The Origin and Extent of My Sin
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 3/1/2020 AM |
Text: | Ecclesiastes 7; Lord's Day 3 |
Psalters: | 228, 338, 37, 23 |
- The creation.
- God created man good, without sin and misery, so we cannot blame the good God.
- God’s creation of man was especially good because man was God’s highest creature.
- God created man able to bear His image and to have a relationship with Himself.
- God made man a personal being, with a rational-moral nature, reflecting God’s will and attributes.
- God created man good, without sin and misery, so we cannot blame the good God.
- Man’s sin and misery had its origin in our first father’s willful and deliberate fall into sin.
- Adam was created fallible (lapsible), i.e., he was able to fall from this lofty position.
- It would take only a single act of disobedience.
- Adam was created with a morally free will, i.e., he was able either to love God or to hate Him.
- To eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (disobeying) he would experience God’ anger and rejection.
- Sin came when Adam, of his own will, deliberately chose to disobey God and determine good and evil for himself.
- Therefore, our problem is not that we are imitators nor that we have bad parents, schools, friends, or bad circumstances.
- Adam was created fallible (lapsible), i.e., he was able to fall from this lofty position.
- To what extent are we sinners?
- Adam and Eve immediately knew guilt, worthy of the punishment of death (God’s just wrath).
- Adam’s fall into sin had bitter consequences for all mankind, for God had appointed Adam representative and father of all.
- Now we are, by nature, wholly incapable of doing any good and are inclined to all wickedness (totally depraved).
- The only hope of escape is from outside of ourselves: the grace and mercy of God in Jesus Christ.
- Learn that in Christ there is forgiveness of all our sin and guilt, and He has the power to remove sin’s dominion over us.
- Jesus does this by regenerating us, re-creating us in the image of God (now the image of Christ).