But God

by William Plumer, "Theology for the People"

No two things are more contrary to each other,
than the vileness of man and the purity of God.

Sin is hateful to God.
It has dug every grave.
It fills hell with groans.

"From the sole of your foot to the top of your
head there is no soundness--only wounds
and welts and open sores." Isaiah 1:6

The whole nature of man is affected by sin:
the understanding is darkened;
the will is corrupt;
the conscience is defiled;
the memory is polluted;
the imagination is depraved;
the throat is an open sepulcher;
the tongue is deceitful;
the mouth is full of cursing and bitterness;
the feet are swift to shed blood;
the eyes are full of adultery;
the heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked.

The whole head is sick,
the whole heart is faint!

Man is by nature ruined. He is lost.
Men are . . .
sinners,
wicked,
ungodly,
unrighteous,
corrupt,
deceitful,
vile,
ungrateful,
children of the devil,
slaves of iniquity.

"But God, who is abundant in mercy, because
of His great love that He had for us, made us
alive with the Messiah even though we were
dead in trespasses. By grace you are saved!
He also raised us up with Him and seated us
with Him in the heavens, in Christ Jesus, so
that in the coming ages He might display the
immeasurable riches of His grace in His
kindness to us in Christ Jesus." Eph. 2:4-7