Problem of Sin

• Undisputable Truths:
  • God is .
  • Everything that God created was .
  • Everything that originates with God is .
  • God is the very absence of or .
  • God cannot have any part whatsoever with the practice of .
  • God cannot initiate or acts against Himself.
  • God’s grace even covers His enemies.
  • God graces the rebel sinner with the very breath with which he uses to curse and damn Him.
• God cannot entice His servants to do . James 1:13-14
• Review of Image & Image Bearer:
  • Purpose of Image Bearer: Spontaneous with his life.
  • Worship is an act of the .
  • The only creature in all of creation with this ability.
  • The Image Bearer is in the natural state.
• All Image Bearers receive this state through Adam. Romans 5:12
  • He is incapable of in his fallen state. (Romans 5:10 – “enemies”)
• Historical Views of Original Sin & Consequences:
  • Plato:
  • Pelagius:
  • James Arminius:
  • John Wesley:
  • Theological Modernists:
  • Semi-Pelagianists / Roman Catholic Theologians:
  • Charles Finney:
  • Augustine / Calvin:
  • Luther:
• Three Questions Concerning Origins of Sin:
  • Question #1: Why did a put a of prohibition in the Garden?
  • The tree’s presence was a to His servants.
  • Adam & Eve were capable of doing or .
  • Adam & Eve lived in a environment.
  • Their drove them to voluntarily worship or selfishly fail.
  • God’s desire was for spontaneous worship of the Image–Bearer.
  • God His servants so that they might .
  • Through their righteous decisions (to abstain), they move into a closer with the Image.
  • They would God that eating was not a good thing.
  • They would not be pulled to believe that God was holding back the “best” from them.
  • Question #2: If God created all things exists, wouldn’t God be the creator of ?
  • Please Note: There can be no without the .
  • Without a standard of good to break, there can be no breakage.
  • God is the complete and ultimate for the .
• Apart from the assistance of divine , depraved people cannot do things. Isaiah 64:6
  • God divinely initiates all true good.
  • Please Note: God’s universal rule exists to and human activity in a fallen world bent on .
  • Satan cannot – he can only .
  • Evil is the of the good.
  • Out of all creation, only the Image-Bearer had the of worshiping God.
  • One sin was all it took to destroy the perfect relationship between Image and Image-Bearer.
  • God His creation by His so that it does not destroy itself.
  • Please Note: God gave Adam & Eve the of .
  • They had choices…not necessarily “ ”.
  • God taught them how to make the right choices through (it won’t be good for you) and love.
  • God also taught them how to love and serve (He solidified their ability and confidence in doing right).
  • God does not demand through .

2BEFORE THE FALL

3POST-FALL

4REGENERATE IMAGE BEARER

5ETERNAL STATE

6CONTRARY CHOICE

7NO CONTRARY CHOICE

• Adam and Eve could not have proven their allegiance without the .
• By having , they could voluntarily serve and obey their Creator.
• All creation stands liable for their .
• No human ever lacked the knowledge of God’s desire for with them. Acts 17:27
• No human ever lacked the knowledge of God’s moral for them. Romans 2:14-15
  • Question #3: If God is of all things and sin exists, wouldn’t God have to people to sin?
  • God invites “ ”.
  • We have the ability to through and prove our and to God.
  • We Him for what He says.
  • We live by in Him, not in ourselves.
  • We learn through each .
  • Sin takes root when we take advantage of contrary (as regenerate Image Bearers) to do evil rather than good.
  • Remember our uniqueness in creation to willfully worship God in spontaneity.

8ILL: Pharaoh’s heart, David’s Census, Judas’ betrayal, James 1

• Application:
• God desires our willful allegiance shown through our willful choice to live righteously.
• God desires
• God desires
• God desires a loving
• Remember to and reach for His .

9SEPTEMBER 9 & 23, 2001

10Genesis: Problem of Sin

11“If God is Good, Where did Sin Come From?”