What is mankind's response to God's clear and precise laws?
Mankind totally rejects God's clear and precise laws and wants nothing to do with them. This rejection reflects human nature, as people want what they want. Consequently, those in the flesh cannot please God, and without faith it is impossible to please Him.
Les explains that even though God's laws are clear and precise, mankind totally rejects them and wants nothing to do with them. He illustrates this with Prohibition: laws could prohibit the sale of whiskey, but people still wanted it, so it did not stop—someone would produce it. That is human nature. Les then brings in Romans 8:8: if people are lost, outside the Gospel, and not positionally in Christ, then those in the flesh cannot please God. He also points to Hebrews 11:6, an absolute of Scripture: without faith, it is impossible to please God. Les notes that a political figure once spoke of getting away from absolutism, but that is our problem—we must remember we have absolutes. The unbeliever who is an enemy cannot please God.