His evident design in those verses was to show what imperative need there is for fallen man to be regenerated. There is, then, in every man born into this world a mass of corruption which inheres in and clings to him and which is the principle and spring of all his activities. This may justly be termed his nature, for it is the predominant quality which is in all and which directs all that issues from him. Let us now proceed to the proof of this compound assertion. Observe carefully what is clearly implied by this term, and see again how perfectly one part of Scripture harmonizes with another.
Corruption necessarily denotes something which was previously good, and so it is with man.
Second, we have said that this corruption cleaves to man s very nature. Man, then, has not only acts of sin which are transient, which come from him and go away, but he has a root and spring of sin dwelling with him, residing in him, not only adjacent to but actually inhabiting him. Third, we have stated that this indwelling corruption is the predominant principle of all the actions of unregenerate man, that from which all proceeds. The flesh is here said to have works or fruits, and this quality of fruit-bearing exists in man s nature. Fourth, we have affirmed that there is a mass of this corruption which thoroughly affects and defiles man s being.