The issue of sin is forever on the mind of humanity. The word has a meaning and a proper use, even among those thinking they are nonspiritual thinkers. Like everyone, I come to this topic with a particular understanding. (My title of this post exposed my bias.)
The following is the result of a recent discussion with some friends of a variety of religious opinions and even some of completely different beliefs.
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For me, I have this starting point; I refer to the Bible as the only and sufficient source to know God, man, God’s nature, and man’s nature and God’s work to save men from sin. To speak about sin I submit to the authority of the Bible to tell me of God and his nature and man and his nature. I address all observations from this starting point and then let this same Bible address the plight of man and man’s only solution his problem of sin.
Origin of Sin:
At the very beginning I establish a simple statement, everything else will build upon.
- Because the Bible is an authoritative and sufficient source, Genesis 3 is an accurate historical record of what actually happened. The reason I say that is because many people who comment on Genesis 3 turn it into something other than an historical account of a real event.
It is as the Word of God says it is. - If one doesn’t understand this chapter one won’t understand the rest of the Bible. The reader won’t want to accept the solution to the problem unless he first understands the problem.
- To be offered a cure to a sin you don’t know you have is a moral conflict.
When an honest doctor explains the full situation, that a patient has a particular ailment, he is morally/ethically expected and required to explain the full situation. If the doctor doesn’t disclose the seriousness of the matter he would not be considered an honest, certainly not a good, doctor. He couldn’t be considered a compassionate doctor, even if he spoke with a compassionate tone. If he withholds vital information that a patient needed to know, both about his condition and the cure, he would soon be known by all as a “not a doctor, doctor.” - You will never be able to understand God’s remedy for this world if you don’t understand the plight of mankind. Genesis 3 may well be the most important chapter in the Bible.
- It explains everything about why things are the way they are, why we are the way we are, and what God is doing in history, and why He’s doing it in terms of salvation.
Genesis 3 explains the plight of man. All problems have their origin in the events of this real historic account. I’ll say that again: all the problems have their origin in the events of this real historic account. (Physical problems, spiritual problems, moral problems, social problems, economic problems, political problems, all the problems in the universe have their origin in the events of this historic account.) - If a reader of the Bible (the authoritative and sufficient source of all truth) will go back to the end of chapter 1 it says, God saw all that He had made and He had made [all that has ever been made so He saw the whole created universe] and behold, it was very good.
- When God completed the original creation, everything was very good. But let’s be honest: everything in our world now is not “very good.” It is anything but good, and it has been anything but good through all of human history. When God completed creation it was very good because there was no disorder, there was no chaos, there was no conflict, there was no struggle, there was no pain, there was no discord, there was no disease, there was no decline, there was no death.
- The second law of thermodynamics (entropy) states that matter is continually breaking down and moving toward disorder. An honest look at history of civilization we see the cycle of rise and fall, struggle and death.
- Human life is a struggle. As soon as life is conceived in the womb, it begins to live and die at the same time. It begins to grow and decay at the same time. And in the spiritual and moral world, everyone finds it easier to do wrong. Have you noticed? It’s much easier to do wrong. [In fact, Biblically speaking, it’s impossible to do righteous things without God.] Even when you do “right”, humanly speaking, you generally do it to feel better about yourself which is an selfish and prideful motive.
- It explains everything about why things are the way they are, why we are the way we are, and what God is doing in history, and why He’s doing it in terms of salvation.
- To be offered a cure to a sin you don’t know you have is a moral conflict.
Romans Chapter 5 (NASB) (emphasis – mine)
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. 17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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