What A Man Says
|
Posted: May 6, 2023
Author: Christopher Brock James 4:17, English Standard Version “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” |
|
We are in the middle of a multipart series in which we are examining what sin is, why it exists, how it affects us, what is atonement, why it is needed, and how we apply it. Last week we talked about what sin is and this week we are talking about where sin has come from. Before we talk about where sin truly came from, let's first rule out two sources that are often brought up when this topic is discussed.
First, God is not the source of sin. God Himself is absolutely righteous and has never, nor will ever, sin. Deuteronomy 32:4 tells us, “He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!” And furthermore, Job 34:10 says “Listen to me, you who have understanding. Everyone knows that God doesn’t sin! The Almighty can do no wrong.” Second, Sin did not come from an “external source”, meaning that there is no independent or eternal evil power by which sin came into existence. This is the concept of Dualism and this concept is not Biblical. Ephesians 1:11 says, “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will” and Daniel 4:35 tell us “All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?’”
If God is not the source of sin, and there is also no external evil that produced it, where did it come from? The first sin was in fact the sin of the angels. We often think that the first sin was the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. But the reality is that sin already existed in the creation prior to that moment. The first sin was committed by angels. Jude 6 tells us “And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great Day of Judgment.” Satan had already fallen and rebelled against the Lord when Adam and Eve were created.
A group of angels sinned and brought judgment upon themselves, but why do we have humans then also suffer the consequences of sin? Because, we were tempted by sin and chose to disobey. Adam and Eve sinned and as a result, we have inherited the guilt of sin and a nature to sin. The serpent, that is Satan, made Adam and Eve question three basic things:
What is true? Genesis 3:4 (ESV) “But the serpent said to the woman, “You certainly will not die!”
What is right? Genesis 3:6 (ESV) “The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.”
Who were they? Genesis 3:5 (ESV) “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
Next week, we are going to talk about how sin affects us. We now understand what it is and why it exists, but we need to gain an understanding of the effect that sin has in our lives. I hope you can join us again.
First, God is not the source of sin. God Himself is absolutely righteous and has never, nor will ever, sin. Deuteronomy 32:4 tells us, “He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!” And furthermore, Job 34:10 says “Listen to me, you who have understanding. Everyone knows that God doesn’t sin! The Almighty can do no wrong.” Second, Sin did not come from an “external source”, meaning that there is no independent or eternal evil power by which sin came into existence. This is the concept of Dualism and this concept is not Biblical. Ephesians 1:11 says, “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will” and Daniel 4:35 tell us “All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?’”
If God is not the source of sin, and there is also no external evil that produced it, where did it come from? The first sin was in fact the sin of the angels. We often think that the first sin was the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. But the reality is that sin already existed in the creation prior to that moment. The first sin was committed by angels. Jude 6 tells us “And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great Day of Judgment.” Satan had already fallen and rebelled against the Lord when Adam and Eve were created.
A group of angels sinned and brought judgment upon themselves, but why do we have humans then also suffer the consequences of sin? Because, we were tempted by sin and chose to disobey. Adam and Eve sinned and as a result, we have inherited the guilt of sin and a nature to sin. The serpent, that is Satan, made Adam and Eve question three basic things:
What is true? Genesis 3:4 (ESV) “But the serpent said to the woman, “You certainly will not die!”
What is right? Genesis 3:6 (ESV) “The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.”
Who were they? Genesis 3:5 (ESV) “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
Next week, we are going to talk about how sin affects us. We now understand what it is and why it exists, but we need to gain an understanding of the effect that sin has in our lives. I hope you can join us again.
