. That is why David says that God will have to make us wise in heart with truth in our inward parts. We do not come into this world with it. All are born totally depraved.
Now, David is not trying to defend himself by this reason for his sin. He is confessing the deep-seated reason why he is so sinful in order to accentuate the truth that all of our salvation comes from God, and why our only hope of salvation is God's mercy in Christ. Still more, he gets to the very heart of the matter. God must not merely work upon our hands and feet, our eyes and ears, and bridle our tongues. We must have heart surgery. Truth must be implanted in our hearts; and then eyes, ears, hands, and the like will perform works of righteousness.
Here is a humility that must be found in us. There is no room for us to boast. A corrupt seed always brings forth a corrupt plant. The seed of a weed never brings forth wheat. How necessary then that God's Son comes by way of a virgin birth! And how important that He must come into the depth of our being to free us from sin.
Read: Job 14
Psalter versification: 143:2
Devotions on the Heidelberg Catechism
Song for Meditation: Psalter number 388
Why not sing along??
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Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Exodus 8; Exodus 9:1-35
Matthew 19:13-30
Psalm 24:1-10
Proverbs 6:1-5
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Quote for Reflection:
… The Christian life is not a thing of passive luxuriation, but of active "fighting the good fight of faith!" The Christian is not called to lie down on flowery beds of ease, but to run a race, and athletics are strenuous, demanding self-sacrifice, hard training, the putting forth of every ounce of energy possessed. I am afraid that in this work-hating and pleasure-loving age, we do not keep this aspect of the truth sufficiently before us: we take things too placidly and lazily. - Arthur Pink
Additional Info
- Date: 29-January
