Reflecting on Original Sin

While I was in the Intensive Care Unit recently I had a lot of time to think. I had visitors, which was great, but I also had a lot of time to just lay in bed. I wasn't able to read much. Some of my thoughts drifted around, but sometimes I could focus. And I found my mind kept coming back to original sin and the effects of the fall.

I was there in ICU because of original sin. I don't mean my condition was a direct punishment for a particular sin of my own. I don't know that. But I do know that illness, suffering, injuries, and all other negative things are the result of the fall of Adam and Eve.

They disobeyed God and ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. As a result the earth was cursed. As a result we have health issues, among other consequences. There is pain and suffering because of sin.

I can not blame Adam or Eve for what I went through. If I had been in their place I too would have sinned. I may have sinned sooner. In that sense we are in this together. Anyone of us would have sinned as Adam and Eve did.

Yet there is hope. In eternity future I will have a perfect body, as will all God's people. If we are His we will not suffer. Shortly after their sin God promised a redeemer in Genesis 3:15-

"I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

God also promised to redeem not only His people, but all His creation. One day there will be a new heaven and a new earth. (Rev 21)

While things may seem messed up now, and we suffer, one day it will end for God's people. I knew all of this before, but now I know and understand it more deeply because of what I've been through. Many have been through worse, I hope they understand this even more deeply. And in that understanding may they have a greater hope in a merciful, sovereign, holy God.

Book Recommendation-The Vanishing Conscience by John MacArthur

(This is adapted from the first book review/recommendation I wrote for the Church Newsletter about 7 years ago. Hopefully any changes are for the better.)

The Vanishing Conscience is a book well worth reading. It combines characteristics I find most useful when they are all present. It is challenging, convicting, exhorting, and encouraging. When a book combines all four of these characteristics it can give me a fuller picture of who I am in Christ, and where I’d be without Him. I can see my sin and see my Saviour.

The Vanishing Conscience is in some ways the most difficult book I have ever read. It is not written at a highly technical or scholarly level. Its style is very readable. The difficulty lies in how it challenged and convicted me. I often had to stop reading and examine myself and pray. This can be very profitable, as you are not allowed to be complacent. In fact, I would say if you can read this book without feeling challenged and convicted, you need to examine yourself to see if you really do know the Lord. Some sections did not bother me at all, but others cut deeply.

In the first section, MacArthur looks at society’s notions about sin and guilt. He shows how they are not only tolerated, but often condoned and even celebrated. He outlines the “victim mentality” and challenges you to examine yourself to see if you fall in with the world this way. He then proceeds to define the conscience and look at how it can be cleansed and strengthened (This is part of the encouraging the book does.) He then turns his attention to how sin can silence the conscience and lead to moral decline. We need to ask if this is happening to us.

In the next section MacArthur looks at the nature of sin. He begins by examining the doctrine of total depravity, using the first three chapters of Romans. He looks at how society focuses on self, not God. He moves on to how we try to justify our own sin, and then looks to Christ as the only answer. He outlines the need for repentance and being born again. He brings in the gospel. To believers this is wonderful encouragement. He then looks at misguided attempts to deal with sin, looking primarily at those who say we can be perfect in this life. Sanctification is a life long process. On various occasions MacArthur has stated, “It’s not the perfection of your life, but the direction.” It is important to see this. We are not perfect in this life, but we ought to be moving in that direction.

In the final section MacArthur deals with handling sin. He brings up the often neglected biblical teaching of mortification. Mortification is putting to death the deeds of the flesh. It is not effective if it’s only half-done. MacArthur explains mortification using I Samuel 15, which tells what happened after Israel had defeated one of their fiercest enemies, the Amalekites. God had told them to destroy everything connected to the Amalekites, but Saul didn’t fully obey. He even spared the Amalekites’ king. This was the final event that led to God rejecting Saul as king of Israel. It is well worth your time to read this section, as the full impact of this illustration can not be properly conveyed here.

MacArthur goes on to overcoming temptation. He explains the difference between temptation and God’s testing of us. Through Christ we can endure both. The most convicting part for me was the chapter on keeping a pure mind. If we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit our minds are the place we sin the most. Most visible or outward sin starts in the mind. If our sin stays in the mind, no one knows about it (except God, but we often ignore that). If the sin stays there we think we got away with it, but eventually it will catch up with us. MacArthur exhorts us to watch over our hearts and guard our thoughts.

The final chapter looks at how many in the church have substituted forgiveness of our sins, and the seriousness of sin with “feeling good”. He ends it with practical application for recognizing and dealing with sin in our lives. This is indeed the sort of encouragement we all need. The book also contains three appendices well worth reading.

Throughout the book, MacArthur looks to the Bible and to God. Jesus Christ and the gospel are prominent. He challenges us to examine our attitudes. The conviction I felt came from the Holy Spirit as God’s word was opened up and showed me my sin. I was encouraged in the application parts of the book, and in looking to Christ and what He has done. It is so easy to be lazy regarding our conscience and therefore how we live. This book deals with the heart and mind. It follows the idea of reformation starting with ourselves and working outwards. The Vanishing Conscience is a much needed and profitable wake up call I recommend for every Christian.

Death And Life: Romans 5:8-11 Part Three

In the early 1800’s, Robert Haldane, a Scottish preacher, said, “It greatly enhances the love of God that He gave His Son for us while we were yet His enemies. Had we discovered any symptoms of willingness to obey Him, or any degree of love to Him, His love to us would not have been so astonishing.”

Unless God works in us-we don’t think we’re anywhere near as bad as we really are-no matter how bad we think we are. We don’t and can’t see the depth of our sin. Our regret or sorrow over our sin is mostly, if not completely self centered, because we don’t see the true seriousness of our sin. We often downplay the seriousness as well. Our sin is not just disobedience or breaking the rules—our sin is against God-and it is offensive to Him. King David realizes this in Psalm 51, although he had sinned against other people his sense of sin made him declare his sin was against God alone. Remember—sin is offensive to a Holy God.

For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.James 2:10 (all Bible quotes in this post are from the ESV.)

Yet despite this God saves people from what we deserve. He does it while we were sinners, and with no interest in salvation or desire to be saved, until He puts it there. Romans 5:10 tells us God makes the first move-He doesn’t wait for us to clean up our act. And even then He doesn’t just make one move and leave the rest up to us—He makes the 2nd , 3rd, 4th move, etc, etc—whatever is necessary to His plans. He may take years or do it in an instant—but He does it-start to finish.

This doesn’t release us from responsibility—The Bible tells us we are responsible, and it also tells us God is the one in Charge-and His plans are accomplished—sometimes we find both in the very same passage.
In Phil 2:12-13 Paul points this out-

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

This doesn’t mean we work for our salvation, but that we do have a responsibility to God. Are we His? Is there any proof?—And what is it that God does? Re-read verse 13.

In Peter’s first recorded sermon in Acts 2, he gives an example in the death of Christ-Acts 2:22-24-

Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

And so we see God is at work. He meant it for good, men meant it for evil. Peter refers to BOTH God’s predeternmined plan and foreknowledge as well as to men—"You crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men." Jesus has brought about reconciliation between God and His people in His death. Notice this is past tense-it is accomplished—not merely made possible-but accomplished.

To reconcile means to change or exchange, especially in order to make something right. Christ’s reconciliation removed God’s enmity and wrath from His people, and again I want to stress the love involved here. We were not lovable, we were not worthy, but He died for us anyway—while we were sinners.
And why did He have to die? Because, as we read in Hebrews 9:22-

Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

The death of Christ removed all obstacles to reconciliation & allowed us to be clothed in Christ’s righteousness, and we are more than merely His people-We are His children.


In the conclusion we will look at how we are saved by His life.
(Part one is here.
Part two is here.)

Death And Life: Romans 5:8-11 Part Two

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (All Scripture quotes-ESV)

What does it mean that we were enemies?

Being someone’s enemy doesn’t mean not being a friend, or having some disagreement. Being an enemy indicates being in the other camp, or on the other side when the line is drawn. It may be active enmity with hatred or hostility in word or in deed-or it may be passive. It still puts us on the other side.

So who are God’s enemies? The Bible tells us -Sinners. God has hostility towards evil and sin because of His holiness. Romans 3:23 says we are all sinners.

The World appeals to our focus on pleasure without regard to others or to the things of God. Romans 8:6-8 says

To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

In James 4:4 we see the danger in caring more for the things of this world, than for the things of God-

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

There is no middle ground.

But it doesn’t stop there-as enemies of God we face His wrath & judgment. This is not out of some pettiness on God’s part. It is because of His holiness, and ultimately to the good of His people. God’s love and His wrath are not mutually exclusive. Many people emphasize one at the expense of the other.

In Romans 5:10 we see God loving those under wrath—and taking steps to save them, through reconciliation. In part 3 we'll look at that reconciliation.

(Part one is here.)

Jor-El, Kal-El, and why God sent His Son (Or Superman is not Jesus)

There has been a lot written over the years about parallels between Superman (Kal-El) and Christ. With the new Superman movie, these are making a comeback. It is not my intention here to list all the parallels, but to discuss one.

God sent His only Son to earth, and so too did Jor-El.

Superman's origin, like most early superheroes has developed and picked up details and revisions over the years. The story of Kryptonian scientist Jor-El placing his son in a rocket to escape his planet's destruction came about gradually. The earlier stories I read gave the impression this was an act of desperation on Jor-El's part. His planet was about to explode, but if his son was sent off planet he might survive somewhere. Over the years this became a deliberate act of Jor-El, and an Earth landing was his goal. And so grew the parallel. But beyond someone sending their only Son to earth to serve the people the parallel breaks down.

I have not seen the new movie yet. (I'll probably wait until it is on DVD, and rent it.) But there is a quote from the movie I saw in the newspaper. (Sorry, I can't find it on the internet.) The quote stuck out. Jor-El says,

"For this reason above all--their capacity for good--I have sent them you, my only son."

This is exactly the opposite reason God sent His Son to us. He sent Jesus to fulfill the Law, die to pay the penalty for His people's sin, and rise from the dead to defeat death. He did this because we can not. It is not our capacity for good, but our capacity for evil that is the issue here. We are all sinful. God did not choose to save us because we're just so lovable.

And yet He does love us. He sent His Son to save His people because He loves us.

When I look at it closely, Jor-El sent his son to earth for a combination of selfish reasons and love for his son. God sent His Son for selfless reasons and love of the unlovable.

Jor-El sending his son to earth is then more an example of deism, than a true parallel of Christ.

What Sinners Should Plead with God-by Ralph Erskine-Conclusion

I have presented Ralph Erskine's work "What Sinners Should Plead with God" in six parts. Links to each post are here to review.
Plead His promise...
Plead your own feebleness...
Plead His power...
Plead your necessity...
Plead His mercy...
Plead Christ's commission...

Here's how Erskine sums it up:

Thus I have laid before you some directions, in order to the receiving of Christ. O cry for grace to follow them, and put them in practice, so you may indeed close the bargain with him. O shall all these directions be lost, and Christ be still slighted and rejected! O friends, you cannot please God better, than by coming to Christ and embracing the offer of him; and you cannot please the devil better than by refusing the offer of Christ; and putting him off with delays, till you perish in your unbelief.

And now, after all that has been said, what are you resolved upon? Will you receive Christ or not? Our glorious Lord and Master has sent us to pose you man, woman, and demand whether you will receive him or not? O! what answer shall we return with? Must we go and say, that all this people, upon no terms, will receive him; none of them are for precious Christ? Oh! God forbid! shall he not see the travail of his soul, who travailed through all the armies of God's wrath for you, and gave his soul an offering for your sin? O give your soul to him, saying, Lord, in spite of the devil and of unbelief, through grace I will open my heart and arms to receive Christ! The Lord himself help you to receive him, and walk in him.

You can find more by Ralph Erskine, and his brother Ebenezer, on this site-
Fire and Ice

What Sinners Should Plead with God-by Ralph Erskine Part 5

Plead his mercy, and the freedom and extension of it. Plead the freedom of his mercy, that needs no motive, and expects no worth: it runs freely, so that the mountains cannot stop the current of it, no more than the rocks can stop the ebbing and flowing of the sea. Plead the extension of his mercy to others: he had compassion on men's bodies, that came to him for healing, and will he not have compassion upon souls, that come to him for life? Is not mercy the work that he delights in? The perfection of his nature, he takes pleasure to display.

-Ralph Erskine (1685-1752)

Thanks to the fine folks at Fire and Ice for their site and for this index to Ralph and Ebenezer Erskine.

(It's public domain--and worth sharing.)