“Destruction and misery are in their ways.”
(Romans 3:16)
Scripture testifies plainly to the desperate state of man apart from God, affirming that his ways are filled with destruction and misery. The depths of human depravity, described in Romans 3:16 as ruined, restless, and rebellious, is a condition of the heart, will, and mind that resists God’s truth and pursues autonomy at all costs.
Yet, through the mystery of redemption, God’s sovereign grace breaks into this ruin. And herein lies the tension between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. The Bible declares with absolute authority that man cannot come to Christ of himself. Jesus said in John 6:44, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” Salvation is therefore initiated and accomplished by God’s sovereign will, for left to himself, man will not and cannot come because the unwilling heart cannot generate willingness, and the blind eye cannot give itself sight.
The misery of man lies not only in his weakness but in his rebellion. Jesus said, “Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life” (John 5:40). Man’s failure to come is not due to lack of evidence but to the corruption of his desires. He loves darkness rather than light because his deeds are evil (John 3:19). His will is enslaved, and his affections are corrupted. This rebellion, aimed against the infinitely holy God, becomes an “infinite crime,” for the majesty of the One offended heightens the guilt of the offense.
And yet the holiness of Christ stands in perfect contrast. Hebrews 7:26 describes Him as “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.” And it is in this very contrast that the hope of redemption lies: the Holy One came to rescue the unholy, the undefiled bore the sins of the defiled, and the exalted Priest stooped to intercede for the fallen.
Ephesians 4:18 reiterates man’s tragic condition: “Alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.” Such alienation requires nothing less than divine intervention. God must open blind eyes, soften hard hearts, and bend rebellious wills. Grace must not only invite but also transform, making the unwilling willing and the resistant receptive.
I myself was ruined, unwilling, and blind until grace intervened. My rebellion was deep, my heart was dark, and left to myself I would have continued in the way of destruction and misery. Only sovereign grace rescued me, and only sovereign grace sustains me.[1]
Thus, the call of God is both outward and inward. The outward call comes through the preaching of the Word, summoning sinners to repent and believe. But the inward, effectual call is the Spirit’s secret work in the heart, breathing life where there was only death, creating willingness where there was only rebellion. By this miracle of grace, the blind receive sight, the dead are raised, and the hostile become sons of God.
Contemplations:
- The invitation to surrender. When I consider Christ’s invitation in John 6:44, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him,” I’m reminded that my relationship with God is not fueled by my effort but by His grace. This realization humbles me to surrender myself to the leading of His Word and drawing of His Spirit.
- The holiness of Christ. In meditating on Hebrews 7:26, “For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens,” I am struck by the absolute purity of Christ that contrasts sharply with my own flaws and failures. This glaring difference urges me to appreciate His work on my behalf more deeply and to live a life that pleases Him.
- The rebellion of the heart. Those concerning words of John 5:40, “Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life,” are a sober reminder of the rebellious nature of the human heart. Acknowledging this rebellion within myself is the first step towards genuine repentance and embracing the grace, love, and eternal life Christ offers.
- The transformation of the will. I realize that the same power that initially drew me to Christ continues to shape my will and desires. The spiritual insights I now enjoy that were once impossible are a testament to the ongoing work of the Spirit in my life, as described in 1 Corinthians 2:14, “But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
Prayer (confession):
Lord God Almighty, I come before You confessing the misery of my natural condition. Your Word declares that destruction and misery mark the way of fallen man, and I know it to be true in my own life apart from You. My heart was blind, my will rebellious, my affections corrupted, and my soul estranged from Your life. Left to myself, I would have continued in darkness, loving sin and resisting Your truth.
I confess the pride that still tempts me to think I had strength in myself to come to Christ. Forgive me for forgetting that it was Your Spirit who drew me, Your power that opened my eyes, and Your grace that made me willing. I confess that I still feel the pull of rebellion, the lure of autonomy, the desire to walk by my own rule. Forgive me for every thought that resists Your lordship and every action that betrays a wandering heart.
I thank You, Father, that though I was unwilling, You made me willing. Though I was blind, You gave me sight. Though I was dead, You raised me to life. I thank You for Christ, the Holy High Priest, undefiled and exalted, who stooped to bear my sin and reconcile me to You. I thank You that His righteousness covers my corruption, His sacrifice removes my guilt, and His Spirit renews my will.
O Lord, keep me ever mindful of my dependence upon Your grace. Let me never presume upon my own strength or grow careless in my walk. Keep me humble, remembering that I stand only by Your mercy. Keep me contrite, confessing daily the remnants of sin within. And keep me grateful, rejoicing always in the grace that saved and sustains me.
And as I walk in this grace, let me also reflect it. May my life testify to the transforming power of Christ. May I show the humility of one rescued from ruin, the gratitude of one forgiven much, and the obedience of one now ruled by love. Let my confession of sin be joined with my confession of faith, that others may see and glorify You, the God of sovereign grace.
In the name of Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord, I pray. Amen.
Further references for Romans 3:16:
Isaiah 59:7-8; Psalm 36:1; Lamentations 3:19; Job 28:22
[1] Elijah Norton, The Impossibility of Sinners’ Coming to Christ, without the Almighty Drawing of God the Father, (Suffield Conn.: H. & O. Farnsworth, for the author, 1798), 20.
