I see 8 marks of a depraved heart that Paul lays out in Romans 1:21-25:

1. The depraved heart glorifies not God - verse 21
2. The depraved heart gives not God thanks - verse 21
3. The depraved heart is vain in its imaginations - verse 21
4. The depraved heart continues to be darkened - verse 21
5. The depraved heart is foolish - verse 22
6. The depraved heart exchanges the glory of God for images of man - verse 23
7. The depraved heart changes the truth of God into a lie - verse 25
8. The depraved heart worships the creature more than the Creator - verse 25

The way I understand what Paul is saying is that this is man apart from Christ. I don't really see a slow transition to each one of these marks as a different phase of a depraved heart. For example, I don't see one unbelievers depraved heart having mark number 1, but not mark number 7. Or I don't see another unbelievers depraved heart having mark number 3 and not mark number 4.

In other words I believe Paul is teaching us that all 8 of these marks are true of a depraved heart. Certainly the depraved heart can fall deeper and deeper into these things, but there is never a time when these marks aren't true in a depraved heart.

Do you see it this way, or do you think the marks in verses 21-25 are a slow progression of a depraved heart?

__________________
Ryan Barnhart - Pastor of OGBC
Husband to a beautiful wife, Father to two beautiful girls
"But by the grace of God I am what I am." I Corinthians 15:10

"I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms. And in the Great Day my Resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer." - John Paton