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A. Although God created righteous and perfect man, and gave him a righteous law, which had been for life if he had saved, and threatened with death his transgression, man honored for long: Ec. 7:29; Ro. 5: 12a, 14, 15; Gn. 2:17; 4: 25-5: 3.
B. Using Satan the subtlety of the serpent to subdue Eve, then by her seducing Adam, who without any coercion, deliberately transgressed the law under which they were created and the mandate that had been given them, eating the forbidden fruit: Gn. 3: 1-7; 2 Corinthians 11: 3; 1 Tim. 2:14.
C. Which allow pleased God, according to his wise and holy counsel, having ordained for the purpose it was for his own glory: Rom. 11: 32-34; 2 Samuel 24: 1; 1 Cr . 21: 1; 1 Kings 22: 22,23; 2 Samuel 16:10; Acts.2:23; 4: 27,28.
MAN CREATED THE IMAGE OF GOD
In art, making images is an exercise in beauty. Painting, sculpture, and other arts tend to be imitative. By creating our objects we imitate real life.
The main artist is God. When God designed the universe, he left his stamp on it so that the heavens declare His glory and the firmament shows his work.
When God made the creatures that inhabit the earth and the sea, created a unique creature made in his own image. Genesis 1: 26-27 tells us: And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, yen every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. And God created man in his image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
As the Bible says that we are created in the image and likeness of God, some (especially Catholics) have concluded that there is a difference between being in the image and likeness of God be. But the structure of biblical language indicates that the image and likeness refer to the same thing.
We are the icons of God, creatures made with the unique ability to reflect the character of God, as if we were a mirror.
Being made in the image of God is often understood as indicating the sense that we are like God.Although He is the Creator and we are His creatures, and although God transcends us essentially held yen glory, but in a sense we are like Him. There is some kind of analogy between God and us. God is a moral and intelligent being. We are also equipped with a mind, a heart and a will moral agents.
These powers enable us to reflect God's holiness, holiness which was our original vocation.
The word man, when used in the passages of Scripture as "God created man in his own image" (Genesis 1:27), meaning "humanity". Both male and female of the human species have been created in the image of God. Part of this includes the call of humanity to rule the earth, to have dominion over it. We are called to cultivate, to fill, and save this land as the regents of God. We are called to reflect the character of the righteous rule of God over the universe. He never plundered or exploited what dominates, but reigns with justice and kindness.
On the occasion of the fall of mankind, something terrible happened. The image of God lost its luster. Our ability to reflect his holiness was so affected that this mirror is now opaque.
The fall, however, did not destroy our humanity. Although our ability to reflect God's holiness was lost in the fall, we are still human. We still have a mind, a heart and a will. Still we carry the mark of our Creator upon us. Christ who restores the fullness of the image of God in humans. He is, as the author of Hebrews declares, "the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person" (Hebrews 1: 3).
SUMMARY
1. God created humans male and female- -at his image and likeness.
2. There is some analogy between God and human beings that enables communication between the two.
3. Human beings, like God, are moral agents with the powers of thought and will.
4. Humans have been called to exercise dominion over the earth.
5. In the fall, the image of God in humans is overshadowed.
6. Christ is the perfect image of God. He is restoring us to the fullness of the image of God.
BIBLICAL PASSAGES FOR REFLECTION
Genesis 9: 6, Romans 8:29, 1 Corinthians 15: 42-57, Colossians 1:15.
SATAN
The figure of Satan is often conceived as a fugitive from a party of "Halloween", is portrayed wearing a ridiculous red suit. It has spurs, horns, a tail, and carries a trident.
This figure is a cause for ridicule among those who deny biblical Christianity. In particular occasion I asked my class of thirty students, "How many believe in God?" Most of the students raised her hand. Then I asked, "How many believe in the devil?" Only one hand went up.
A student blurted out , "How can an intelligent person believe in the devil in the days running? The devil belongs to superstition, along with ghosts, goblins and all the paraphernalia remainder of the night."
I said, "There is a lot more reliable to believe in Satan than to believe in leprechauns origin may be not convinced of the truth of the Bible, but certainly that is more reliable than fairy tales origin." .
Satan amassing along with witches and goblins involves violating the rules of a serious and grave thought. I continued my discussion with the student realizing you another question: "If we believe that God is an invisible being, and staff who have the ability to influence people towards good, why is so amazing and so hard to imagine that there is a being invisible and staff who have the ability to influence people to do wrong? "
It is possible that our problem regarding Satan lies in the fact that we are reacting to a caricature and not the biblical view on it. In Scripture, the word Satan means "adversary." We know him as the devil. It is an angelic creature who, before the creation of the human race, rebelled against God and has since fought against the human race and against God. It is called the prince of darkness, the father of lies, the accuser,and the serpent. This portrait has nothing to do with the comic adversary, with horns and a pitchfork, to which we have become accustomed.
That image, at least in part, arose in the medieval church. This cartoon Satan was created intentionally in the church to mock him. The church was convinced that it was an effective ploy against Satan insult him. It was considered that the most vulnerable part was his pride. The attack his pride was seen as an effective way to repel their attack.
The biblical notion, however, is much more sophisticated. He appears as an "angel of light". This image highlights the intelligent ability of Satan to manifest under the guise of good. Satan is very subtle, seductive and cunning. He can speak eloquently; its appearance is dazzling. Prince of Darkness wears a garment of light. Scripture also speaks of Satan as a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Christ is also called a lion, the Lion of Judah. He is the redeemer, the anti-lion and devourer. Both images speak of force.
How you should react, then the believer against Satan? On the one hand, Satan is really scary. In 1 Peter 5: 8 tells us that "your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."The believer's response should not be, however, fear. Satan may be stronger than us, but Christ is stronger than Satan.
The Bible states that "greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4: 4). Satan is after all a creature. It is finite and limited. It is limited in time and space. You can not be in more than one place at one time.
It should never be considered equal to God. Satan is a superior human order, is a fallen angel. But it is not divine. It has more power than the creatures of this world but its power is infinitely smaller than the power of Almighty God.
SUMMARY
1. Satan should not be compared to the mythological creatures.
2. Satan is a fallen sophisticated to deceive, tempt and accuse people angel powers.
3. Satan is a finite creature without powers and divine attributes.
BIBLICAL PASSAGES FOR REFLECTION
Job 1: 6-12, Matthew 4: 1-11, Luke 22:31, 2 Thessalonians 2: 5-10, 1 Peter 5: 8-11.
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A. For this sin, our first parents fell from their original righteousness and righteousness and communion with God, and we in them, so death came to all Gn. 3: 22-24; Ro. 5: 12ff. 1 Cor. 15: 20-22; Psalm 51: 4,5;58: 3; Eph. 2: 1-3; Gn. 8:21; Pr. 22:15.
B. Coming be all dead men in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body: Gn.2:17; Eph. twenty-one; Tit. 1:15; Gn. 6: 5; Jer. 17: 9; Ro. 3: 10-18; 1:21; Eph. 4: 17-19; 5:40 June.; Ro. 8: 7.
THE SIN
Sin can be illustrated as an archer shoots an arrow misses the target. It is not, of course, to infer that it is a moral issue not to hit the target in competitive target shooting. What happens is that the simplest biblical definition for sin is "missing the mark". In biblical terms, the target is not achieved is not a white stuffed with straw; is the white or the "norm" of God's law. The law of God expresses his own righteousness and is the highest standard for our behavior. When we miss the target of this standard, we sin.
The Bible speaks of the universality of sin in terms of not hitting the target of the glory of God. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
Saying that "nobody is perfect" or that "to err is human" is to recognize the universality of sin. We are all sinners and we all have need of redemption.
Sin can be defined as "not comply or violate any law of God, granted as the norm for rational creatures."There are three crucial dimensions in this definition. First, sin is the nonconformity or power not fully accomplish something. It constitutes non-compliance with the law of God. A sin of omission is the failure to do what God commands. If we are commanded to love our neighbor and we do not love, that is sin.
Second, sin is defined as a transgression of the law. Transgressing a law overlook their barriers across their boundaries. That is why we describe sin as "an invasion of property rights". We walked where we are not allowed to walk. In this case we speak of sins of commission, when we commit actions prohibited by God. When God's law is pronounced in negative terms, "Thou shalt not do this or that," and we do what is not allowed, we sin.
Third, sin is an action taken by creatures that they can remember. Being creatures created in the image of God, we are free moral agents. Because we have a mind and a will, we are able to make moral actions.We sin whenever we do something we know is wrong, and we choose to disobey God's law.
Protestantism rejects the classic distinction made in Catholic theology between venial sins and mortal sins. The classic Catholic theology defines a mortal sin as a sin that "kills" the grace in the soul and renew requires justification through the sacrament of penance. A venial sin is a sin less serious. Does not destroy the saving grace.
John Calvin said that all sin against God is a mortal sin as deserving of death, but no sin is mortal in the sense that destroys our justification by faith.
Protestantism claims that any sin is serious. Even the smallest sin is an act of rebellion against God. All sins are an act of cosmic treason, a futile attempt to dethrone God in his sovereign authority.
However, the Bible regards some more heinous than other sins. There are degrees of evil in the same way that there will be degrees of punishment in the court of justice of God. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for failing to comply with the most important questions of law, and upbraided the cities of Bethsaida and Chorazin telling them that their sin was worse than Sodom and Gomorrah (Matthew 11: 20-24).
The Bible also warns us about the guilt incurred by sinning multiple times. Although James teaches us that sin against part of the law sin against the whole law (James 2: 10), each particular transgression adds more guilt. Paul warns us not to lay up wrath against the day of wrath (Romans 2: 1-11).
Every time we commit a sin we are enlarging our guilt and our exposure to the wrath of God. However, God's grace is greater than all our fault seal.
The Bible takes sin seriously because it takes God seriously, and taken seriously humans.
When we sin against God, we are violating their sanctity. When we sin against our neighbor, we are violating their humanity.
SUMMARY
1. The biblical meaning of sin is missing the mark of God's justice.
2. All human beings are sinners.
3. Sin includes the failure to conform to something (of default) and transgression (commission) of the law of God.
4. Only moral agents may be guilty of sin.
5 . Protestantism rejects the difference between mortal and venial sins, but says that there are sins more serious than others.
6. With every sin committed incurred greater guilt.
7. Sin violates God and people.
BIBLICAL PASSAGES FOR REFLECTION
Romans 2: 1-11, Romans 3: 10-26, Romans 5: 12-19, James 1: 12-15, 1 John 1: 8-10.
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A. They being the root of the human race, and being by God 's design instead of all mankind, the guilt of sin was imputed and transmitted corrupt nature to all posterity descended from them by ordinary generation, being now conceived in sin, and by nature children of wrath, the servants of sin, subject to death and all other - spiritual, temporal and eternal - misery, unless the Lord Jesus set them free: Ro. 5: 12ff. 1 Corinthians 15: 20-22; Psalm 51: 4,5; 58: 3; Eph. 2: 1-3; Gn. 8:21; Pr 22:15.; Job 14: 4; 15:14.
ORIGINAL SIN
It is a fairly common place to hear the statement that "people are basically good." Although it is recognized that no one is perfect, human malice is minimized. However, if people are basically good, why sin is so universal?
It is often said that everyone sins due to the negative influence of society. The problem is framed within the social environment and not within our own nature. But this explanation of the universality of sin does not answer this question: "How was that society became corrupt in the first place?"
If people are good and innocent when they're born, we would expect at least a percentage of them they remained good and without sin. It should be possible to find not corrupt societies, where the environment has been conditioned by sinlessness rather than being conditioned by the sinfulness.
And yet, even the most committed to justice communities have had to take provisions to deal with the guilt of sin.
As the fruit is universally corrupt, we seek the root of the problem in the tree. Jesus taught us that a good tree can not produce corrupt fruit. The Bible teaches very clearly that our original parents, Adam and Eve fell into sin.
From then on, all human beings are born with a sinful and corrupt nature. If the Bible does not teach this explicitly, anyway we would have to deduce rationally because of the universality of sin.
But the fall is not merely a matter of rational deduction. It is a point in divine revelation. It refers to what we call original sin. Original sin does not refer primarily to the first sin or original sin committed by Adam and Eve. Original sin refers to the result of the first sin corruption of the human race. Original sin refers to the fallen condition in which we are when we are born.
Of Scripture it is clear that the fall took place. The fall was devastating. How was it that happened it is open to dispute even among the thinkers of the Reformation theme. The Westminster Confession, very similar to the explanation of the way Scripture explains this event simply:
Our first parents, being seduced by the subtlety and temptation of Satan, sinned by eating the forbidden fruit.
God, according to his wise and holy counsel, allowed this sin, having decided to order it to his own glory.
Therefore, the fall occurred. The results, however, achieved much more than Adam and Eve. They not only reached all mankind, but mankind decimated. We are sinners in Adam. Not applicable wonder: When a person becomes a sinner? Because the truth is that human beings are born in a state of sinfulness. They are seen by God as sinners, for their solidarity with Adam.
The Westminster Confession again elegantly expresses the results of the fall, particularly in their relationship with humans:
By this sin they fell from their original state of justice and communion with God, and died to sin, completely corrupt in all parts and faculties of soul and body. As were the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin, and even death to sin, and corrupt nature was charged and all his descendants postrera was transmitted by ordinary generation. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and contrary to good, and wholly inclined to evil, they are coming all transgressions present.
This last sentence is crucial. We are sinners not because we sin, but we sin because we are sinners.That's why David laments: "In truth, I'm bad since I was born, I am a sinner from my mother's womb" (Psalm 51: 5, the Bible, New International Version).
SUMMARY
1. The universality of sin can not be explained by social or environmental factors.
2. The universality of sin is explained by the fall of mankind.
3. Original sin does not refer primarily to the first sin, but the result of that sin. .
4. All people are born with a sinful nature or "original sin".
5. We all sin because we are sinners by nature.
BIBLICAL PASSAGES FOR REFLECTION
Genesis 3: 1-24, Jeremiah 17: 9, Romans 3: 10-26, Romans 5: 12-19, Titus 1:15.
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A. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled , and opposite to all good ,and wholly inclined to all evil: Matthew 7: 17,18; 12: 33-35; Lk. 6: 43-45; June 3. 3.5; 6: 37,39,40,44,45,65; Ro. 3: 10-12; 5: 6; 7:18; 8: 7.8; 1 Cor 2:14.
B. They come itself all transgressions: Matthew 7: 17-20; 12: 33-35; 15: 18-20.
Human depravity
As mentioned in the previous chapter, a common topic of discussion among theologians lies in the question of whether humans are basically good or basically evil. This issue revolves around the word basically. There is an almost universal consensus that nobody is perfect. We all accept the maxim that "to err is human".
The Bible tells us that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Despite this verdict on the limitations of humans, our culture, dominated by humanism, persists in believing that sin is something peripheral or tangential to our nature. However, we are failures because of sin. Our moral records exhibit stains.
But somehow we think that our evil lies in the periphery of our character, barely grazes, and can never penetrate our inner center. It is assumed basically that people are inherently good.
Having been freed from captivity in Iraq and experiencing firsthand the corrupt methods of Saddam Hussein, one of the hostages said: "Despite all that I suffered, I never lost my confidence in the goodness basic of people". It is possible that this view rests partly on a sliding scale relative goodness or badness of the people.
It is obvious that some people are more evil than others. Next to Saddam Hussein or Adolf Hitler, any sinner heap looks like a saint. But if we lift our gaze to the ultimate standard of goodness- the holy character of God we realize that what is presented as a good in an earthly level is corrupt to the head.
The Bible teaches the total depravity of the human race. Total depravity means radical corruption. We must be careful to note the difference between total depravity and utter depravity. Being completely depraved is to be as bad as can be. Hitler was extremely depraved, but could have been worse.
I am a sinner. But could he sin more often and my sins could be more serious than I actually sinned. I do not completely depraved things, but yes I am totally depraved.
Total depravity means that I and everyone else are depraved or corrupt in all our being. There is no part of us that has not been achieved by sin.
Our minds, our wills, and our bodies have been affected by evil. We speak sinful words, develop sinful actions, have impure thoughts.
Our bodies suffer the ravages of sin. Possibly the corruption radical expression is happier than the term "total depravity" to describe our fallen condition. I use the word radical not so much as a synonym for "extreme" but in the sense of its original meaning. The word radical comes from the Latin word meaning "root".
Our problem with sin is that it is based in the center of our being. Cala deep in our hearts. Because sin is in the depths of our being and not merely on the outside of our lives it is that the Bible says there is none righteous, not even one; no one understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned aside, they have become useless; there is none who does good, not even one (Romans 3: 10-12).
Because of this condition the verdict of Scripture is heard: we are "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2: 1); We have been "sold under sin" (Romans 7:14); We have been taken "captive to the law of sin" (Romans 7:23) and are "by nature children of wrath" (Ephesians 2: 3). Only the quickening power of the Holy Spirit can lead us out of this state of spiritual death. It is God who brings us back to life as we become His workmanship (Ephesians 2: 1-10).
SUMMARY
1. Humanism believes that sin is on the edge or periphery of human life. He believes that humans are basically good.
2. Biblical Christianity teaches that sin Creek to the depths of our lives.
3. Total depravity does not mean the complete depravity. We are not as bad as could be.
4. Radical corruption stresses the sinfulness that reaches to the depths of our hearts.
BIBLICAL PASSAGES FOR REFLECTION
Jeremiah 17: 9, Romans 8: 1-11, Ephesians 2: 1-3, Ephesians 4: 17-19 , 1 John 1: 8-10.
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A. The corruption of nature remains in this life where they are regenerated: June 1 . 1: 8-10; 1 Kings 8:46;Psalm 130: 3; 143: 2; Pr . 20: 9; Ec 7:20.; Ro. 7: 14-25; Stg. 3: 2.
B. and although that is pardoned and mortified through Christ, herself and her first impulses are truly and properly sin: Psalm 51: 4,5; Pr 22:15.; Eph. 2. 3; Ro. 7: 5, 7, 8, 17, 18,25; 8: 3-13; Gal. 5: 17-24; Pr 15:26.;21: 4; Gn. 8:21; Matthew 5: 27,28.
HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS
Was Jimmy Cricket who said let your conscience is always your guide. "This is a good tip if our consciousness has been instructed by the Word of God and directed by it. No, however, if our conscience is ignorant of Scripture and been seared or hardened by repeated sins, Jimmy Cricket theology can be disastrous.
Awareness plays an important role in the Christian life. It is vital, however, understand that correctly.
Consciousness has been described as an inner voice of God that our mind uses to accuse or excuse of sins. It includes two basic elements:
(1) A conscience or inner realization of good and evil, and:
(2) A mental ability to apply laws, rules, and provisions to specific situations.
In Romans 2:15, Paul teaches us that God has written no law on the human heart. Human consciousness has been instructed by the revelation of the law of God, that He has implanted in the human heart.
People have a moral responsibility to his conscience dictates. Sin is acting against conscience of one.Luther at the Diet declared: "My conscience is captive to the Word of God because they do not reassure against conscience nor be right , " Luther's answer demonstrates two important biblical principles. First, that consciousness must be educated or "taken captive" by the Word of God. Consciousness can be misused taught or cauterized, or off, for the sins repeated again and again. Habitual sin or acceptance of society of sin can harden us so much that we silence the voice of conscience and we sin without remorse.
On the other hand, if our conscience convinces us that something is illegal or sinful, but in reality it is not sinful, equally it would be wrong that we did. It does what we consider wrong, even if not actually wrong, is sin. Paul teaches us that anything that does not come from faith is sin (Romans 14:23). In that instance, act against conscience does not reassure us or would be fine.
SUMMARY
1. Awareness is a good guide only when it has been instructed and directed by God.
2. Conscience is a moral voice within us which accuses us or excuse our actions.
3. It is an act against conscience sin.
BIBLICAL PASSAGES FOR REFLECTION
Luke 11: 39-44, Romans 2: 12-16, Romans 14:23, Titus 1:15