Day 17: The Doctrine of Man — Fallen, Dependent, Needy

Scripture Reading:

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” – Romans 3:23, LSB

“There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God.” – Romans 3:10-11, LSB

Doctrine not only teaches us who God is, but who we are. The Bible’s verdict is clear: man is fallen, dependent, and needy. Adam’s sin brought ruin upon all his descendants. As Paul writes, “Through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men” (Rom. 5:12).

Our fallenness means we are guilty before God, corrupted in nature, and unable to save ourselves. Louis Berkhof explains, “Man as he is by nature is totally depraved, unable to do any spiritual good, and inclined to all evil” (Systematic Theology, p. 247). Sin is not just something we do—it is who we are apart from Christ.

John Calvin noted that sin leaves us utterly dependent: “The ruin which the first man brought upon himself was communicated to all his posterity” (Institutes, 2.1.5). Left to ourselves, we cannot even seek God, for as Paul declares, “There is none who seeks for God” (Rom. 3:11).

This is why salvation must be entirely of grace. Our dependence is total. We cannot lift ourselves up to God. We need His sovereign grace to open our eyes, renew our hearts, and grant us faith. Joel Beeke puts it simply: “Left to himself, man is helpless and hopeless” (Reformed Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, p. 117).

Understanding this doctrine humbles us. It strips away self-sufficiency and drives us to Christ. Martin Luther confessed, “I am a poor, miserable sinner, not only in act but in condition” (The Bondage of the Will, p. 310). The doctrine of man shows us that apart from grace, we are nothing—but in Christ, we are redeemed and restored.

Beloved, doctrine protects us from the lie of human pride. It reminds us of our fallen state and directs us to Christ’s saving work. To know man rightly is to know our desperate need for grace. Only then can we truly rejoice in the gospel.

Personal Reflection

1. Why is it essential to understand the fallen condition of man?

2. How does the doctrine of man guard us against pride and self-sufficiency?

3. What comfort comes from knowing that God provides the grace we cannot produce ourselves?

4. How can this doctrine shape the way we share the gospel with others?