Dead in Sin

“Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.” (John 11:17 ESV)

Jesus, in his love for Lazarus, allowed him to die, a paradox that serves to glorify Jesus. John 11 is rich with principles we must grasp. In this devotional, I aim to illuminate the doctrine of total depravity for you.

In verse 38, Jesus had already met with Martha and Mary, Lazarus’s sisters. Jesus had told Martha Lazarus would rise again, and Martha believed that Lazarus would rise again in the resurrection. However, Jesus reminded Martha that He was the resurrection. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time, there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” (v.38)

At Jesus' call, Lazarus emerged from the tomb, a powerful transformation from death to life. He was wrapped in grave clothes, bound like a mummy. Jesus instructed those present to free him. The grave clothes, saturated with the stench of decay, were removed, liberating Lazarus from the smell of death. His new human body exuded the fragrance of life.

Why is this important? Because in his new life, the essence of his rotting flesh was gone. Essentially, Lazarus was born again, but in flesh, not spirit. We, however, are dead in our sins, unable to relate to God at all. Paul tells us this in Ephesians 2:1. Total depravity, sin kills.

Unlike Lazarus, even though we are saved in Christ, we still carry the decaying smell of sin. It clings to us. In Romans 7, Paul speaks of this body of death. (v.24). It is reminiscent of a time when tyrants would tie a dead body back to back on a man they wished to punish severely. The body would decay, and this man would have to carry it until his punishment ended. Paul sees the decay of our body in sin as this very thing. The decay of sin which resides within us. This struggle with sin is not unique to you; it's a shared experience among believers.

We are unable to stop sinning on our own; Paul also wrote, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.” (vs.15-17) We are freed in the Spirit by our salvation through the grace of Jesus, yet we still carry this decaying flesh of the world. It is too easy for us to sin, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life, all too easy to succumb to because of the sin that lives within us.

As Christians, we must be in a constant state of repentance. Anyone who says they do not sin is telling you they are a sinner because they are lying to you. We hide our sins from others; it is easy to do, and we do it, but God knows our hearts. Repentance means to turn from our sin, but we are unable to do that on our own; we need Christ.  We rely on Christ for forgiveness but must also pray for strength. We must pray for the strength to decrease and cease our sinning. Billy Graham put it this way, “As long as we are on this earth we will never be completely perfect, and sin will always be a problem to us. Only in heaven will we be free of its influence forever (emphasis mine), for only then will we be like Christ. The Bible says, “When he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).” [1]

Sanctification is the road to the narrow gate. As we grow in Christ, we become deeper in love and devotion for Him, have a better understanding of the Word of God, and mature in faith. God slowly pushes those sins and evils from within us until we stand before Him. Only in heaven, in our eternal body, in our eternal home, are we like Him, like Jesus.

We all fret about our sins. It can be disheartening, depressing, and bring on deep sadness. This is our conviction by the Holy Spirit and a sign that we truly are saved. I have concerns for those who continue sinning and feel nothing in their spiritual lives.

Perfection in the flesh is unattainable; please remember that. Strive to live according to the Word of God, but understand that you will fall short at times. Take solace in Christ; He is the only one who saves and forgives. Do you know Jesus? He knows you. What are you waiting for, an invitation? He already gave it to you. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28).

Do not wait for another second to come to Christ. Remember, He loves you despite your imperfections.

Grace and Peace

[1] Billy Graham, Billy Graham Evangelical Society, https://billygraham.org/answer/is-it-possible-to-stop-sinning-completely/, July 27, 2005