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The Fundamentals there is none that doeth good, no not one” (Rom. 3:10-12). Man’s condition by nature is described as “dead in trespasses and sins,” “children of disobedience; among whom also we all had our conduct in times past in the lusts of our flesh, ful- filling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath” (Eph. 2:1-3). The Bible has nothing to say in praise of man or of his natural endowments. On the contrary, it derides his wisdom as “foolishness with God.” I t declares that God has made foolish the wisdom of this age (1 Cor. 1 :20) ; that the natural man is incapable of receiving the things of the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 2:14); and that if any man thinks that he knows any- thing, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. (1 Cor. 8 : 2 . ) Nor does the Bible predict the ultimate triumph of “civili- zation.” I t does not say that the progress of humanity shall bring it eventually to a vastly better state of things. It does not say that human nature shall improve under the influences of education and self-culture, even with that of Christianity added. On the contrary, it declares that evil men “shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (2 Tim. 3:13). Even of “this present evil age” (Gal. 1 :4), during which the professing church is the most conspicuous object on earth, and during which the world has the enormous benefit resulting from the light of revelation and an open Bible, it is not pre- dicted that man and his world would undergo any improve- ment, or that the developments of the age would be in the direction of better conditions on earth. On the contrary, the Bible declares that “in the last days perilous [or difficult] times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, lovers of money, vaunting, proud, evil speakers, disobedient to parents, untruthful, unholy, without natural affection, im- placable, slanderers, inconsistent, savage, not lovers of good, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than
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