THE DOCTRINE OF SIN by Rev.

Kelvin McKisic A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Theology

Reed Christian College

2011

Approved by ___________________________________________________ School President Approved by ___________________________________________________ Board President Approved by ___________________________________________________ Academic Dean Program Authorized to Offer Degree _________________________________________________

Date _________________________________________________________

Contents
Acknowledgments......................................................................................................... iii Introduction ................................................................................................................... iv Chapter 1 The Explanation of sin............................................................................. 1 Chapter 2 The Entrance of sin................................................................................ 28 Chapter 3 The Extent of sin .................................................................................... 35 Chapter 4 The Effects of sin ................................................................................... 47 Chapter 5 The Expiation of Sin .............................................................................. 54 The Ultimate and Final Victory Over Sin ................................................................. 59 Bibliography .................................................................................................................. 62

P a g e | iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author wishes to express sincere appreciation to the school faculty for their assistance in the preparation of this manuscript. In addition, special thanks to Dr. Deloris Glass whose familiarity with the needs and ideas of the class was helpful during the early programming phase of this undertaking. Thanks also to the members of the school council for their valuable input.

P a g e | iv INTRODUCTION

Modern Philosophy denies the existence of sin, but any such denial is part of a false philosophy. The Bible tells us that sin came into the world when the first occupants of the world, Adam and Eve, disobeyed God and ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We also are told that Satan, who was expelled from heaven, was the one who presented the idea to Eve that it was in her best interest to eat of the fruit. And because of these facts, any treatment of Christian doctrine would be incomplete if the biblical statement concerning sin were omitted. All refusals to admit the existence of sin can neither be controverted nor challenged. The Bible declares sins existence and the human heart displays it. Sin is not a myth, it is not a figment of the mind; sin is a fact.

Page |1 CHAPTER 1 THE EXPLANATION OF SIN

What is sin? Man calls it an accident; God calls it an abomination. Man calls it a blunder; God calls it blight. Man calls it a defect; God calls it a disease. Man calls it a chance; God calls it a choice. Man calls it an error; God calls it an enmity. Man calls it a fascination; God calls it a fatality. Man calls it an infirmity; God calls it an iniquity. Man calls it a luxury; God calls it leprosy. Man calls it a liberty; God calls it lawlessness. Man calls it a trifle; God calls it a tragedy. Man calls it a mistake; God calls it madness. Man calls it a weakness; God calls it willfulness. What is this seemingly mysterious thing, so downplayed and on occasion actually denied by man, and at times even worshipped for its supposed value to mankind; but utterly denounced by God? By actual count it is referred to over 700 times in the Word of God. And in the Old Testament we read that the people became so comfortable in this state that they even boasted of their opposition to the Lord. Again I ask, what is sin? The word sin is found hundreds of times in the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. Its first mention is in Genesis 4:7, where it is said to have been lurking at the door of the world's first murderer, Cain. The second reference is found in Genesis 18:20, where it causes the fiery and fearsome destruction of Sodom. The final mention is in Revelation 18:5, where it brings down the full wrath of God upon the political and economic systems of

Page |2 this entire world. And if we look carefully at the book of Revelations we will find that the wrath of God does not come down until after the church is taken from the earth. What is this deadly and damnable thing that is so hated by God and so harmful to man? The very word carries with it the hissing sound of a vicious viper, that of the serpent of old. And I would like to believe that as soon as Adam and Eve realized what they had done, that hissing sound of the devils words must have resonated in their ears for days to come. When we seek the answer to this question in the many and varied definitions of men we are left somewhat confused. There is a difference between the way God describes and explains sin, on the one hand, and the way, on the other hand, that men describe and explain sin. A certain minister excused bad behavior by accounting for it in terms of infantile environment, traumatic experiences, psychological complexes and the like. And then he added, After preaching for fifty years I cannot help feeling that the church harps far too much on sin. Now where does a person get such ideas? Well, certainly not from Gods revelation to man as we find it in the Bible. This same minister, who calls himself The Christian Agnostic, also said, Pauls words that through one man sin entered into the world and death by sin can be dismissed as nonsense.

Page |3
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Romans 5:12-13

Well, to such blasphemy I can only reply that God knows the thoughts of men and is able to answer their questions before they are asked.

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:5 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. Psalm 94:11 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. Isaiah 59:7

As I think about what this minister says, I have to ask myself; if he had been preaching for 50 years, but did not believe what the Bible was teaching, then why was he even preaching, and what was he preaching about? Just as Adam and Eve fell for the words of the serpent, so have others who call themselves pastors and preachers.

Page |4 Sadly this certain minister expresses the thoughts of man that is permeating the church today, and it is because of ministers like this that cause the truth of the Word of God to be treated as a lie. Due to the false teaching of those that no longer want to live under the care and guidance of the Holy Spirit, they begin to erode the conscience of those that follow them, and like in the following illustration their spirit goes uncared for, leading them to destruction. For two years the hydraulic earthquake stabilizers in the thirteen-story Nuevo Leon apartment building in Mexico City were left out of service. Then, unexpectedly, at 7:30 A.M. on September 19, 1985, a devastating earthquake shook Mexico City. The thirteen-story building began to sway. Without the hydraulic stabilizers to cushion the shocks, the building continued to sway until finally a third of it broke loose at the foundation and fell over sideways. Another third came crumbling down, floor on floor, crushed like a tin can. Only one third was left standing. For fifteen days rescuers dug through the rubble in search of survivors. Unfortunately, for most, the results of neglecting the inner defects of the building were tragic. So it is with our inner spiritual life and sin. To neglect the one is to open ourselves to the tragic results of the other.1

http://libraryphoto.cr.usgs.gov

Page |5 While an angel introduced sin into the universe, it was a man who invited it into the world. In the Old Testament Moses describes the act historically, and in the New Testament Paul describes it theologically. But sadly, because of the introduction of sin, Moses is thought of as someone with horns protruding from his head2 and Paul as a nonsense speaking racist homophobe3. The world tells us what sin is. From the previous paragraph we can see a glimpse of what the world thinks when presented with the notion of sin, but let us look at a more widely used set of materials; that of a dictionary. The following is what the dictionary says about sin4: 1. Transgression of a religious or moral law. 2. Estrangement from God as a result of breaking Gods law. 3. An offense, violation, fault, or error God tells us in His Word what sin is. And we would be wise to take note of the folly that came upon the people, in the Bible, that believed that living in sin was ok. But the sad fact is that man takes pride in his own wisdom, while disregarding the wisdom that comes from the Word of God. But when any man exalts the

The Horned Moses, http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Moses http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article677595.ece

3 Homophobia, St Paul and Christian teaching, 4

Websters II New Riverside University Dictionary

Page |6 human mind to the place of deity and goes so far as to remove God altogether, that man is on the brink of destruction.

Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. Proverbs 10:14 The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. Proverbs 10:29

So now let us look into what the Bible has to say about sin. The biblical concept of sin comes from a study of words used in both Testaments for sin. Compared to the words for grace in the Bible the terms for sin are numerous. Only three words are needed to express grace (chen and chesed in the Old Testament and charis in the New). By contrast, there are at least eight basic words for sin in the Old Testament and a dozen in the New Testament. Together they furnish the basic concepts involved in this thesis. And that basic concept is that sin implies missing a mark. Dr. Charles Ryrie has given a listing of Hebrew and Greek words which describe sin. He says that in Hebrew there are at least eight basic words:

ra,

bad

or

wicked;

we

find

this

usage

in

Genesis

38:7

And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.

Page |7
y

rasha,

wickedness;

we

find

this

usage

in

Exodus

2:13

And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?

asham,

guilt;

we

find

this

usage

in

Hosea

4:15

Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.

chata,

sin;

we

find

this

usage

in

Exodus

20:20

And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

avon,

iniquity;

we

find

this

usage

in

Samuel

3:13

For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.

shagag,

err;

we

find

this

usage

in

Isaiah

28:7

But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.

Page |8
y

taah,

wander

away;

we

find

this

usage

in

Ezekiel

48:11

It shall be for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok; which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.

pasha,

rebel;

we

find

this

usage

in

Kings

8:50

And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:

The usage of these words leads to certain conclusions about the doctrine of sin in the Old Testament. (1) Sin was conceived of as being fundamentally disobedient to God. (2) While disobedience involved both positive and negative ideas, the emphasis was definitely on the positive commission of wrong and not the negative omission of good. In other words, sin was not simply missing the right mark, but hitting the wrong mark. (3) Sin may take many forms, and the Israelite was aware of the particular form which his sin did take.

Page |9 It is interesting to note that in these days man will even divide sin into two types: big sins; one that destines you to hell, and little sins; those that are overlooked by God; or at the worst gets you a stay in purgatory until someone prays you out. So sad we are to even think that a righteous God would allow anything that transgresses His law to go without judgment. By the letter of our human law if we go one mile faster than the posted speed limit we have broken the law. Man would see that as a little sin, but according to our law it is breaking of the law and can be judged as such. The same applies to Gods law, if we cross it, no matter how slight it is a law broken. And the word of God attests to this when we read that if we break one law we have broken them all. The New Testament uses twelve basic words to describe sin. They are:

Kakos,

bad;

we

find

this

usage

in

Romans

13:3

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

poneros,

evil;

we

find

this

usage

in

Matthew

5:45

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

P a g e | 10
y

asebes,

godless;

we

find

this

usage

in

Romans

1:18

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

enochos,

guilt;

we

find

this

usage

in

Matthew

5:21

Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

hamartia,

sin;

we

find

this

usage

in

Corinthians

6:18

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

adikia, unrighteousness; we find this usage in 1 Corinthians 6:9

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

anomos,

lawlessness;

we

find

this

usage

in

Timothy

2:9

In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

parabates, transgression;

we

find

this usage in

Romans 5:14

Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had

P a g e | 11
not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

agnoein, to be ignorant; we find this usage in Romans 1:13

Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

planan, to go astray; we find this usage in 1 Corinthians 6:9

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

paraptomai, to fall away; we find this usage in Galatians 6:1

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

hupocrites,

hypocrite;

we

find

this

usage

in

Timothy

4:2

Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

From the uses of these words several conclusions may also be drawn. (1) There is always a clear standard against which sin is committed.

P a g e | 12 (2) Ultimately all sin is a positive rebellion against God and a transgression of His standards. (3) Evil may assume a variety of forms. (4) Mans responsibility is definite and clearly understood. This is a valuable listing of the words and their root meanings; however, I would like to expand on one or two of the ideas. The word for sin that is used most frequently in the Bible is hamartia, and it means: missing the mark. It is the most comprehensive term for explaining sin. Paul used the verb hamartano when he wrote, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). God has a high and holy standard of what is right, and so long as man follows the Divine standard he will see himself as he truly exists in Gods eyes. The flat statement of the Almighty is that all men have fallen far short of Gods required standard. It is the popular and common practice of men to create their own standards; however, God has established His standard of perfection for entry into Heaven, and all men have missed the mark as an archers bow would fall to the ground because it fell short of its target. So important is the word hamartano, as it pertains to sin, that it occurs in its various forms about 227 times. When a writer wanted one inclusive word for sin,

P a g e | 13 he used this one. The metaphor behind the word is missing the mark, but, as in the Old Testament, this is not only a negative idea but includes the positive idea of hitting some wrong mark. When it is used in the Gospels it almost always occurs in a context that speaks of forgiveness or salvation, as seen here in Matthew 1:21.

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

The same usage can be found also in John 1:21.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Other instructive references include Acts 2:38.

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

This same instructive reference can be found in Romans 5:12.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

P a g e | 14 Additionally, the instructive reference can be found in Romans 6:1; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; James 1:15; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 1:7; 2:2; Revelation 1:5. This deep dig into the various usages of words in the Bible, as they relate to sin, would not be complete unless I add some of the various theological definitions that were given during this church age: Sin is lack of conformity to the moral law of God, either in act, disposition, or state. A. H. Strong Sin is a transgression of, or want of conformity to the divine law. Charles Hodge Sin may be defined ultimately as anything in the creature which does not express, or which is contrary to, the holy character of the Creator. James Oliver Buswell, Jr, Sin is a restless unwillingness on the part of the creature to abide in the sphere and limitation in which the Creator, guided by infinite wisdom, had placed him. L. S. Chafer Let no man ever think that he comes anywhere near the standard set by God. God has demanded absolute perfection, and no matter how one measures himself, he falls far short. Some men measure themselves on the basis of human intelligence, some by educational attainment, and some by financial success, some

P a g e | 15 by cultural environment, and others by religious performance. But God refuses to accept man on any of these grounds. He has established His perfect standard, and by that standard He measures every man. The Divine verdict in every instance has been the same, You have come short, and you have missed the mark. And when the best of men have done their best, our Lord would challenge each with the words,

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? Matthew 6:27

However much the differences that is lacking, no man can by himself raise himself to meet Gods moral standard,

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God Romans 3:23

Yes, all without exception, for, says God,

We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin Romans 3:9

That is, both Jew and Gentile have missed the mark. The Book of Judges contains the record of 700 men in the Tribe of Benjamin, all left-handed, and everyone could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss (Judges 20:16). The word translated miss is chata, rendered sin in Exodus 20:20 and so translated about 200 times in our English Bible. The left-handed

P a g e | 16 marksmen in the Tribe of Benjamin rarely if ever fell short of their target. They were known as men of the sling, with a deadly accuracy which never missed the bulls eye. On the other hand, the Bible contains no record of a man, save Jesus Christ, who never missed the moral standard of Almighty God. Every man has failed to do what he should; therefore the term is rightly applied to sins of omission. Every man can be charged with the sin of the Pharisees whom our Lord charged with leaving undone the things they ought to have done.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Matthew 23:23 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Luke 11:42

The Bible says, Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin (James 4:17). You see, sinning is not limited to the doing and saying of things that are wrong, but it extends to our failure to do what in Gods standard is perfectly right, missing that mark, falling short of the honor and worth of Almighty God.

P a g e | 17 This first word, then, namely harmartia, which means missing the mark, suggests inability, the absolute inability of man to measure up to Gods moral standard. Actually God has placed the standard so high so that none can ever reach it. You see, God, because of Who He is, could not stoop to the human standards of mans sinful heart. Frankly, I believe God set the target out of mans reach by a deliberate act. And why do I believe this? I believe it because I know the pride of my own heart, and I am but one member of a fallen and depraved race. Now suppose that we were able to meet the demands of God. Those who made it would never cease to boast about how they did make it, and the unfortunate one who could not make it because of inability or some special inferiority on his own part would be lost forever. But God is not so cruel and compassionless. He tells us that we all have sinned, all have missed the mark, and that if we confess to this fact, admitting that we have sinned, He will forgive and cleanse our sin and guarantee salvation in time and for eternity. The following is an illustration of the definition of sin, and how without the power of God we will perish. The story is told of two men who were trying to escape from an erupting volcano. As the fiery molten rock gushed out of its gaping crater, they fled in the only direction open to them. All went well until they came to a stream of hot, smoking lava about thirty feet across. Sizing up their situation, they realized that their only hope was to get over that wide barrier. One of the

P a g e | 18 men was old; the other was healthy and young. With a running start, they each tried to leap to safety. The first man went only a few feet through the air before falling into the bubbling mass. The younger, with his greater strength and skill, catapulted himself much farther. Though he almost made it, he still missed the mark. It did not matter that he out-distanced his companion, for he, too, perished in the burning lava. Sin is falling short of a standard, the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Though some may fall short of the standard by far more than others, all fall short nevertheless.5 Another word that is used for sin is anomia, translated in the Authorized Version iniquity and in the Revised Version lawlessness. Peter used the adjective anomos (lawless) when referring to the men of Sodom and Gomorrah and Lots association with them, when he wrote, For that righteous man (Lot) dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds (2 Peter 2:8). The thought here is not merely that of doing what is unlawful according to the standard of men, but of a flagrant defiance of the known law of God. This explanation of sin is given clearly by the Apostle John in the words,

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, Pg. 336

P a g e | 19
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 1 John 3:4

The Greek New Testament has the word anomia, and simply reads, sin is lawlessness. It is a condition of being without law, contrary to law, the violation of law, the rejection of law, the refusal to submit to law. Ryrie says in his Biblical Theology of the New Testament, It is the negation of that which is inherent in the very character of God Himself. Sin, then, is that which is contrary to God Himself. Any attitude or action that holds the law of God in contempt is sin. Jesus said that the approaching end of the age will be marked by the increase of lawlessness.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Matthew 24:12

How easily we deceive ourselves and our friends! While we impress others with our righteousness, we are lawless in Gods eyes. Our Lord said,

Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Matthew 23:28

Our age will come to an end with the appearing of that man of sin (lawlessness) (2 Thessalonians 2:3). Man by nature has a lawless heart, but we Christians can rejoice in Jesus Christ,

P a g e | 20
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:11-14

An old Chinese proverb says that there are only two good men; one has already died, and the other is not yet born. I have spent a good deal of time in this chapter discussing what sin is, but I would be remised if I didnt spend a bit of time illustrating what sin is not. 1. Sin is not eternal In the third century A.D. a Persian philosopher named Mani developed a school of thought called Manichaeism. In essence, he taught that there are two dual eternal and impersonal principles which exist side by side in this universe. One is the principle of good, and the other the principle of evil. This false philosophy would therefore spell God with two os and omit the letter d from devil. 2. Sin is not merely the absence of good Some teach that as darkness is merely the absence of light, sin is simply the lack of goodness. This is

P a g e | 21 unscriptural, for sin is as real and positive to the soul of man as cancer and leprosy are to his physical body. 3. Sin is not simply the weakness or frailty of the human flesh This false view would see sin as mere frailties of the flesh such as hunger, thirst, and weariness. And some would like to keep this belief, because now it takes the responsibility off of ourselves and places it upon something else, the flesh. 4. Sin has no standard of its own Sin must derive its measurements from that which is positive or good. One may assume good apart from evil (which indeed was true historically), but evil cannot exist apart from good. By its very nature sin (evil) must oppose and pervert something good, every sin is, in reality, a perversion of some good principle. 5. Sin and evil cannot really manifest themselves as such, but must (to some extent) be disguised as good For example, Hitlers stated reason for the systematic slaughter of Jews and East Europeans was for the protection and good of his own people, Germany6. A rebel feels free to rape and burn in order to awaken the conscience of a careless society unconcerned about the plight of his particular minority group7.

6 7

http://majorityrights.com/index.php/weblog/comments/why_hitler_hated_jews/ http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-16014444/makes-rational-peasants-revolutionary.html

P a g e | 22 A hijacker threatens and terrifies an entire passenger plane to correct the wrongs a certain government may have done in holding some innocent political prisoners8. Thus, even in a sin-cursed world, evil dare not expose itself in the raw, as the vicious and vile wolf it really is, but is forced to assume in some form the clothing of a sheep. 6. Sin must not only disguise itself as the good, but must also actually connect itself to the good In itself it has no unifying power. Here sin may be likened to a virus, and the good to a healthy cell. a. Much research is now going on concerning the nature and makeup of a virus. Some believe it is a bridge between the living and non-living. A virus contains DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), that necessary genetic code of all living organisms, but it has no sugar or fat molecules, nor does it possess nucleotides or amino acids. It can play dead like a crystal for a long duration. Upon being revived, it fastens to the wall of a living cell like a mosquito, driving a tubular shaft in and injecting its own DNA genes. These genes take over the total function of the cell, gathering freefloating nucleotides, and produce copies of the original virus. The

Inside the Mind of a Terrorist, By Kevin Hogan: http://www.kevinhogan.com/Inside1.htm

P a g e | 23 virus even secretes an enzyme which breaks down existing cell DNA and uses this for itself9. b. When several hundred virus DNAs have been assembled, the cell is milked dry. Then the original virus (outside the cell wall) secretes a final enzyme which dissolves the cell wall. An army of virus particles march forth, each seeking new cells to invade, leaving behind the empty broken husk of what had been, an hour before, a healthy, living cell. The operation is simple, ruthless, and effective. c. Therefore (as we have already said), sin must disguise itself as and connect itself to the good. But not so with the good, which has no connection whatsoever with evil, and cannot disguise itself but must be manifested by its true nature. 7. Sin often must strive against itself For example, a miser is at variance with a spendthrift. A proud stoic will view with contempt a glutton. A promiscuous heterosexual is sickened at the sexual perversions of a homosexual. a. But this is not so with the good, where all its elements and attributes complement and do not contradict each other. Love,
9

http://www.genome.gov/25520880

P a g e | 24 grace, truth, wisdom, righteousness, and justice are all the closest of friends. Thus, good has only one enemy, evil; but any given evil has two enemies, the good and another conflicting evil. A classic example of this was seen during World War II, when the two most wicked men on earth hated each other with a passion seldom seen. These two bitter enemies were Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. But for the sake of getting what they wanted they hid their desires from one another, just as a wolf in sheeps clothing is doing. 8. Sin on some occasions is to be distinguished from evil For example, sin is not always the exact same thing as evil. We often refer to cyclones, floods, fires, earthquakes, and such as evil, and well they may be. But these cannot be called sin. This fact should be understood, as many Christians have been troubled and confused over the words of God in Isaiah 45:7, where we read: I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things. a. Here the Hebrew word ra is used, which can also be translated calamity. Thus, while we read of God creating evil, the Scriptures assure us he does not create sin. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians. 5:21). In hope of

P a g e | 25 eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began (Titus 1:2). For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews. 4:15). Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth (1 Peter. 2:22). And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin (1 John 3:5). In concluding this explanation of what sin is and what it is not, let us look for a moment at the statement which brings to a close Romans chapter 14, namely,

And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Romans 14:23

Both the philosophy and morality of this statement are alike sound and rational. The man who does not decide his actions on the basis of that which he knows is right is deserving of condemnation, because he did not act according to his conviction. The word damned in this verse is not final judgment as to the loss of salvation, but the judgment which results in the believers loss of reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Romans 14:23 is an excellent guideline for young Christians and all Christians who are faced with a decision when confronted with questionable amusements, dress or other practices. The decision of a growing or mature Christian is based

P a g e | 26 upon his love for obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. The actions and attitudes which do not proceed from faith in Christ are accounted as sin. If one has doubts about a certain matter, he should abstain from it, but if he goes on to do it anyhow, he acts out of faith, and such an action is sin. And the writer of the book of Hebrews tells us this very clearly.

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. Hebrews 10:26-27

We commenced the Christian life by faith, and so we should proceed by faith.

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7

All our motives and actions should be prompted by our faith-union with Christ,

Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:5-8

P a g e | 27 Are you wavering between two decisions, to eat or not to eat, to drink or not to drink, to go to a certain amusement or not to go, to say certain things or not say them, to conform to a style of dress or not to conform? If you do something despite strong scruples and convictions against that thing, this is sin which you must judge as sin, for surely God will judge it as sin. What is not done by faith cannot be done to the glory of God.

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

Even though there is no law which says we may not do a certain thing, we may be fully persuaded that the thing is not right, and consequently by doing it we will offend God. In such a case we sin against God and self when we do it. This I understand to be the meaning of the statement, whatsoever is not of faith is sin. (Attributed to John Piper, Essential Truth for the Christian Life)

P a g e | 28 CHAPTER 2 THE ENTRANCE OF SIN

With respect to the entrance of sin in the human race we are confined to Gods revelation to us in His Word. Philosophers and some theologians have no reliable explanation of sins entrance into the world. One well-known preacher wrote, It may be that there are evil entities in the universe that have mysterious access to the lives of men. But the Word of God leaves no room for doubt in this matter of sins origin. According to Scripture sin first made its appearance in the world in the angelic creation. Peter wrote,

God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment 2 Peter 2:4

To this Jude adds,

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day Jude 6

The obvious deduction is that the sin of these fallen angels was a free act on their part, arising from their dissatisfaction with the place God assigned to them when

P a g e | 29 He created them. Lucifer, who became the Devil, appears to have been the leader of the rebellion, of this we know from reading the book of Isaiah.

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Isaiah 14:12-14

So we read that the Devil and demons were not created by God as evil and sinful. They were angels who rose up in rebellion against God. Exactly how such dissatisfaction and rebellion could arise in beings that God created is not revealed by the sacred writers. We assume that they possessed personality and freedom of will and thereby had the capability of making right or wrong choices. At this point in our study the chief concern is with the entrance of sin in the human race, and this receives a different explanation from that which applied to angels. The Scripture is clear in its declaration that by one man sin entered into the world . . . (Romans 5:12). Sin is a very real and terrible fact of human life. The problem as to its earthly origin is solved in Romans 5. It came through the sin of one man, Adam, and thereby passed to all men. I am not now discussing

P a g e | 30 the ultimate origin of sin when disobedient angels rebelled against God, but the yielding of Adam and Eve to the temptation from without, and the resultant transmission of sin to Adams posterity. The most tragic chapter in the Bible (Genesis 3) contains the inspired account of how sin came into the world. So important is this account to human understanding that God preserved it for all mankind. It is not to be found in the traditions and writings of the various races and antiquities on the earth. The critics of the Bible have referred to the early chapters of Genesis as Babylonian myth, and yet no one has ever found a Babylonian version of the entrance of sin into the human race. Genesis 3 is a divinely inspired account of the facts related to the Fall of man as they actually took place, and this historical record is approved in the New Testament (See 2 Corinthians 11:3; 2 Timothy 2:13). When Paul wrote, Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, he meant that sin began with the first man Adam and that Adam was the cause of all men becoming sinners. How did it all happen?

Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Genesis 3:1

P a g e | 31 The chief agent in the fall of man was an evil spirit of unusual power and cleverness, no other than Satan himself, of which the Bible speaks of in the following Scriptures.

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelation 12:6 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. Revelation 20:2-3

Satan did not appear to Eve as one writhing, slithering, hideous creature, but as a creature of grace and beauty with the power to appear as an angel of light.

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14

Satans initial approach was in the form of a question which suggested to Eve that possibly God had placed an unwelcome restraint upon her and Adam. He suggested that God did not mean what He said. God had given His Word, and now Satan appears on the scene to sow his tares. Our Lord exposed this method of Satan in His parable in Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43.

P a g e | 32
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. Matthew 14:24-30 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that

P a g e | 33
offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Matthew 14:36-43

And the fact remains that man today still rejects the plain teaching of Gods Word while they accept the lies of Satan. The fact that Adam and Eve had access to all of the trees except one was minimized by Satan, and the fact that they were restricted from partaking of the one tree was magnified as a harsh and unwelcome restraint imposed by God. With the seed of doubt now planted in Eves mind, Satan waxed bold to deny what God said. Thou shalt surely die (2:17), God had said. Ye shall not surely die (3:4), Satan responded. The temptation involved a direct attack against the Word of God. Our Lord said of Satan, He is a liar, and the father of it (John 8:44), and here we see him introducing sin into the human race by perverting the very Word of God. Today Satan still uses the familiar suggestion that to obey God is to take out of life all of the possible joy and happiness. And then he boldly asserts his lie that one can break Gods laws and sin without reaping suffering or punishment. All the while he knew that he was leading the human race to death. Our Lord called Satan a murderer (John 8:44), meaning a killer of men. Thus we see the killer at work in Eden luring the human race to its death by means of his lie. Speaking of the Devil, Dr. Basil Atkinson said, Indeed it is impossible to conceive of the

P a g e | 34 entrance of moral evil into Gods creation apart from the existence of such a personality. Of course, there are unanswered questions and unsolved problems connected with the entrance of sin and the fall of man. Did God know that Satan would deceive Eve and the disastrous results that would follow? Certainly He knew, because He is omniscient. Could God have prevented Satan from entering Eden and deceiving Eve? Of course, He could, because He is omnipotent. There is no doubt that the whole experience in Eden was a part of the pre-determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God. Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world (Acts 15:18). As we pursue our studies in Biblical Doctrines and the Theology of God, it will become clearer that, evil being already present in the universe, the creation and fall of man might have been steps toward the final defeat of Satan and the redemption of man and the earth. But whatever view one takes of the foreknowledge, purposes and permissions of God, we are left with the indisputable fact that Adam and Eve made a wrong moral choice. They disobeyed God and chose to follow evil, knowing full well what the consequences would be.

P a g e | 35 CHAPTER 3 THE EXTENT OF SIN

The Bible teaches that sin entered the human race with Adams transgression.
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (Romans 5:12).

Adam was the doorway through which sin entered to all of his posterity because the one man in Pauls statement is Adam. Adam was the first man and the father of all men, so by virtue of the solidarity of the race, when Adam sinned the entire race sinned in him. Imputed sin is not the only basis for judgment, but the idea of the imputation of Adams sin to all mankind is a clear part of the teaching of Pauls statement. It is true that we all are sinners by choice, but this is not the point of discussion here. Our concern is with the entrance of sin into the human race and to what extent it affected Adams posterity. God has made it clear in His Word that this all came about through the disobedience of the first man who stood and acted as the representative of his entire posterity. That Adams fall entailed disastrous consequences upon himself and his descendant is the plain teaching in both the Old and New Testaments. David said, Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me (Psalm 51:5). Now we know that David is not so much as suggesting that the sexual relation between his mother and father, whereby he was conceived, was a sinful act. In substance he is saying the same thing that Paul is saying in Romans

P a g e | 36 5:12, namely, the natural depravity of the parents is transmitted to their offspring. The connection is natural and real.

The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies Psalm 58:3

The account given in Genesis 3 is the basis for the whole argument, so that David and Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit as was Moses, are in agreement that sin entered the human race through the one man Adam. Sin entered through the disobedience of one man and thereby penetrated to all men. All men commit sins because all are infected with the sin principle.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us 1 John 1:8 That which is born of the flesh is flesh John 3:6 What is man, that he should be clean? And he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? Job 15:14

Only those who repudiate the authority of the Word of God will challenge the fact of transmitted and inherited sin. None can deny that every individual is free to sin or not to sin, but all choose to sin. Why does every member of the race choose to do wrong? Certainly one person could be found who obeyed God in everything if that person existed. I have studied some of the arguments against

P a g e | 37 the biblical teaching that by Adams sin the race became guilty and corrupt and deserving of punishment, and I have concluded that it is so because God judicially declared it to be so. It was God and not a man who imputed the guilt of Adams sin to the whole race. Now many men, because of this, will blame God for mans sin and try to make the Almighty responsible. Adam and Eve did this after the fall. Adam said, The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat (Genesis 3:12, 13). This kind of excuse-making is typical of all mankind. Questions are still being asked such as, Why did God create man with the ability to sin?10 Why did God put restrictions on Adam and Eve in relation to the one tree of the knowledge of good and evil?11 Why did God allow man to be tempted?12 Why didnt God restrain the Devil from deceiving Eve?13 I would not refuse to discuss such questions as these, but I do believe that they tend to confuse the point under consideration, namely, the effect of Adams sin on the whole race. The sovereignty of God and the seduction by the Devil do not eliminate the fact that man perpetrates and perpetuates sin; therefore he cannot be relieved of the responsibility for it. Adam and Eve were beguiled by Satan, yet they were
10 11 12 13

http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/v4/n3/create-mankind http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/tree.html http://answersfromthebook.org/2009/08/16/why-does-god-allow-temptation/ http://forum.bible-discussion.com/showthread.php?10392-The-Extent-Of-SIN

P a g e | 38 pronounced guilty and punished by God (Genesis 3:16-18). In the end of the age those persons who are deceived by Satan and Antichrist are held responsible to God and judged by Him. And this we know by reading 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12.

Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

The seat of sin is in man himself. Our Lord said, For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies (Matthew 15:19). The heart of man is the birthplace of all sinful thoughts, words and actions.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9

In each of us there is sin for which each is accountable. The hidden capacities for evil are present in even the best of men. Again, to give a view of man in this state I have the following illustration from St. Augustine that shows the true heart of man under the grips of sin.

P a g e | 39 Near our vineyard there was a pear tree, loaded with fruit, though the fruit was not particularly attractive either in color or in taste. I and some other wretched youth conceived the idea of shaking the pears off this tree and carry them away. We set out late that night (having, as we usually did in our depraved way, gone on playing in the streets till that hour) and stole all the fruit that we could carry. And this was not to feed ourselves; we may have tasted a few. But then we threw the rest to the pigs. I had no wish to enjoy what I tried to get by theft; all my enjoyment was in the theft itself and in sin. Our real pleasure was in doing something that was not allowed.14 Mans antagonism becomes aroused when the subject of original sin is brought up for discussion. He resents the idea that he is born with hereditary guilt and depravity. The Scriptures state clearly, Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation, and by one mans disobedience many were made sinners (Romans 5:18, 19). These are the plain facts as given to Paul from the Holy Spirit, and yet the Pelagians wrote, We firmly deny that the sin of Adam is imputed to his descendants.15 Another declared, Neither Scripture nor human wisdom will permit any man to say that Adams sin has been imputed to Adams descendants. Human wisdom and sentiment may cause
14 15

(Cited in The Confessions of St. Augustine (Ney York: NAL, n.d.), p. 45.) http://www.ritchies.net/p2wk6.htm; The story of the Church, Part 2

P a g e | 40 the natural mind to rise up in protest against the doctrine of original sin, but this is due to the blindness of their heart (Ephesians 4:18).

The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned 1 Corinthians 2:14

But no amount of unbelief can change the truth that all men are constituted sinners judicially by God. We must take our stand on the Word of God which silences all opposition.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:6

In 1909 Dr. Thomas Whitelaw of Scotland said, It is extremely doubtful whether any intelligent person whose moral intuitions have not been completely destroyed or whose mental perceptions have not been blunted by indulgence in wickedness, can successfully persuade himself permanently that sin is a myth or a creation of the imagination, and not a grim reality. Sin is a quality or condition of soul which exists in every child born of woman, and not merely at isolated times but at all times, and at every stage of his career, though not always manifesting itself in the same forms of thought, feeling, word and action in every individual or even in the same individual. It has affected extensively the whole race of man in every age from the beginning of the world on, in every land beneath the sun, in

P a g e | 41 every race into which mankind has been divided. Scripture utters no uncertain sound on the world-embracing character of moral corruption, in the prediluvian age (Genesis 6:12), in Davids generation (Psalm 14:3), in Isaiahs time (Isaiah 53:6), and in the Christian era (Romans 3:23). Solomons verdict holds true,

There is no man that sinneth not 1 Kings 8:46 There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not Ecclesiastes 7:20 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us 1 John 1:8

The indisputable fact is that all men are sinners are attested to by the following five points: 1. It has been estimated that some 40 billion human beings have lived (or are living) upon this earth since Adam. It would not be unreasonable to suggest that perhaps one third of these 40 billion people lost their lives at the hand of another human being. Hundreds of millions of living fleshand-blood creatures have been stabbed, stoned, strangled, shot, gassed, bombed, burned, buried alive, hung, beaten, dragged, tortured, and drowned by other living flesh-and-blood creatures.

P a g e | 42 2. How often has mans built-in sin gauge smote him to despair and even to suicide over his sinful actions? This club of conscience strikes all men, regardless of their brains, brawn, bloodstream, or banking powers. Thus, while the voice of conscience can be defiled, it cannot be denied. 3. Louis Berkhof writes the following:

The history of religions and of philosophy testify to it. The history of religions testifies to the universality of sin. The question of Job, How shall a man be just with God? is a question that was asked not merely in the realm of special revelation, but also outside of it in the Gentile world. (Job 9:2) The heathen religions testify to a universal consciousness of sin and of the need of reconciliation with a Supreme Being. There is a general feeling that the gods are offended and must be propitiated in some way. There is a universal voice of conscience, testifying to the fact that man falls short of the ideal and stands condemned in the sight of some higher Power. Altars reeking with the blood of sacrifices, often the sacrifices of dear children, repeated confessions of wrong-doing, and prayers for deliverance from evil all point to the consciousness of sin. Missionaries find this wherever they go. The history of philosophy is indicative of the same fact. Early Greek philosophers were already wrestling with the problem of moral evil, and since their day no philosopher of name was able to ignore it. They were all constrained to

P a g e | 43 admit the universality of it, and that in spite of the fact they were not able to explain the phenomenon. There was, it is true, a superficial optimism in the 18th century, which dreamt of the inherent goodness of man, but in its stupidity flew in the face of the facts and was sharply rebuked by Kant. Many liberal theologians were induced to believe and to preach this inherent goodness of man as gospel truth, but today many of them qualify it as one of the most pernicious errors of the past. Surely the facts of life do not warrant such optimism.16 4. General statements concerning the sinfulness of man If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near; (1 Kings 8:46). Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? (Proverbs 20:9). The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah. 17:9). For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not (Ecclesiastes 7:20). All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6). But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken

16

Lousi Berkhof, Systematic Theology, pp. 239 240

P a g e | 44 us away (Isaiah 64:6). For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. (Galatians 3:22). For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. (James 3:2). If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8). If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us (1 John 1:10). a. Personal statements concerning the sinfulness of man On at least eight separate occasions in the Bible an individual is forced to utter those three tragic but true words, I have sinned. i. Pharaoh And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked (Exodus 9:27). Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you (Exodus 10:16). ii. Balaam And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way

P a g e | 45 against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again (Numbers 22:34). iii. Achan And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done (Joshua 7:20). iv. Saul Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly (1 Samuel. 26:21). v. David And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die (2 Samuel 12:13). And Davids heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly (2 Samuel 24:10). vi. Job I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself? (Job 7:20).

P a g e | 46 vii. The Prodigal Son And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son (Luke 15:21). viii. Judas Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that (Matthew 27:4). b. A double tragedy is seen here, for out of these eight confessions, it would seem only three really were sincere and experienced the forgiveness of a gracious God. These three are David, Job, and the Prodigal Son. 5. The good must be taught to our children. The bad they know already. Sharing is not natural, but selfishness is.

P a g e | 47 CHAPTER 4 THE EFFECTS OF SIN

The consequences of sin are doubtless more numerous than we will attempt to consider in this brief thesis. We will ponder only two at this time. Look first at the matter of guilt. I mean real guilt, that feeling of having done wrong because I know I did wrong. Sometimes a person is plagued with pseudo guilt, a guilt feeling arising from emotional causes. During my five years of counseling, both pastoral and nonpastoral, I interviewed young people and older people who were depressed and at the same time condemning and punishing themselves for having done wrong and shameful things. In some instances the person was not able to name any particular act or sin that produced the guilt feeling. In such cases I tried to learn the cause of the false guilt feeling. One case in particular comes to mind. I will not burden you with the many details but concentrate on the essential. The young woman who sought help was twenty-two years of age, unmarried and living at home with her parents. Both her mother and father were unhappy and had found it difficult through the years to tolerate their daughter. They had scolded her indiscreetly with repeated threats and warnings all throughout her childhood. She grew up with a guilt complex and a growing fear that her next words or action would provoke another scolding or even punishment. She was made to feel unworthy and in need of punishment when all the while she was

P a g e | 48 doing nothing so wrong whereby she needed scolding or punishment. She had a fine job as an administrative assistant for General Motors, earned good wages, but she anticipated disapproval and condemnation. She was suffering from pseudo guilt caused by emotional maladjustment. Later I learned that her parents were college graduates. They began dating in their senior year, committed adultery which resulted in pregnancy. They kept the matter to themselves for several months, but by the time of graduation it was no longer a secret. Both of their parents learned the truth before the marriage ceremony. And now for all of those twenty-two years they lived in remorse over their sin in sexual behavior. They had a problem which they never solved, and so their repeated warnings and threats with domineering overtones awakened in their only child a sense of false guilt. They vented their feelings on their daughter, and so intuitively the child grew up with the unjust burden of guilt and anxiety. She suffered from guilt because it was put into her mind by the bad behavior of her parents. Thus it is possible to feel guilty without being so. (In time she overcame her problem through prayer, a family in Christ to support her, and the power of Christ Jesus.) Karl Menninger, the famous psychiatrist, says that if he could convince the patients in his psychiatric hospitals that their sins are forgiven, 75 percent of them could walk out the next day. So often we do not take God at His word!

P a g e | 49 But now let us direct our thoughts to the matter of real guilt not that pseudo guilt is not real to the sufferer. Freud believed that guilt feelings are born in the mind of a child when his parents scold him and are nothing other than the fear of losing the love of his parents.17 No one will deny Freuds belief or his conclusion that human beings need to feel loved. But this functional guilt-feeling aroused by our social and domestic contacts and environs is not all there is to guilt. We acknowledge the problems connected with neurotic or unreal guilt, but we must face the fact of genuine guilt which springs from the known violation of Gods laws. The story is told of a time when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle decided to play a practical joke on twelve of his friends. He sent them each a telegram that read, Flee at onceall is discovered. Within twenty fours, all twelve had left the country. Genuine guilt toward God arises from illumination we receive from the Bible. It appears as the result of a breakdown in mans obedience to God and his utter dependence upon God. It is a truly genuine guilt when the sinner knows in his innermost heart that he has disobeyed God, and that all such disobedience is sin. If a person is gripped with guilt-feelings which are a result of sin and the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, there is one solution, and only one. He must turn to God, trusting the redeeming work of Christ, and he may be veritably
17

Guilt and the Veneer of Civilization, by Robert M. Young

P a g e | 50 assured of forgiveness and cleansing. To all such the Bible says, Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18). The New Testament adds its word, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Many present-day counselors attempt to dispel the guilt-feelings of their subjects by rationalizing. This is a non-Christian approach and is dangerous. The Scriptures cannot be bypassed when dealing with the subject of guilt and guilt-complexes.

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. (Romans 3:19). For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. James 2:10

There is a great gulf between modern mentality and biblical revelation when it comes to the subject of guilt. To sidestep the plain teaching of Scripture and fail to turn to God with our guilt can only bring to pass upon the guilty one the inevitable judgment. Psychology and psychiatry, apart from the Bible, have no way of freeing the guilty sinner of his guilt.

P a g e | 51 When a person feels guilty because of sin, he does so because God has disapproved of that sin. He knows he has transgressed Gods law and therefore deserves to be punished. The guilt-feeling grows out of the fact that his fellowship with God has been marred. Every sin is an offense against God and stands in opposition to the holiness of God. We should be thankful to God that He has provided in mans make-up and constitution the genuine and real guilt-feeling whenever sin enters. And praise be to God, that Lord Jesus Christ is able to free us from enslaving sin.

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36

Another consequence of sin is the punishment imposed upon the sinner by God. Since sin is a capital crime against God, man is guilty of death. The Scriptures repeatedly tell us that sin and death are inseparably linked together. Before the Fall God had warned Adam and Eve, In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die (Genesis 2:17). And then there follows a series of statements which seem to remind man all through human history of this solemn effect of sin.

Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. Ezekiel 18:4

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Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Romans 5:12 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Romans 7:11 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. James 1:15 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Hebrews 9:27-28

The Bible teaches that there are two kinds of death. The first kind, which is the separation of the soul from the body, comes to all men except those living on the earth when Christ comes to take His own to Heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17). This was certainly included in Gods warning to Adam, In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die (Genesis 2:17). There is a second kind of death, called in the Scripture, The second death (Revelation 20:6, 14; 21:8). This is the final and eternal separation of the whole

P a g e | 53 man from God. Eternal death is not a cessation of mans existence, not the annihilation of man, but his eternal punishment in the lake of fire (Matthew 25:46; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 21:8). There can be no doubt about what Scripture means by these awful consequences of sin. This is solemn truth that should serve as a warning to every man.

P a g e | 54 CHAPTER 5 THE EXPIATION OF SIN

Expiation is the act of making satisfaction or atonement for a crime or fault. God, because of His nature, not only demands that sin be punished but He also has provided for the sinners restoration to fellowship with Himself. It is at this point where the death of Christ enters the scene. God could not be satisfied until sin had been fully atoned for. The Bible teaches that by the sufferings and death of Christ, the acceptable Substitute was provided for the sin of man, thereby making His sufferings and death to be vicarious, that is, in the room and stead of the sinner. There could be no expiation for sin apart from the sacrifice of blood, the reason being that God so declared it.

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. Hebrews 9:22 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Leviticus 17:11

Christ was the sinners bleeding sacrifice. Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us (Hebrews 9:12). . . . now once in the end of

P a g e | 55 the world (age) hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Hebrews 9:26). Caiaphas said, It is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not (John 11:50). Paul wrote, One died for all (2 Corinthians 5:14). For He hath made Him to be sin for us . . . (2 Corinthians 5:21). Peter added, For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit (1 Peter 3:18). These are but a few of the many passages which show us how the death of Christ was Gods way of providing expiation for our sins. Expiation means that our sins were laid upon Christ.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6

This is what the nation Israel will acknowledge when Christ comes to earth, but it is true of the whole human race. Man substituted his own will for Gods will when he sinned; God substituted His own Son to atone for mans sin.

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Hebrews 9:28

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Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 1 Peter 2:24

The chief purpose of the Incarnation of Christ was to offer Himself a ransom for sinners. Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10

This too is the fundamental theme of the Christian Gospel, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:14), and is therefore essential to Christianity and mans salvation. Our Lord repeatedly said that He must suffer, be killed, and be raised from death the third day (Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; John 12:32-34). Even in Heaven Christs expiation for sin is the grand theme, for there the redeemed will sing a new song, . . . Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation (Revelation 5:9). His death was neither an accident nor a mere incident, but rather it was a divinely planned death in the sinners stead. Christs death satisfies the holiness of God. By the holiness of God I mean that perfection of God whereby He is absolutely separate from all moral evil. It is the

P a g e | 57 attribute of holiness by which God was especially known in Old Testament times. He said to His people, Be holy, for I am holy (Leviticus 11:44, 45). Because of His holiness, there is a great gulf between God and the sinner. The prophet wrote, But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear (Isaiah 59:2). Before sin entered, God and man enjoyed fellowship, but when sin entered, the fellowship was broken and there was an estrangement between God and the sinner. The sinner cannot come near to God because he lacks the righteousness that is required in order to appear before His Holiness. Though Adam did not die a physical death, for 930 years after he disobeyed God, he died spiritually the instant he sinned, and he felt himself estranged from God Who was holy. Fortunately for us sinners, God met the demands of His own holiness by providing Himself as the atonement, a satisfaction, and expiation. Christs death on the cross was not a compromise but a holy Substitute, a satisfaction. God is love, but true love is conditioned by holiness so that it can be said that the most fundamental attribute of God is not love, but holiness. Because of the very nature of God He must maintain His own moral excellence. God could not forgive sin without atonement. Human sin could not go unpunished because of Who and What God is. The tendency among modern liberal theologians is to assume that a God of love can pardon sin without atonement. But that kind of easy-going optimism cannot possibly understand either the holiness of God or the

P a g e | 58 heinousness of sin. The love of God was never more fully demonstrated than in His self-giving, self-sacrificing passion at Calvary when God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Nothing less than the atonement of Christ could rescue the sinner from the guilt and penalty of his sins and at the same time satisfy the infinitely holy and just God.

P a g e | 59 THE ULTIMATE AND FINAL VICTORY OVER SIN

In three key passages New Testament writers Paul and John describe for us this thrilling victory.

For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:2528).

Through the Word of God we are given the trilling victory of our Lord and Savior over the force of evil, the serpent that brought sin into this world. And Him do we have the promise that death no longer has a hold over those who believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ Jesus.

But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of

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sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel (Hebrews 12:2224).

How much better this relationship between God and the believer is under the New Covenant that was ushered in by the obedience of Jesus when He willingly laid down His life for the world. Because of His sacrifice we can come into the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. Note that this city is not part of the Old Covenant, not is it of this present earth. It is the city that Abraham looked in the distance for, but never saw (Hebrews 11:16); it is the one called the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:22-23). Because Christ Jesus paid the price we have an inheritance in this city where God Himself will live with us the believers. (Revelation 21:22-23). And we know that the believers in Christ share in the victory because Hebrews 12:23 tells us that one of the groups will be the church of the first born. The church spoken of here is that of all believers before the rapture of the body of believers into heaven, those believers who accepted Christ Jesus as their Lord and Redeemer.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the

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throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful (Revelation 21:4-5).

Sin came into this world by one man, Adam, and by one man, Jesus, we will see sin obliterated. By the work of Jesus on the cross we will no longer experience a lack of joy and all of our troubles will be gone forever. We will have no need to cry because we have completed the course, we have the victory through Christ and everything we have worked for in the kingdom has come to fruition. With the introduction of sin came sorrow, that will be wiped away and no more tears will be shed for it. And with sin came the deterioration of the perfect body that God gave us in the garden. But all that is gone because Christ Jesus took up the work that we could not possible do. And in His work on the cross we once again have a perfect body that will not come unto pain. We can take comfort in the victory because the Word tells us that it is God who sits upon the throne; and it is He who says that He has made all things new, and we take Him at His word because He tells us that His words are faithful and true.

P a g e | 62 BIBLIOGRAPHY

King James Bible Public Domain Ryrie, Dr. Charles Basic Theology: A Popular Systematically Guide To, Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 1999 Green, Michael P. 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Books, 2003 Jacobs, Alan Original Sin; Culture and History, New York, New York, HarperCollins Publications, 2008 Kaypic, Kelly M.; Taylor, Justin Original Sin; Culture and History, Wheaton, Illinois, Crossway Books, 2006 Jason D. BeDuhn The Manichaean Body: In Discipline and Ritual, The John Hopkins University Press, 2000.