Hamartiology - Disciples of Christ Community Church

Disciples of Christ Community Church Hamartiology

Hamartiology

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

1A. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2A. THE FALL OF MAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

3A. THE ESENTIAL NATURE OF SIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 7

4A. IMPUTED SIN - THE RELATIONSHIPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

5A. INHERENT OR ORIGINAL SIN - THE SIN NATURE . . 20

6A. INDIVIDUAL OR PERSON SIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

7A. THE RELATION OF THE UNSAVED TO SIN . . . . . . . . . 30 8A. THE RELATION OF THE BELIEVER TO SIN . . . . . . . . . 41


1A. Introduction.

Dr. Holloman has written:

The problem of sin is of such a magnitude that it requires separate and special attention. Apart from a careful biblical study of the doctrine of sin, the nature and destiny of man cannot be properly understood, and the need for divine salvation cannot be truly appreciated.1

Dr. Evans states:

Light and erroneous views of the atonement come from light and erroneous views of sin. If sin is regarded as merely an offence against man, a weakness of human nature, a mere disease, rather than as rebellion, transgression, and enmity against God, and therefore something condemning and punishable, we shall not, of course, see any necessity for the atonement. We must see sin as the Bible depicts it, as something which brings wrath, condemnation, and eternal ruin in its train. We must see it as guilt that needs expiation. We must see sin as God sees it before we can denounce it as God denounces it.2

2A. THE FALL OF MAN.3

1B. The Origin of Sin. Determine from the following Scriptures who originated sin.

1 Timothy 2:14—And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being quite deceived, fell into transgression. 1 John 3:8—the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil. John 8:44—"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies." Ephesians 6:12—For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. It originated with Satan, through Adam.

2B. The Probation of Man.

1C. What is the meaning of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?

1Holloman, p. II-1. 2William Evans, The Great Doctrines of the Bible, (rev. ed., Chicago: Moody, 1949), p. 78. 3All of 2B. is adapted from Dr. Robert Saucy's, Theology II Course Syllabus, Talbot School of Theology/Biola University, La Mirada, CA. Fall, 1978. Pp. 11-13.


Genesis 2:17—"but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die." Genesis 3:22—Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"— (See also Deuteronomy 1:39; Isaiah 7:15-16; 2 Samuel 14:17; 19:36). There is nothing inherent in the fruit. It is ETHICAL MATURITY. Man knows the difference

and can chose. 1D. View #1: It is an experiential knowledge of good and evil. Man possibly was meant to have a

cognitive knowledge, but not the experience. It was the way in which man got this knowledge, not that God didn't want him to have it. Man got it the wrong way when he could have gotten it the right way by refusing the fruit.

2D. View #2: The origin of determining good and evil. Man has established himself as the origin

of determination of good and evil. Man determines what is good and evil. When he ate the fruit, he established himself as an authority on what is good and evil. Before, only God determined that, and man just obeyed. But now man is the judge and he doesn't pay any attention to God.

2C. What was the purpose of the test of probation?

James 1:12—Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 1 Peter 1:6-7—(6) In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, (7) that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Hebrew 12:11—All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. To test man's obedience and to produce in him a holy character.

3B. The Temptation of Man.

1C. Who or what was the serpent? Why was the serpent used?

Genesis 3:1—Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" Genesis 3:14—And the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle,


And more than every beast of the field; On your belly shall you go, And dust shall you eat All the days of your life; Revelation 12:9—And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. A real serpent indwelt by Satan. It was a natural being in the garden, not a spiritual being

they were unused to.

2C. Why did the serpent approach Eve rather than Adam?

Maybe to attack God's order. He tried to attack contrary to God's order. God had set up

an order and Satan tried to contradict it.

3C. The temptation. From a study of the account, state the steps used in the temptation process. Are these the same steps involved in all temptations?

Genesis 3:1-7—(Please look it up). 1 John 2:16—For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 1D. Doubt at to the goodness of God. Vs. 1—It implies God is holding something back.

Delaying with temptation implies a desire for the object. 2D. Denial of the Word of God. Vs. 4. 3D. The appeal of the temptation to us. Vs. 6—The positive advantages.

3B. The Fall.

1C. What is the nature of the sin involved?

Assuming Godhood for yourself. Rebelling against God, setting yourself up as God.

2C. What was the responsibility of the man and woman? Who was most responsible?

2 Corinthians 11:3—But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 1 Timothy 2:14—And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being quite deceived, fell into transgression. The woman was deceived—she did not believe she was doing bad, she was totally blinded, a

loss of perspective. Adam was not deceived. He chose with greater knowledge against God.


3C. How do you explain the real nature of the fall of man? How could a "good" being fall?

James 1:13-15—(13) Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. (14) But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. (15) Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. 1D. Incorrect explanations:

1F. Sin is due to God's providence. 2F. Sin is due to the withdrawal of God's grace from man. Man was helpless. (Note: God

withdrew from man after man sinned). 3F. Sin is due to man's finiteness. (Note: This absolves man from any blame).

2D. Correct explanation: Sin originated from a free act of man against the will of God. There was nothing behind it. Nothing which caused man to do it. If something did move Adam, then Adam is free—it wasn't his fault. The uncontrolled desires (James 1:13-15) carried Adam away. Sin is fundamentally irrational and unexplainable. (See Phil. 1:23; 1 Thess. 2:17; Gen. 3:6).

4B. The Effects of the Fall.

1C. What was the fundamental effect of the fall?

Genesis 2:17—but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die." Genesis 3:7—Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. Genesis 3:12—And the man said, "The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate." Romans 5:12—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— 1D. He is cut off from God. 2D. Physical death. 3D. Guilt and shame feelings. 4D. Adam was totally other conscious, and therefore not self-conscious. But alienation

from God meant alienation from others.

2C. What was the effect of the fall upon the serpent?

Genesis 3:14—And the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly shall you go,


And dust shall you eat All the days of your life; Psalm 72:9—Let the nomads of the desert bow before him; And his enemies lick the dust. Micah 7:17—"They will lick the dust like a serpent, Like reptiles of the earth. They will come trembling out of their fortresses; To the LORD our God they will come in dread, And they will be afraid before Thee". He was cursed and humbled. Eat dust=humbling. It's a symbol to man.

3C. What was the effect of the fall upon Satan?

Genesis 3:15—"And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel." 1D. The enmity between the seed of the woman and Satan, and between the woman and

Satan. Satan is against all men. Because some men go over to his side, they become enemies also of true humanity.

2D. The crushing of the head of Satan by man. Christ is that instrument. (Kittel has a good article on the Serpent).

4C. What was the effect of the fall upon the woman?

Genesis 3:16—To the woman He said, "I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain you shall bring forth children; Yet your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you." 1D. Multiple suffering, and in particular during childbirth. Pain=toiling—same word. 2D. A natural attraction for her husband—even in light of the pain of childbirth. 3D. He shall rule over you. This is something on top of the natural order, because man is before

woman due to creation. This is more a feeling of friction due to sin. Man will rule imperfectly, woman will chafe under it and want to get out from under man, even though she shouldn't be totally autonomous. Salvation over turns this, not the natural order as that is based on creation.

5C. What was the effect of the fall upon the man?


Genesis 3:17-19—(17) Then to Adam He said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it'; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. (18) "Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you shall eat the plants of the field; (19) By the sweat of your face You shall eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return." 1D. The cursing of nature. 2D. Hard Labor for his living. (The two go together).

6C. Why do you think God judged the man and woman in the areas that He did?

1D. These judgments touch the fundamental roles and duties of men and women. 2D. Man=the breadwinner. Woman=the nurturer of children.

3A. THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF SIN.

1B. Its Designations.4

1C. Old Testament.

1D. Basic word=hata—the verb form means to "sin, miss the goal or path of right and duty" (BDB, p. 306).

2D. Awon—the noun form means "iniquity" (BDB, p. 730) or "a depraved action, a crime, a sin"

(Gesenius Heb. and Chaldee Lexicon, p. 614). This word is used of:

1F. Genesis 4:13—Cain's murder of Abel. 2F. Genesis 44:16—The betrayal of Joseph by his brothers. 3F. Job 31:11—Adultery.

3D. Pasa—the verb form means to "rebel, transgress" (BDB, p. 833). 4D. Resa—"Wickedness" (BDB, p. 957). 5D. Ma'al—"Unfaithful, treacherous act" (BDB, p. 591). 6D. Summary:

4All of 1C. is adapted from Holloman, pp. II-5—II-6, and Saucy, pp. 13-14.


1E. Sin in the Old Testament has the basic meaning of missing or transgressing an implied absolute standard of God. It results in a serious rupture of the relationship between God and man.

2E. There is a blending of the wrongdoing and the temporal suffering more than in the New Testament.

2C. New Testament.

1D. Basic word=Hamartia—"sin,"5 or "every departure from the way of righteousness, both human and divine."6 Trench defines both hamartia and hamartema as "the missing of a mark or aim."7 Hamartema adds special emphasis to "the result of the sin."8

2D. Parabasis—"overstepping, transgression."9 It conveys the fundamental idea of "the

overpassing or transgressing of a line."10

3D. Parakoe—"unwillingness to hear, disobedience."11 Likewise, Trench gives the meaning as

"disobedience to a voice."12

4D. Paraptoma—"false step, transgression, sin."13 It also includes the idea of "falling where

one should have stood upright."14 The predominance of the plural form in biblical literature (e.g., Matthew 6:14-15) may indicate the frequency and multiplicity of this type of sin which is committed against both God and man.

5D. Agnoema—"sin committed in ignorance."15 E.g., Hebrews 9:7. It seems to imply

"ignorance of what one ought to have known."16

6D. Anomia, paranomia—"lawlessness."17 E.g., I John 3:4. 7D. Adikia—"Wrongdoing" or "unrighteousness, wickedness, injustice."18

8D. Summary:

1E. The idea again of negating a positive standard.

5William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, (4th ed., rev., Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press, 1957), p. 42. 6Arndt and Gingrich, p. 42. 7Richard Chenevix Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament, (9th ed., Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1958), pp. 239-240. 8Arndt and Gingrich, p. 42. 9Arndt and Gingrich, p. 617. 10Trench, p. 240. 11Arndt and Gingrich, p. 624. 12Trench, p. ? 13Arndt and Gingrich, p. 627. 14Trench, p. 240. 15Arndt and Gingrich, p. 11. 16Trench, p. 240. 17Arndt and Gingrich, p. 626. 18Arndt and Gingrich, p. 17.


2E. More of an idea of active rebellion than in the Old Testament. 3E. More of the idea of sin's relationship to God. In the New Testament sin is pictured

more one the vertical level while in the Old Testament much of the concern is with the effects of sin on the horizontal, i.e. the labor and weariness of sin is not dwelt upon in the New Testament.

2B. Its Derivation.

1C. Dr. Holloman writes:

The question of where evil came from and why a good God would permit evil has puzzled common people as well as philosophers and theologians. It is impossible to give an entirely satisfactory answer to the second question, since the final and complete answer is presently hidden in the inscrutable counsels of God. However, certain principles can be drawn from Scripture to help better understand the origin and presence of evil, especially as it is seen from God's viewpoint.19

2C. Sin did not originate from God.20

1D. By His very nature God cannot sin or be tempted by sin—Deut. 32:4; Job 34:10; Ps.

92:15; Isaiah 6:3; 1 John 1:5; and cf. esp., James 1:13. 2D. God has a holy hatred toward sin—Deut. 25:16; Ps. 5:4; Ps. 11:5; Zech. 8:17; Luke

16:15. 3D. Yet, God must have sovereignly permitted sin since sin exists.

1F. Nothing can come into existence apart from the operation of God's will according to Ephesians 1:11.

2F. Genesis 1:31 and the doctrine of God's inviolable holiness precludes the idea that sin was inherent in the very nature of things as God created them.

4D. God's eternal plan to provide a Savior shows that God planned to allow sin to enter the

human race — 1 Peter 1:19-20.

3C. Sin entered the universe through Lucifer's revolt against God—Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezek. 28:12-15; John 8:44; 1 John 3:8. (For further details on this point, see the material on Satanology in Dr. Holloman's Theology 1 syllabus).

4C. Sin entered the human race, or specifically the earthly sphere, through the original sin of

Adam and Eve—Gen. 3:1-7; Rom. 5:12-21.

3B. Its Definition.

19Holloman, p. II-1. 20The passage in Isaiah 45:7, "I [i.e., the Lord] . . . create evil," is not to be construed as teaching that God is the author of moral evil (cf. also Jer. 4:6; Amos 3:6). The Hebrew word translated "evil" is ra and is used in a non-ethical sense in this case. Consequently, a preferable translation of ra in this context would be "calamity" or "distress." See BDB, p. 948. Evil is used in Scripture both in a moral sense and in a physical sense. Sin is moral or ethical evil.


1C. False Theories. 1D. Sin is an Illusion.

1E. Sin is not real but exists only in the individual's mind. 2E. Riddance of sin can be achieved by thinking positive thoughts. 3E. This viewpoint clearly reflects the philosophy known as subjective idealism which

denies any reality outside of the individual's mind. 4E. The cult, Christian Science, follows this theory and rejects the objective reality of

sickness, suffering and sin.

2D. Sin is only the limitation and imperfection involved in man's finiteness.

1E. It is sometimes implied by this view that when evolution has had time to help us progress further, sin will disappear.

2E. In contrast, the Scriptures teach that sin progressively becomes worse in the individual person and in corporate humanity. (See Rom. 1:18-32; 2 Thess. 2:5-12; 2 Tim. 3:13; Rev. 6-19).

3D. Sin is that eternal principle existing in a dualistic relationship with God, but outside and

independent of Him. This view also tends to deny the omnipotence and/or the infinite goodness of God.

1E. This theory views sin as real, eternal and normal to the universe. 2E. The Bible treats sin as real, temporary and abnormal to God's creation. 3E. Sin does not have an eternal past, and it will be finally and completely judged by

God—Ezekiel 28:15.

4D. Sin is lack of God-consciousness caused by man's sensuous nature.

1E. This was the view of Schleiermacher. 2E. It erroneously makes God the author of sin. 3E. It incorrectly teaches that sin resides in only the physical sensuous nature.

5D. Sin is lack of trust in God and opposition to His kingdom through ignorance. (This is Albert Ritschl's view).

1E. Sin may also involve transgression of God's law—1 John 3:4. 2E. Knowledge in itself does not guarantee victory over sin. 3E. Knowledge may only enable persons to practice sin in more sophisticated ways.

6D. Sin is the opposition of the lower brute impulses or desires of human nature to a gradually developing moral consciousness. This is a doctrine of sin (Pelagian view of sin) grafted into the theory of evolution. (F. R. Tennant's view).

7D. Sin is revolt or rebellion against God. (Neo-orthodox view). This theory is right as far as

it goes, but:


1E. Neo-orthodox theologians deny imputed sin and original sin. 2E. Man's revolt or rebellion is incorrectly connected only to actual evil choices of man.

All of these theories fail to see sin and man the sinner as God really sees them.

2C. Scriptural Teaching.

1D. Comprehensive definition of sin: "Any lack of conformity to the character of God."

1 John 3:4—correlates with the preceding definition since the divine law is a revelation of God's character. Romans 3:23—God's glory is the radiant shining forth of God's perfect character.

2D. Sin includes both transgressions (or commissions) and omissions.

1E. Sins of commission involve the transgression of that which is divinely prohibited (1 John 3:4).

2E. Sins of omission involve the failure to fulfill that which is good or right (James 4:17). 3E. Romans 3:23 includes both sins of commission ("all sinned") and also sins of omission

("are falling short of the glory of God," i.e., continually failing to measure up to God's standard of perfection).

3D. Sin always involves selfishness.

1E. 2 Timothy 3:2—"lovers of their own selves" instead of lovers of God. 2E. 2 Cor. 5:14-15, (cf. Luke 9:23)—loving and living for self instead of for God. 3E. Pride works in conjunction with selfishness to promote and manifest self (cf. 1 Tim.

3:6).

4D. Sin always involves unbelief. 1E. Romans 1:17—Man's failure to refrain from what God prohibits and to perform what

God commands comes from unbelief. 2E. John 16:9—It is sin for the unsaved not to trust Christ for salvation. 3E. Romans 14:23, cf. Gal. 2:20; Heb. 11:6—It is sin for the saved not to live by faith in

Christ. 5D. Sin pervades the human heart.

1E. Jer. 17:9; Mt. 12:34-35; Mk. 7:21-23, cf. Prov. 4:23. 2E. From this center, its influence spreads to the intellect, will, affections and also to the

body.

6D. Sin may be committed in thought or attitude apart from overt acts.

1E. Mt. 5:22, 28; Rom. 7:7; Acts 20:33. Scripture Covert or Internal Overt or External

Mt. 5:22 Anger Murder Mt. 5:28 Lust Adultery


Rom. 7:7 Covetousness Theft Acts 20:33 Jealousy Betrayal

4A. IMPUTED SIN—THE RELATION OF ADAM'S SIN TO THE HUMAN RACE.21

"Impute" means to reckon or put to the account of another—the language of an accountant. 1B. The Fact of a Relationship. What do the following verses teach concerning whether or not we are

imputed Adam's original sin?

Romans 5:12-19—(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) And 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.

1 Cor. 15:22—For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive.

2B. Theories Concerning the Imputation of Adam's Sin. 1C. Theories Denying Imputed Sin. These explanations all understand the statement in Romans

5:12—"because all sinned"—as referring to personal sin or depravity and not an immediate involvement with Adam's act of sin.

1D. The Pelagian Theory.

1E. The Theory.

1F. Pelagius' "proposition is: God has commanded man to do that which is good; hence the latter must have the ability to do it."22

2F. There is no connection between Adam's sins and the sin of his descendants. Adam left only a bad example. (That he did!) Man is not born in a sinful state, but in a state of moral neutrality with absolute freedom to choose good or evil.

21All of 4B. is adapted from Saucy, pp. 15-20 and Holloman, pp. II-7—II-9. 22Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1959), pp. 233-4.


3F. Romans 5:12 means "all incurred eternal death by sinning after Adam's example."

Romans 5:12—(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—

4F. Only individual sins are imputed. Man becomes a sinner only when he commits personal acts of sin.

5F. The natural man can do works pleasing to God and by obedience to the law can

gain salvation.

2E. The Objections.

1F. This is not historically true. Infants die even though they do not sin like Adam. 2F. Death reigned over those that did not sin like Adam. "The likeness of the offense

of Adam" refers to Adam's transgression of a positive law.

Romans 5:13-14—(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.

3F. There is repeated emphasis in the Scriptures of universal judgment and

condemnation from Adam's one act of sin.

Romans 5:15-19—(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) And 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.

4F. The analogy of the passage between Adam and Christ—the one and the many. 5F. It contradicts all of the Scriptural teaching on original sin. (See Psalm 51:5; I

Corinthians 2:14; Romans 3:20; 8:8). Psalm 51:5—Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother

conceived me.


2D. The Semi-Pelagian and Early Arminian Theory.

1E. The Theory. 1F. The race inherits a corrupt nature from Adam, but this does not involve guilt. Man is

guilty before God only because of personal acts of sin. (Note: Wesleyan Arminians do admit that man has inborn corruption which involves guilt).

2F. The corrupt nature is only imputed to the individual when he voluntarily appropriates

his inborn tendency and ratifies it with a personal act of sin. 3F. Man cannot gain righteousness without divine aid. Therefore, God has bestowed upon

each individual a special influence (John 1:9) of the Holy Spirit which is sufficient to counteract the effect of the inherited depravity and give men the ability to cooperate with grace and gain salvation.

John 1:9—There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.

2E. The Objections.

1F. It denies the repeated Scriptural claim that only one sin is the cause of the death of all mankind (Romans 5:15-19).

2F. It denies the teaching of Romans 5:14 that some died not having committed individual conscious transgressions of the law after the likeness of Adam.

3F. Depravity involves guilt. 4F. See Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 5:12; 1 John 1:10; Ephesians 2:1, 8-9.

3D. The Theory of Mediate Imputation. (Calvin, Roman Catholic).

1E. The Theory.

1F. There is not a direct imputation of Adam's sin to each of his descendants. There is only the transmission of the sin nature by heredity. Man is born inherently corrupt because he has descended physically from Adam by natural propogation.

Mediate Imputation: Sin imputed through the parents.

Adam———Descendant———Descendant———Descendant———You

Immediate Imputation: Immediately related to Adam, therefore guilty. Adam Descendant Descendant Descendant You \________/____________/___________/_________/

2F. Romans 5:12 is interpreted to mean that "we have all inherited a sin nature (original sin)" from Adam and are therefore considered guilty. Man is not born corrupt because he sinned in Adam in any way, but man is considered guilty because of the inherent corruption which is shared with Adam.



2E. The Objections.

1F. It does not do justice to the language of Romans 5:12—"sinned" is in the aorist. 2F. It does not account for the repeated reference to the "one" sin in Romans 5:15-19.

"Hereditary depravity cannot be called one trespass." 3F. It does not do justice to the parallelism with Christ and the man. Christ's

righteousness is directly imputed and not transmitted by inheritance. 4F. If Adam's guilt is not imputed to man, then there is no just cause for man to receive a

sin principle. Rather, man is guilty before God because of his personal/corporate involvement in Adam's sin.

2C. Theories Proposing a Direct Immediate Imputation.

1D. The Realistic Theory.

1E. The Theory.

1F. Adam and his posterity existed together, and sinned together as a unity. The essence of the whole human race was in Adam and thus Adam's will was the will of corporate humanity.

2F. The "all sinned" of Romans 5:12 means that all participated in Adam's sin by

virtue of their real union with Adam. The sin is therefore directly imputed to each person. Romans 5:12—(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—

2E. The Support.

1F. The natural headship revealed in Scripture: All men were seminally, genetically and substantively present in Adam as Levi was present in Abraham's loins.

Hebrews 7:9-10—(9) And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, (10) for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

2F. Therefore, all men were racially and substantively involved in Adam's sin (Romans 5:12). As a result, God imputes Adam's sin to all men.

3F. It gives the most natural interpretation of "for all sinned" (Romans 5:12). There is

no indication that "all" are only reckoned sinners because of Adam's sin. 4F. It best protects the justice of God. We are judged for our participation in the

first sin.


5F. It best accords with the conclusion that evil tendencies are inherited. God does not have to create an evil soul.

3E. The Objections.

1F. There can be no sin prior to consciousness.

Reply: The larger part of man's evil states/dispositions are unconscious (cf. Leviticus 5:17; Psalm 19:12). The first sin of any man is probably committed in infancy when there is little self-consciousness. Leviticus 5:17—"Now is a person sins and does any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, thought he was unaware, still he is guilty, and shall bear his punishment." Psalm 19:12—Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.

2F. There can be no responsibility for a sinful nature which we did not personally originate.

Reply: Both Scripture and conscience testify to the fact that we are responsible for what we are as well as what we do (cf. 1 John 1:8). The sinful nature is not something external to us, but is in reality us.

3F. If we are responsible for Adam's first sin, we must also be responsible for all of the

other sins of Adam and the ancestors following him.

Reply: There is a difference between the human nature as a unity and individuals in which this nature is individualized. Considered as individuals Adam and Eve were not the entire human race, but they contained it. Thus there is a difference between the sin of the human race and personal sin. The race is imputed only the probationary sin which could determine the entire human nature. The other sins of Adam were his personal sins. The apostasy of the human race could occur but once.

4F. It does not follow the parallelism of Romans 5:12-21. We did not personally

participate in the righteous act of Christ, therefore we did not personally participate in the sin of Adam. Both are representatives.

Reply: Two possible answers— 1G. The imputation of sin and righteousness are not precisely parallel. The

righteousness can be imputed graciously without our personal act. But sin could hardly be imputed without our personal involvement. Shedd writes:

"But holiness and sin are absolute and irreconcilable contraries; so that some things that are true of the former are untrue of the latter. God may be the author of holiness, but not of sin. He can "give" that is gratuitously and undeservedly impute, righteousness, but not unrighteousness. He can


pronounce a man innocent when he is guilty, because Christ has obeyed for him; but he cannot pronounce a man guilty when he is innocent, because Adam disobeyed for him."23

2G. Both imputations are based upon union with the heads. According to Rom.

5:19, "This being 'constituted righteous" presupposes the fact of a union between ho eis and hoi polloi, i.e., between Christ and believers, just as the being 'constituted sinners' presupposed the fact of a union between ho eis and hoi polloi, i.e., between all men and Adam."24

2D. The Representative Theory.

1E. The Theory.

1F. Adam is both the natural head and the federal head (by virtue of the covenant of works) of the race.

2F. Imputation of sin is the direct result of the federal headship. God imputes sin to

man because Adam, man's kinsman and representative head, sinned. 3F. As a result of the imputation of Adam's sin, each man receives a sin principle. 4F. Romans 5:12 is interpreted as "we all sinned in the person of our representative."


2E. The Support.

1F. The position of Adam as representative head of the race.

1G. Adam's name is generic meaning man. 2G. Adam's posterity are equally involved in the judicial sentence which was

immediately pronounced—pain in childbirth, curse of the ground, hard labor, physical death.

3G. All his posterity have equal interest in the promise of the seed of the woman which was made to him.

2F. The representative principle in Scripture.

1G. The general teaching of the father's actions affecting the family. Exodus 20:5—"You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,"

23Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, II, p. 63. 24Strong, Systematic Theology, p. 627.


Jeremiah 32:18—who showest lovingkindness to thousands, but repayest the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The LORD of hosts is His name.

2G. The sin of Achan in Joshua 7. Because he sinned, he and his family were stoned and his property burned.

3G. A blessing was also by representation.

1 Kings 11:11-12—(11) So the LORD said to Solomon, "Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. (12) Nevertheless, I will not do it in your days for the sake of your father David, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son." 1 Kings 15:1, 3-4—(1) Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah. (3) And he [Abijam] walked in all the sins of his father [Nebat] which he had committed before him; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, like the heart of his father David. (4) But for David's sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to raise up his son after him and to establish Jerusalem.

3F. The parallelism of Romans 5:12-21.

1G. Adam's actual sin imputed to us—not inherent in us. Christ's actual righteousness imputed to us—not inherent in us.

2G. The sin of Adam was not our personal sin but became the ground of condemnation. The righteousness of Christ is not our personal righteousness but becomes the ground of our justification.

3E. The Objections.

1F. It contradicts Scripture.

1G. The Scriptures say that the offense of Adam constituted the race sinners, not that God only regarded them as sinners.

Romans 5:19—(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.

2G. Death is said to have passed upon all men not because they were regarded as sinners, but because they all sinned. Romans 5:12—(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—


3G. There is no evidence of a covenant which made Adam the representative of the whole race.

Reply: The representative nature of Adam is demanded by the language of the passage: 1H. The continual reference of the "one" to the "many." 2H. The dissimilarity between the sin of Adam and his posterity. 3H. The parallelism between Adam and Christ.

2F. It impugns the justice of God to reckon all of mankind sinners on the basis of

another man's sin.

Reply: 1G. It is only with Adam that mankind could be tested from a "neutral" position. 2G. It is no more unjust than the Realist is position which views all as sinning

before personal consciousness. 3G. Although there is no final answer to this objection, it accounts for the fact

that all are born sinful as children of wrath.

3B. Imputation of Sin and the Salvation of Infants.

1C. Infants are born into a state of sin. (Cf. the section on Original Sin). 2C. The state of infants who die before the age of accountability.

1D. The statement of David.

2 Samuel 12:23—"But now he [David's infant son] has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me."

2D. Infants do not commit personal acts of sin.

Deuteronomy 1:39—'Moreover, your little ones who you said would become a prey, and your son, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, shall enter there, and I will give it to them, and they shall possess it.' Isaiah 7:16—"For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken." Romans 9:10-11—(10) And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; (11) for though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, in order that God's purpose according to His choice might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls,"


Jonah 4:11—"And should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?"

3D. The basis of the judgment of the lost is always personal conduct—evil works.

No one is thrown into hell because they did not believe in Christ, but always because of their acts. This is because man's rejection and disobedience of God and of Christ, always surfaces in sinful acts. The sinful nature always reveals itself in sinful acts, and it is the sinful acts which are the basis on which each person is judged.

Romans 2:5-6—(5) But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, (6) who WILL RENDER TO EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: Revelation 20:12-13—(12) And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. (13) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.

3C. Conclusion—All of the human race participated in sin. Yet no human soul is eternally condemned solely for this sin of nature. Therefore, it would appear that all who have not consciously and willfully transgressed are made partakers of Christ's salvation by grace.

5A. INHERENT OR ORIGINAL SIN—THE SIN NATURE.25

1B. Definition:

1C. Inherent sin or the sin nature is the internal principle of sin which is inherited from Adam by all men and is retained during the earthly life. (See Psalm 51:5; Matthew 7:11; Romans 7:18; I John 1:8).

2C. "The sinful state of condition in which men are born..."26

3C. Inherent sin may also be designated as original sin or the sin principle.

2B. The Theological Term—Original Sin. 1C. This term is sometimes used for Adam's sin and sometimes just for the imputation of

Adam's guilt and depraved nature, (cf. Buswell, I, p. 285). It is most generally used for the sinful state of sinful man, (cf. Hodge, II, p. 227).

2C. It is called original because:

1D. It is derived from the original root of the human race—Adam.

25The majority of 5B. is taken directly from Saucy, pp. 20-23, with some additions from Holloman, pp. II-10—II-11. 26Berkhof, Systematic Theology, p. 244.


2D. It is present in the life of every individual from the time of birth. 3D. It is the inward root of all the actual sins that defile the life of man.

3B. The Universality of Original Sin.

1C. Are all men born sinful? YES:______ NO:______.

Genesis 8:21—And the LORD smelled the soothing aroma; and the LORD said to Himself, "I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living things, as I have done. Job 14:4—"Who can make the clean out of the unclean? No one!" Psalm 51:5—Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. Psalm 58:3—The wicked are estranged from the womb; These who speak lies go astray from birth. Proverbs 22:15—Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him. John 3:6—"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

2C. Are all men sinful by nature? YES:______ NO:______.

Jeremiah 13:23—"Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to do evil. Ephesians 2:2-3—(2) in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. (3) Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

3C. Does sin underlie man's consciousness? YES:______ NO:______.

Psalm 19:12—Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. Jeremiah 17:9—"The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it."

4C. Do all men suffer the penalty of sin and death? YES:______ NO:______. Even those who

have never sinned by personal and conscious choice? YES:______ NO:______.


Romans 5:12-14—(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.

5C. Is the fact that all men commit acts of sin evidence of original sin? Why? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

4B. The Nature of Original Sin.

1C. Original sin involves two aspects: 1D. Guilt—related to God's justice. 2D. Corruption—related to God's holiness.

2C. What aspects of man's nature are said to be corrupted by sin according to the following

verses? Romans 1:12 ___________ Hebrews 9:14 - conscience Ephesians 4:17, 18 - vain mind, darkened understanding, blinded heart Jeremiah 17:9 - desperately sick heart Titus 1:15 - both minds and consciences are defiled; Mark 7:21-23 - an evil heart Genesis 6:5 - imaginations of their heart are only evil; Romans 8:7 - the mind is set on the flesh, hostile to God 1 Timothy 4:2 - heard consciences seared with hot iron; Jeremiah 13:23 - accustomed to do evil John 5:40 - unwilling Is all of man affected? YES:______ NO:______.

3C. The Original Guilt. 1D. Definition—The desert of punishment, or obligation to render satisfaction to God's

justice because of sin. 2D. The proof of original guilt.

1E. All sin involves guilt. 2E. All men are under the penalty of original sin, thus implying that they are guilty.

(Romans 5:12-14, cf. 5:19—sin reigned unto death). This is the principle of sin. 3E. This cause of acts of sin must be as guilty as the acts themselves.


4C. Total Depravity.

1D. Negatively—What it does not mean.

1E. That every man is as thoroughly depraved as he can possibly become. Genesis 15:16—"Then in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete." 2 Timothy 3:13—But evil men and imposters will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

2E. That the sinner has no innate knowledge of the will of God or a conscience that

discriminates between good and evil.

Romans 2:15—in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,

3E. That sinful man is incapable of good acts toward men.

Mark 10:21—And looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." Matthew 7:11—"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!" Matthew 5:46-47—(46) "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same? (47) And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?"

4E. That every unregenerate man will indulge in every form of sin.

2D. Positively—What it does mean.

1E. That inherent corruption extends to the whole of man's natural nature. (Cf. the above on corruption).

2E. That there is no spiritual good in relation to God in the sinner at all.

Romans 7:18—For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.

3E. Total inability to correct his corrupt nature.

Jeremiah 13:23—"Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots?


Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to do evil.

Romans 7:24—Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?

5C. Total Depravity and Freedom of the Will.

1D. The Nature of Man's Freedom of Will.

1E. The sense in which man is free.

1F. Man is free to choose as he pleases, but this is always in accord with his prevailing disposition and tendency of his soul.

2F. Man is never made to will what he doesn't desire to will in the light of

circumstances. He is never forced by anything outside of himself.

2E. The sense in which man's will is not free—Man is in bondage to a corrupt prevailing disposition or permanent principle. Man was unconfirmed in creation and thus had the power to choose evil or good. But in the choice of evil, man's disposition was thus confirmed in evil. Man's regenerate state in eternity will be confirmed holiness and thus man will not be able to will to sin—we won't want to!

2D. The theory that man has "self-determining power of will."

1E. The theory stated—The will is completely indifferent either to good or evil and that each act is freely made both in respect to outward circumstances and inward desires.

2E. Objections.

1F. Denial of the moral character of volitions—If the will is self-determined and not the expression of the character of the man, then there is no moral quality to the will. For example, if you will to kill, the morality of th act depends upon the motive involved. If from a good character in obedience to God, then the act is good, but if from a motive stirred by jealous or other evil motives, then the act is bad. If the will can just will freely without it being an expression of the man, then the man is not responsible for it and there is no moral character.

2F. Denial of the rationality of volition—"A rational act is not merely an act

performed by a rational being, but one performed for a reason, whether good or bad. An act performed without a reason, without intention or object, for which no reason can be assigned beyond the mere power of acting is as irrational as the actions of a brute or of an idiot. If the will therefore ever acts independently of the understanding and of the feelings, its volitions are not the acts of a rational being any further than they would be if reason were entirely dethroned."27

27Hodge, II, p. 304.


6C. Total Depravity and Moral Responsibility.

1D. The requirements for moral responsibility.

1E. Must have reason to distinguish truth from falsehood. 2E. Must have moral sense to distinguish right from wrong. 3E. His will in his acts must be self-decided—i.e., determined by its own spontaneous

affections and desires.

2D. Man is morally responsible.

1E. Man has all of the necessary requirements. 2E. Man's inability does not relieve him of moral responsibility. "Man's inability to restore

what he owes to God, an inability brought upon himself, does not excuse man from paying the satisfaction due to justice; for the result of sin cannot excuse sin itself."28

5B. Views Opposed to the Concept of Original Sin.

1C. Pelagianism.

1D. Denial of the sin nature including guilt and corruption. 2D. The ability of man—The free will of man is unimpaired by sin. Man is free to cease from sin,

as to sin, like Adam was prior to the Fall. 2C. Semi-pelagianism and Early Arminianism.

1D. Original sin consists of hereditary corruption, but not guilt. Man does not become responsible for this corruption until he commits acts of sin.

2D. God restores in common grace the ability of man to choose good.

3C. The Roman Catholic View.

1D. Original sin is conceived of as primarily the loss of supernatural gifts. Man is thus in the pure state of nature although somewhat weakened by the loss.

2D. Free will was not lost or extinguished by the fall of Adam (Council of Trent). 4C. The modern concept of original sin—Original sin is basically man's existential position by

creation. Man belongs both to the natural and the spiritual world. This creates anxiety which is the source of acts of sin. There is no guilt attached to this state. Each is his own Adam.

6A. INDIVIDUAL OR PERSONAL SIN.

1B. Definition—Individual sins refer to any type of sin committed either willfully or ignorantly by a

person. Sins of ignorance (Hebrews 9:7, agnoema, "errors," "ignorance"), are sins which still make the individual responsible if he could have known the Lord's will.

28Anselm: Cur deus homo, I. xxiv. cited by Shedd, II, p. 243.


2B. What is the origin of personal sin? Is it different than in Adam?

James 1:13— God is not the source Matthew 12:33-35— the evil heart will produce evil deeds Matthew 15:18-19— the heart Proverbs 4:23— the heart comes out the issues of life Jeremiah 17:9— the heart is deceitful at all times Mark 7:21-23— from within the heart 1 John 1:8, 10— from and in us 1C. Individual sins originate from man's inherent sinful nature. 2C. The inherent sin principle is expressed in production of particular sins according to Proverbs

4:23; Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 15:18-20; Matthew 12:33-36; Mark 7:21-23; 1 John 1:8, 10.

3C. Therefore, it is erroneous to teach that man only becomes sinful when he sins. As indicated in

the passages above, Christ (as well as the rest of the Bible) teaches that man sins because he is inherently sinful.

3B. What are the various kinds of personal sins? Does God make a difference between sins of act or

thought?

Matthew 5:21-22—(21) "You have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT

MURDER' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' (22) But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, 'Raca,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell." 1 John 3:15—Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. Exodus 20:17—"You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Colossians 3:5—Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.

James 4:17—Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.

1 John 3:17—But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 1C. Biblical Distinctions.

1D. Sin of Willfulness.


Hebrews 10:26—For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

2D. Sins of Weakness or Ignorance.

Luke 23:34—But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. Acts 17:30—"Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent," 1 Timothy 1:13—even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. And yet I was shown mercy, because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; Hebrews 9:7—but into the second only the high priest enters, once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.

3D. Numbers 15:29-31 makes this distinction.

Numbers 15:29-31—(29)"You shall have one law for him who does anything unintentionally, for him who is native among the sons of Israel and for the alien who sojourns among them. (30) But the person who does anything defiantly, whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming the LORD; and that person shall be cut off from among his people. (31) Because he has despised the word of the LORD and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be on him."

2C. Roman Catholic Distinctions.

1D. Venial Sins. 1E. They are committed when there is a transgression of the law of God in a matter that

is not of serious importance, or when the transgression is not altogether voluntary. 2E. Such sins are forgiven more easily and even without confession.

2D. Mortal Sin.

1E. It is committed as a willful violation of the law of God in a matter which one believes to be important.

2E. It renders the sinner liable to eternal punishment. 3E. Forgiveness for a mortal sin can be obtained only by the sacrament of penance.

Evaluation: The Bible makes no such distinctions. Cf. 1 John 5:17.

4B. To whom is the offense of sin?

Proverbs 8:36—___________________________________________________ 1 Corinthians 8:12—________________________________________________


Isaiah 42:24—____________________________________________________ Psalm 51:4—_____________________________________________________ Proverbs 6:32—___________________________________________________ Luke 15:18—_____________________________________________________ 1 Samuel 12:23—__________________________________________________

5B. Are there degrees of guilt in sins?

1 John 5:17—All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death. John 19:11—Jesus answered, "You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me up to you has the greater sin." Matthew 11:20-24—(21) "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. (22) Nevertheless I say to you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you. Luke 12:47-48—(47) "And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, shall receive many lashes, (48) but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. And from everyone who has been given much shall much be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more." 1C. "All unrighteousness is sin"—1 John 5:17. With God, every moral matter is either right or

wrong. 2C. However, within the category of sin itself, there are different degrees of sin.

1D. The degree of sin (or guilt for sin) is determined by:

1E. The nature of the sin itself. For instance, the distinction between sins of willfulness and sins of weakness.

2E. The degree of revelation possessed determines the degree of responsibility assessed. (See John 19:11; Matthew 11:20-24; Luke 12:47-48).

2D. The degree of sin (or guilt for sin) is implied by differences in severity of punishment.

Note: There were various penalties for infraction of the various Old Testament laws.

3C. How does the question of knowledge relate to guilt? __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________

4B. Special sins.

1C. What is the unpardonable sin?


Matthew 12:31—"Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven." Mark 3:28-29—(28) "Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; (29) but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"— The sin: Attributing the supernatural power which Christ was using to cast out demons, to

Satan. The rejection of that full light, after which more light only hardens. 1D. The Holy Spirit's ministry is to show Christ to the world.

1 Corinthians 12:3—Therefore I make known to you, that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed"; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. John 16:8-14—(8) "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment; (9) concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; (10) and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you no longer behold Me; (11) and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. (12) "I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. (13) "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. (14) "He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you." John 15:26—"When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness of Me,"

2D. Salvation is found only in Christ. 3D. Resisting the work of the Holy Spirit is by nature, an unpardonable sin. You resist the only

place where help can be found.

Hebrews 2:2-4—(2) For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, (3) how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, (4) God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. Hebrews 10:26-29—(26) For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. (28) Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. (29) How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?


4D. Repeated resistance brings a fixed state of hardening. This is a thing of the heart. Pharaoh is an example; Judas also.

1 John 2:19—They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us.

5D. An illustration—If a man can't swim and is drowning, and you throw him a life preserver

which lands next to him, yet he does not grab it and drowns, was his drowning because he did not grab the life preserver or because he could not swim? It's both. In the same way, the non-believer dies because of his sins (he can't swim), and also because he does not take hold of Christ (the life preserver).

2C. What is the "sin unto death"?

1 John 5:16—If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. Two interpretations: 1D. He is called "a brother." Therefore, it is physical death. God will remove a person, (a

Christian), who is sinning certain sins through physical death.

1 Corinthians 11:29-30—For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he does not judge the body rightly. (30) For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. 1 Corinthians 5:5—I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

2D. He is not a Christian. Therefore, it is a similar death to the unpardonable sin. Death = spiritual death. Rejecting God after much knowledge.

1E. The context before and after is talking about life, eternal life. 2E. God tells Jeremiah not to pray for certain people—unbelievers.

Jeremiah 7:16—"As for you, do not pray for this people, and do not lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me; for I do not hear you." (11:14)—"Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not listen when they call to Me because of their disaster." (14:11)—So the LORD said to me, "Do not pray for the welfare of this people."

3E. Objection—He's called "a brother." Answer—1 John 3:15 states: "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murdered has eternal life abiding in him." Thus, a "brother" can be a non-Christian according to John.


7A. THE RELATION OF THE UNSAVED TO SIN.29

1B. The relation to the author of sin—Satan.

1C. Energized by Satan.

1D. energeo—"effective working."

Ephesians 2:1-2—(1) And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, (2) in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

2D. God is the energizing One in the believer. We can probably attribute similar actions to Satan in the life of the unbeliever—"to will and to do." Philippians 2:13—for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

2C. Blinded by Satan.

The unsaved are completely incapacitated to understand the gospel without the illumination of the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4—(3) And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, (4) in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

3C. Under the power of Satan.

The whole world lies in the wicked one and in his sphere. Therefore the unsaved are under the power of darkness. 1 John 5:19—We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. Colossians 1:13—For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,

2B. Summary of the estate of the unregenerate man.

1C. Imputed sin. The cause of original sin. The unregenerate man is guilty and corrupt because of sinning in Adam.

2C. Original sin. Born with corruption and guilt. Born is a state of spiritual death—separation from God.

29All of 1C. and 2C. are taken from Saucy, p. 25. All of 3C. is taken from Holloman, pp. II-14—II-16.


3C. Personal sin. Performs acts of sin making him guilty.

4C. Under sin. Completely shut up under sin. There is no chance of escape except through the mercy and grace of God. Galatians 3:22—But the Scripture has shut up all men under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Romans 3:9—What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin;

Romans 7:14—For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. Romans 11:32—For God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all.

5C. Under the influence and authority of Satan.

3B. The results of sin for the unsaved (except where indicated that the results may apply to believers also).

1C. Guilt before God.

1D. Guilt in a subjective, experiential, relational sense means man's consciousness of disobeying God and deserving divine judgment, (i.e., the feeling of guilt). 1E. The cure for such guilt is the assurance of God's forgiveness. 2E. A person experiences this cure from guilt initially by trusting Christ as their personal

Savior.

Acts 13:38-39—(38) "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, (39) and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.

3E. The believer in Christ continues to experience this cure by confessing their sin. (See Psalm 32 and 51).

1 John 1:7, 9—(7) but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. (9) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2D. Guilt in an objective, judicial, positional sense means that God holds man morally responsible for sin and as such will judge man for his sin, (i.e., the fact of guilt).


1E. The unbeliever is subject to the eternal wrath of God as long as he remains in his unbelief.

John 3:18—"He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:36—"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." Romans 1:18-32—(18) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, Romans 3:19—Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God;

2E. However, when a person trusts Christ as personal Savior:

1F. He is no longer accounted guilty before God. 2F. He receives assurance of judicial forgiveness from God.

Colossians 2:13—And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,

3F. He has the righteousness of Christ imputed to him.

Romans 3:22—even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;

4F. He will never again be subject to the eternal wrath of God.

John 5:24—"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life." Romans 8:1—There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

2C. Experience of pollution (or uncleanness, defilement).

1D. Pollution in the ethical or moral sense is the defiling effect brought about by a person's involvement with sin.

2 Corinthians 7:1—Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse our-selves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.


2D. The cure for pollution is the cleansing work of God by applying the blood of Christ.

1E. A person who trusts Christ as personal Savior receives the overall divine cleansing at initial salvation.

John 3:5—Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John 13:10—Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you." John 15:3—"You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you." Titus 3:5—He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

2E. The believer continues to experience divine cleansing from the pollution of sin as he

continues to confess his sin.

Psalm 51:7, 10—(7) Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (10) Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

1 John 1:7, 9—(7) but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. (9) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

3C. Physical and psychical suffering.

1D. All men are liable to reap the temporal consequences of sin according to the sure operation of God's moral laws.

Galatians 6:7-8—(7) Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. (8) For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. Numbers 32:23—"But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your sin will find you out. Job 4:8—"According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity And those who sow trouble harvest it." Psalm 94:23—And He has brought back their wickedness upon them, And will destroy them in their evil; The LORD our God will destroy them.


Proverbs 5:22—His own iniquities will capture the wicked, And he will be held with the cords of his sin.

2D. Some examples of physical and psychical suffering are:

1E. Crime—fear, imprisonment, difficult adjustment to normal life. 2E. Immorality—mental, emotional and physical problems. (See Proverbs 2:16-22 and I

Corinthians 6:12-20). 3E. Alcoholism—individual, social, domestic, vocational, mental, emotional and physical

problems. 4E. Laziness—poverty, loss of job, failure in school and poor health. ARE THERE OTHER TYPES OF PHYSICAL OR PSYCHICAL SUFFERING? 5E. ____________—______________________________________________. 6E. ____________—______________________________________________.

4C. Increased bondage to sin.

Popular terms for this concept: "addiction," "hooked," or "break the habit." "There is also truth, however, in the contention that repeated sinful deeds lead to the establishment of sinful habits."30 John 8:34—Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin." Romans 1:21-32, especially 24, 26, 28—(24) Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. (25) For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (26) For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, (27) and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. (28) And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, (29) being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips. Romans 6:17—But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, Titus 3:3—For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 2 Peter 2:19—promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.

30Berkhof, p. 233.


5C. Further degradation in sin.

2 Timothy 3:13—But evil men and imposters will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

6C. Children of wrath and of the devil.

Ephesians 2:3—Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. John 8:44—"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies." 1 John 3:8-10—(8) the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil. (9) No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (10) By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. 1 John 5:19—We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

7C. Understanding that is spiritually darkened.

Ephesians 4:18—being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; Genesis 6:5—Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Romans 1:21—For even though they knew God, they did not honor His as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Romans 1:31—without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; Romans 3:11—"THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;" 2 Corinthians 4:4—in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

8C. Spiritually unprofitable because there is:

1D. No desire for the Lord.

Romans 3:11B—"THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;"


Psalm 10:4—The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him. All his thoughts are, "There is not God."

2D. A lack of receptivity of spiritual things.

Romans 3:11A—"THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS," 1 Corinthians 2:14—But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

3D. The absence of true righteousness and goodness.

Romans 3:10—as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;"

Romans 3:12B—"THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE." Romans 7:18—For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for thw wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. Ecclesiastes 7:20—Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.

4D. No enjoyment of peace.

Romans 3:17—"AND THE PATH OF PEACE HAVE THEY NOT KNOWN." Isaiah 57:20-21—(20) But the wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot be quiet, And its waters toss up refuse and mud. (21) "There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked."

5D. Neglect of reverence for God. Romans 3:18—"THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES." Proverbs 16:6—By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, And by the fear of the LORD one keeps away from evil.

6D. No experience of true joy.

Romans 3:16—"DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS,"

9C. A heart that is incomparably deceitful and desperately wicked. Popular expression: "He's a good-hearted person."

Jeremiah 17:9—"The heart is more deceitful than all else


And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?

10C. An evil conscience.

Hebrews 10:22—let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

11C. Defiled flesh and spirit.

2 Corinthians 7:1—Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

12C. A will enslaved to sin and unable to perform genuine good.

Romans 7:18-19—(18) For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. (19) For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish.

13C. A life that is destructive and harmful to others. (E.g., vandalism).

Romans 3:15-16—(15) "THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, (16) DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS,"

14C. Speech that is corrupt and injurious to others.

Romans 3:13-14—(13) "THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING," "THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS"; (14) "WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS"; Galatians 5:15—But if you bite and devour one another, take care lest you be consumed by one another.

15C. Spiritual and physical death.

Ephesians 2:1, 5—(1) And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, (5) Even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), Hebrews 9:27—And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, Genesis 2:17—"but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die."

16C. Slavery through fear of punishment, especially death.


Hebrews 2:15—and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

17C. Natural disasters which are ultimately a result of the curse upon the present natural order due to man's fall into sin. (E.g., earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, volcanoes, floods, etc.).

Genesis 3:17-18—(17) Then to Adam He said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it'; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you shall eat of it, All the days of you life. (18) "Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you shall eat the plants of the field." Romans 8:19-23—(19) For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. (20) For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope (21) that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (22) For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. (23) And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

4B. Punishment of the Unsaved.

1C. The unbeliever ultimately will be cast into the lake of fire for rejecting Christ as personal Savior.

John 16:9—concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; Revelation 20:15—And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

2C. The personal sins of the unbeliever will determine the degree of his punishment in the lake of

fire. God's justice demands degrees of punishment for the unsaved according to their sins, just as His grace and judgment provide degrees of rewards for the saved according to their service.

Genesis 18:25—"Far be it from Thee to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from Thee! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?" Matthew 10:15—"Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city. Matthew 11:21-23—(21) "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracle had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. (22) Nevertheless I say to you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you. (23) And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to


heaven, will you? You shall descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day." Revelation 20:12-13—(12) And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. (13) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. John 19:11—Jesus answered, "You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me up to you has the greater sin." Luke 12:47-48—(47) "And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, shall receive many lashes, (48) but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. And from everyone who has been given much shall much be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more." 1 Corinthians 3:14-15—(14) If any man's work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. (15) If any man's work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire. 2 Corinthians 5:10—For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

5B. Prevention of Sin in Relation to the Unsaved.

1C. Unbelievers do not experience deliverance from the bondage of sin in a way that is pleasing to God. Romans 8:6-8—(6) For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, (7) because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so; (8) and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. John 8:34—Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin."

2C. Even the religious works of unbelievers are described as:

1D. "Practice of lawlessness."

Matthew 7:23—"And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU

WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'"

2D. "Works of the flesh."


Galatians 5:19—Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,

3D. "Dead works."

Hebrews 6:1—Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

3C. The direction of unbelievers is generally towards greater bondage to sin, (John 8:34; Romans 1:18-32; 2 Timothy 3:13), rather than a gradual self-deliverance from sin.

John 8:34—Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin." Romans 1:24—Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. 2 Timothy 3:13—But evil men and imposters will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

4C. True prevention of personal sin can be accomplished only after divine regeneration, (I John 3:9, cf. John 8:36), not merely by self-reformation, (Matthew 12:43-45).

1 John 3:9—No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. John 8:36—"If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." Matthew 12:45—Then it goes, and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse that the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.

8A. THE RELATION OF THE BELIEVER TO SIN.

1B. Improper views.

1C. Antinomianism—Sin is no longer a problem in the life of the believer. Under grace the moral law is of no use or obligation for the believer. Anti-law. Nomianism = Law. nomos = law. This

view was stated in opposition to the Roman Catholic position and their work philosophy

back in the old times. Today it comes out in people who want to do away with guilt—people

who confuse the believer's position with the believer's experience. "I'm holy in position, even

though I'm sinning. Therefore, I'm holy." 2C. Perfectionism—The Christian may reach a place in his sanctification where he is free from all

sin. Not true, because David prays, "Cleanse me from secret sin." 2B. The believer and sin.


1C. Does the believer still have a fleshly or sinful principle? YES:____ NO:____.

Romans 7:21-23—(21) I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. (22) For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, (23) but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Galatians 5:17—For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 1 John 1:8—If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

2C. Does the believer still commit sins? YES:____ NO:____.

1 John 1:10—If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

1 John 2:1—My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; Galatians 6:1—Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted. 1 Corinthians 3:3—for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? Ephesians 4:28—Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need. Colossians 3:9—Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices.

3C. Does the Lord's chastening of believers indicate that sin is yet present? YES:____ NO:____.

Hebrews 12:7-11—(7) It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? (8) But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. (9) Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? (10) For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness. (11) All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

3B. The causes of sin in the believer. The three basic enemies of the believer which influence him to sin are often listed as the world, the flesh and the devil.


1C. The world. 1D. What is the nature of the world's influence?

1 John 2:15—Do not love the world, not the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 2 Timothy 4:10—for Demas, having loved the present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. James 4:4—You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. It attracts. It lures us to love it.

2D. What is the believer's defense against the world?

1 John 5:4-5—(4) For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. (5) And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

2C. The flesh.

1D. What is the nature of the influence of the flesh?

Galatians 5:17—For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. Romans 8:7-8—(7) because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so; The flesh = that which is (in) me that still wants its own way. I am no match for the

flesh. I cannot fight my flesh in the flesh.

2D. What is the believer's provision against the flesh?

Galatians 5:16—But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Galatians 5:24-25—(24) Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (25) If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Romans 8:13—for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Luke 9:23—And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."


3C. The devil.

1D. What is the nature of the influence of the devil? Ephesians 6:11-12—(11) Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. (12) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 1 Peter 5:8—Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Most of Satan's temptations are socially mediated. For example, Peter "tempting"

Christ to not to go to Jerusalem. It is in this subtle way that Satan often deceives us.

2D. What is the believer's defense against the devil?

James 4:7—Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 1 Peter 5:9—But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. We are to resist. We are not to fool around with him. EPHESIANS 6:10-18—READ A GOOD COMMENTARY AND DEFINE ON A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER EACH PART OF THE ARMOR OF GOD. TO BE TURNED IN NEXT WEEK. (There are some good commentaries by Alford, F.F. Bruce, Hendricksen, Lightfoot, Robinson).

4B. The effect of sin in the life of the believer.

1C. What is the effect of sin on God? Ephesians 4:30—______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2C. What is the effect of sin on the believer?

1 Peter 3:7—______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 66:18—______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Psalm 32:3-5—______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Proverbs 28:13—______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 51:8-12—______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hebrews 12:6—______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2 Corinthians 11:29-30—______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Galatians 6:8—______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Romans 12:2—______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3C. The cure for sin in the life of the believer.

1D. What is the provision of God?

1 John 2:1-2—________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2D. What is the requirement for man?

1 John 1:9—________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Psalm 32:5—________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Proverbs 28:13—________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5B. Punishment of the Saved.


1C. The believer is free from condemnation and future punishment for his sins.

John 5:24—"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life." Romans 5:9—Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. Romans 8:1—There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

2C. The reason the believer is free is because Christ paid the penalty for sins in His substitutionary death on the cross.

2 Corinthians 5:21—He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 1 Peter 2:24—

3C. The believers has received judicial forgiveness for all of his sins through faith in Christ.

Acts 13:38-39—(38) "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, (39) and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses." Ephesians 1:7—In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, Colossians 1:14—in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 2:13—And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,

4C. The believer receives only temporary discipline in this life for unconfessed sin.

1D. The reason for this is not to pay the ultimate, eternal penalty for sin, since Christ has already done that.

2D. It is intended to:

1E. Keep the believer from being "condemned with the world." 1 Corinthians 11:32—But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord in order that we may not be condemned along with the world.

2E. Restore the believer to unhindered fellowship. 1 John 1:9—If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

3E. Develop the believer's life in holiness and fruitfulness.


Hebrews 12:10-11—(10) For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness. (11) All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

6B. Prevention of Sin in Relation to Believers. God has provided for the believer not only salvation from the penalty of sin (Romans 5:9) but also some effective preventives against the practice of sin in the believer's life. Actually, "No one who is born of God practices sin [i.e., habitually or as a life-style], because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God" (1 John 3:9). The new birth, which includes the gift of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9) and the impartation of a new nature (2 Peter 1:4; I John 3:9, "his seed"), is foundational to victory over the habit of sinning in the believer's life. Some of the means which God intends for the believer to consistently employ in the prevention of sin are as follows: 1C. Be filled with the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18—And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, Romans 8:11—But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you. Galatians 5:16-18—(16) But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. (17) For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. (18) But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

2C. Store the Word of God in the heart.

Psalm 119:9, 11, 133 — (9) How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Thy word. (11) Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee. (133) Establish my footsteps in Thy word, and do not let any iniquity have dominion over me. Colossians 3:16-17—(16) Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (17) And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Proverbs 22:17-18—(17) Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your mind to my knowledge; (18) For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, That they may be ready on your lips.

3C. Use the Word of God in facing Satan's temptations.


Ephesians 6:17—"And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." See also the example of Christ using the Scriptures in His battle to overcome Satan's wiles in Matthew 4:1-11.

4C. Realize the intercessory ministry of Jesus Christ for believers.

Luke 22:31-32—(31) "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; (32) but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." John 17:15—"I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one."

5C. Reckon oneself dead to sin on the basis of identification with Christ in death, burial and

resurrection.

Romans 6:11—Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

6C. Pray to resist temptation.

Psalm 119:133—Establish my footsteps in Thy word, And do not let any iniquity have dominion over me. Matthew 26:41—"Keep watching and praying, that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

1 Peter 4:7—The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. 1 Samuel 12:23—"Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way.

7C. Reverence the Lord.

Proverbs 16:6—By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, And by the fear of the LORD one keeps away from evil.

8C. Be involved in true Christian service.

1 Timothy 4:14—Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed upon you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. 2 Timothy 1:6—And for this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.


Titus 3:8—This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. See also 2 Samuel 11:1-ff. where King David did not follow this injunction and fell into sin.

Hamartiology - Disciples of Christ Community Church

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