Now the works of the
flesh are evident,
which is adultery,
fornication,
uncleanness,
lewdness, idolatry,
sorcery, hatred,
contentions,
jealousies, outbursts
of wrath,
selfish ambitions,
dissensions, heresies,
envy, murders,
drunkenness, revelries,
and the like; of
which I tell you beforehand,
just as I also told
you in time past,
that those who
practice such things
will not inherit the
kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19–21
Original
Sin has had and has many different definitions which having been adopted by
many writers many have succumbed to a false understanding of sin, and the fact
they are sinful, and are so due to the sin of Adam. I am attempting to adduce
the truth that is in accordant to Scripture. It seems evident, at least to me,
that Original Sin may be defined as a hereditary corruption and depravity of
our nature which extends to all parts of the soul. This then makes subject to
the wrath of God, His justice for we are obnoxious to God for we have in us the
works of the flesh which the opening Scripture outlines for us and what is due
to those who practice the works of the flesh. There are two things that we
should distinctly observe: 1) We are perverted and corrupted in all the parts
of our flesh. 2) This perversion and corruption makes us accountable to God
which requires righteousness, innocence, and purity. We are not accountable to
God due to another’s fault even though we are the progeny of Adam and under the
curse of Adam for we are not innocent, nor blameless bearing the guilt of Adam
rather we are under the curse of Adam and have an obligation to God. We deserve
the punishment of God due to our corruption, not for another’s sin, but for our
sin, those sins which we willfully commit and this while due to fallen flesh,
one under curse, it is sinfulness that comes to us by descent a sinfulness that
we while under the curse of God need God to act for us to remove this guilt,
our guilt, restore our fallen flesh to one that is not fallen, and this God has
promised His children. Paul wrote these words that we must come to understand: “Therefore,
just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus
death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). Adam’s sin was
great for it allowed then for sin to reign upon the creation of God, and
especially was it heinous to man for man then having the fallen nature caused
by Adam now desire to sin rather than to be righteous. This is what is involved
in Original Sin, that which is passed on from one person to another, from one generation
to another and this history attests. Babies while in the womb are sinful even
though the fruits of that sin are yet to be displayed and acted upon. How
odious is this to God? Great is the stench of sin, so great, so perverse that a
Holy and Just God has only one thing to do: exterminate sin. Death is what sin
has been thrust upon man, his immortality is destroyed and now as a mortal man
he dies; is this not true? Yes! History tells this fact; man dies, man sins,
man causes are types and forms of sin, adultery, fornication, murder, etc.. Man
is devoid of goodness. Yes, man can be philanthropic often and even may be so
with good thoughts and intentions, but often when examined we find other
reasons for his philanthropy. The interview of one of the Secret Service Agents
involved in the prostitution scandal that occurred in Columbia did not admit
that he had done anything wrong by committed sexual acts with a prostitute, his
inappropriate behavior, and this is true of many people today who are so involved
in hedonism as though this is not wrong. Why? Because they are depraved, fallen
in nature and their soul having been infected with such perversion cares little
if at all to live according to the commands of God who gave them their soul,
their very life. Man’s will is so corrupted that there can only be one solution
and that is death.
God is
unchangeable and is not sitting to one side wondering if a person will choose
Him over Satan. God is not wringing His hands in anticipation as to who will
become one of His children. Man, fallen man, will not choose God by his own
will. God decreed that death would reign upon man for man’s sin, that is Adam’s
sin, and God being unchangeable this death is not commuted. Only by the
Providence of God can there be any hope, a solution to the problem(s) caused by
man and this is that God by His Providence guides, and controls the actions of
man. God is without time and sees all things as present and by His plan He set
forth before the world that whatever He has willed to be done in time He has
determined outside of time. Does this make God the author of evil? No! We
cannot place the blame on God. God knows how to create new things without the
novelty of will. God knows how to be at work although resting and to be at rest
while working. God can and does apply an eternal plan. God can apply whatever
He desires to give according to His plan: “Every good gift and every perfect
gift is from above, and comes down form the Father of lights, with whom there
is no variation or shadow of tuning” (James 1:17). Everything that is
recognizes was created by God beforehand and after its completion still regards
everything; God is not as the Deist teach, creates and then sits aside and
allows all things to work out as they will without any help from Him. God
supervises everything and nothing is marvelous in His sight, they are in our
sight marvelous. We hold firm this canon of faith that God is God and that all
that exist is due to God and that God by His Providence while allowing man to be
human even to be of fallen nature has beforehand determined all things. We need
to fall on our knees before a holy God who has not left man destitute and this
will be the subject of the next blog.
Remember His marvelous works
Which He
has done,
His wonders, and the judgments
Of His
mouth.
Psalm 105:5
Children Of God Need Not Sin
Richard L. Crumb
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