Downward Spiral – From Disinterest to Depravity (Part 6)
In Part 1, we introduced the scale of the mind—caught between proving and reprobation. Part 2 explored the Greek roots of dokimazō and adokimos, revealing how testing leads to either approval or rejection. Part 3 reminded us that every believer lives in a season of probation—a time to respond to truth before the test ends. Part 4 showed that love is the key to discernment, enabling us to approve what is excellent. Part 5 called us to renewal and discipline—the means by which proving becomes possible and reprobation is resisted.
Now, in Part 6, we examine the tragic alternative: the downward spiral that leads from disinterest in truth to full-blown depravity. This is not a sudden collapse—it is a slow descent, marked by suppression, substitution, and eventual abandonment. It is the path of the reprobate mind, and it must be understood with urgency and clarity.
The Spiral Begins with Suppression
In Romans 1:18, Paul writes:
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.”
The spiral begins not with ignorance, but with suppression. The truth is known—through creation, conscience, and conviction—but it is held down, resisted, and replaced. This is the first step toward reprobation: the refusal to retain God in knowledge. It is not passive—it is wilful. The mind begins to drift, not because it lacks truth, but because it resists it.
