Respond, then, to Romans 14:23. Even supposed "virture" morally speaking breaks down according to this verse and principle. There is no doubt that natural man could do more evil than he necessarily does, but this does not mean that he is, by any stretch, good in the sight of God.
"chuckfinney" your texts to prove your point do not give any evidence for your statements. Romans 2:15, for example, is states that all men (even Gentiles who did not have the Law) have the law of God on their hears (Jer. 31) and are therefore responsible to God for sin. Did you read this verse in the context of the chapter, let alone the whole chapter?
Also you seem to have forgotten the spiritual nature of being "spiritually dead"...this would mean that man cannot help but sin, since he is SPIRITUALLY dead, which means dead to what? Dead to GOD! Sin makes one dead to God, not just neutral. The "analogy" does not break down, because that was the whole point of the phrase "spiritually dead."
"logic", you should provide some scriptures to back up your statement "Babies are innocent before God" and are therefore "righteous."
Hey Think,
Please address my other scriptures about he spirit of Man. The spirit of man is alive and active. You say that it is alive but dead to God? A body can't be dead and alive at the same time. It can't be half dead. It is either alive or dead. Since the Bible says that man's spirit is alive, then it is alive. Period.
In regards to Romans 14:22-23 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. [23] And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Faith in this context means "moral conviction" not "Faith" in God. And fallen, unregenerate men do have moral conviction and the ability not to sin. If they go against this moral conviction, then they sin. Simple. This goes well with Romans 2:15.
Hmmm. You state that "but this does not mean that he is, by any stretch, good in the sight of God." Is this your own opinion? Let's see what God has to say about that.
Here is a list of "fallen, unregenerate, so-called spiritually dead sinners" doing good, spiritual things in the sight of God.
Numbers 12:3
(Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)
2 Chron. 19:3
Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.
2 Chron. 20:3
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
2 Chron. 20:4
And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.
2 Chron. 11:16
And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fathers.
2 Chron. 31:21
And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.
2 Chron. 34:3
For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.
Ezra 6:21
And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did eat,
Ezra 7:10
For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
Ezra 8:21-22
Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. [22] For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.
Exodus 33:7
And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.
2 Chron. 15:4
But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.
2 Chron. 15:15
And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about.
2 Chron. 17:3-4
And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; [4] But sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.
2 Chron. 22:9
And he sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him: Because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no power to keep still the kingdom.
2 Chron. 26:5
And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.
Ezra 8:21
There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.
Daniel 10:12
Then he continued, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.
2 Kings 22:19
Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people, that they would become accursed and laid waste, and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord.
2 Chron. 12:6-7
The leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, "The Lord is just."
[7] When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, this word of the Lord came to Shemaiah: "Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but will soon give them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak.
2 Chron. 12:12
Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the Lord's anger turned from him, and he was not totally destroyed. Indeed, there was some good in Judah.
2 Chron. 30:11
Nevertheless, some men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem.
2 Chron. 33:12
In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.
2 Chron. 34:27
Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord.
2 Kings 23:25
And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.
Lament. 3:40-41
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. [41] Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
2 Chron. 32:26
Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the Lord's wrath did not come upon them during the days of Hezekiah.
Jonah 3:10
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.
1 Kings 21:27-29
And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. [28] And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, [29] Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.
Matthew 1:19
Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
Mark 6:20
because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.
Luke 8:15
But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
Luke 1:17
And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
Luke 2:25
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
Acts 10:1-3
There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, [2] A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. [3] He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
2 Chron. 29:34
But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.
Job 1:1
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
Job 1:8
And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Job 2:3
And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.
Genesis 6:9
This is the account of Noah.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.
Genesis 7:1
And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
Genesis 18:23-26
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? [24] Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? [25] That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? [26] And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
Genesis 18:28
Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
Let's look at your quote once again. "...since he is SPIRITUALLY dead, which means dead to what? Dead to GOD! Sin makes one dead to God, not just neutral." As you can see from the above scriptures that these "sinners" were not "Dead to GOD".
I think I will believe God instead of your indoctrinated opinion.