Moral Inability

Spurgeon, Charles Haddon

Joshua 24:19-28

And Joshua said to the people, You cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God…

I. THE CERTAINTY OF THE TRUTH THAT UNRENEWED MEN CANNOT SERVE GOD.

1. The nature of God renders perfect service impossible to depraved men.

2. The best they could render as unrenewed men would lack heart and intent, and therefore must be unacceptable.

3. The law of God is perfect, comprehensive, spiritual, far-reaching: who can hope to fulfil it?

4. The carnal mind is inclined to self-will, self-seeking, lust, enmity, pride, and all other evils.

5. Let men try to be perfectly obedient. They will not try it. They argue for their ability, but they are loth enough to exert it.

II. THE DISCOURAGEMENT WHICH ARISES FROM THIS TRUTH.

1. It discourages men from an impossible task.

2. It discourages from a ruinous course.

3. It discourages reliance upon ceremonies or any other outward religiousness, by assuring men that these cannot suffice.

4. It discourages from every other way of self-salvation, and thus shuts men up to faith in the Lord Jesus. Nothing better can befall them (Galatians 2:22, 23).

III. THE NECESSITIES OF WHICH WE ARE REMINDED BY THIS TRUTH.

1. Unregenerate men, before you can serve God you need —

(1)  A new nature.

(2)  Reconciliation.

(3)  Acceptance.

(4)  Continual aid, to keep you in the way when once you are in it (1 Samuel 2:9; Jude 1:24, 25).

2. If you cannot serve God as you are, yet trust Him as He manifests Himself in Christ Jesus; and do this just as you are.

3. This will enable you to serve Him on better principles.

4. This change of your nature will be effected by the Holy Spirit, who will come and dwell in you.

5. This will fit you for heaven, where "His servants shall serve Him."

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