Sin
Anyone who wishes to have a correct vision of Christian holiness should begin by examining the vast and solemn theme of sin. You’ll have to dig deep if you want to build a big building. A mistake in this regard is extremely damaging. Misconceptions about holiness often come from distorted ideas about human corruption. I do not apologize for beginning these studies of holiness with firm statements about sin.
- The absolute truth is that the correct knowledge of sin is the root of all saving Christianity.
- Without it.
- Doctrines like justification.
- Conversion.
- And sanctification will be correct: words and names? that do not convey any meaning to our mind.
- Therefore.
- The first thing that God does when he wants to make someone a new creature in Christ is to illuminate his heart.
- Showing him that he is a guilty sinner.
- The material creation.
- According to the book of Genesis.
- Began with “light”; this also happens in the case of spiritual creation.
- Has God really shone in our hearts? by the work of the Holy Spirit.
- Spiritual life began (2 Cor.
- 4.
- 6).
- Ill-defined views on sin are the source of most errors.
- Heresies.
- And false doctrines today.
- If a man does not realize the dangerous nature of the sickness of his soul.
- No one can be surprised that he is content with false or imperfect remedies.
- I believe that one of the main needs of the Church in this century has been and continues to be a clearer and more complete teaching on sin.
1. Je will begin by giving a definition of sin. Of course, do we all know the terms? And “sinners. “Do we often say that? He is in the world and that men commit “sins”. But what do we mean by these words and phrases?Do we really know? I’m afraid there’s a lot of confusion and confusion in that regard. Let me try to give the answer as soon as possible.
Therefore, I say that “sin”, in general, as set out in the ninth article of our church’s confession of faith, is “the failure and corruption of the nature of every human being, naturally produced by the nature of Adam in us, so man is far removed from original justice, for it is part of his nature to lean toward error , so that the flesh always militates against the spirit; and, therefore, does sin deserve the wrath and condemnation of God in every person born in in short, is sin this vast moral disease that affects the entire human race, in all classes and levels, in nations, peoples and languages?a disease in which only one man born to a woman was exempt. this man was the Lord Jesus Christ?
I also say that “a sin,” especially speaking, is to practice, say, think, or imagine anything that is not in perfect conformity with God’s spirit and law. In short, according to the scriptures, “sin is the transgression of the law?”(1 Jo 3. 4). The slightest internal or external deviation from absolute mathematical parallelism with God’s revealed will and character is a sin and immediately makes us guilty in God’s eyes.
Of course, I don’t need to tell anyone to read his Bible carefully, that a man can break God’s law in his heart and thoughts, even in the absence of an act of external and visible wickedness. Our Lord solved the problem. It matters without a doubt, pronouncing the sermon of the mountain (Mt 5:21-28). Even one of our poets said, in all truth, “A man can smile, smile and still be a villain. “
Again, I don’t need to tell a careful Bible student that there are as many sins by omission as by commission, and that we sin, as our prayer book says, by “not doing the things we should do. “like ‘doing what we shouldn’t’. The solemn words of the Master, in the Gospel of Matthew, also leave the question without a shadow of doubt. There it is written: “Get away from me, cursed, in eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. I was hungry and you did not feed me, I was thirsty and you did not give me a drink (Mt 25:41-42) It was a deep and well-thought-out statement by the Holy Archbishop Usher: shortly before his death: “Lord, forgive me all my sins, especially my sins of omission”.
However, I think it is necessary to remind readers that a man can commit a sin and yet do so out of ignorance, considering himself innocent, when in fact he is guilty. I cannot perceive any biblical guarantee for the modern affirmation that “sin is not a sin, until we realize and are aware of it. “On the contrary, in the fourth and fifth chapters of this much-forgotten book, Leviticus, as well as in Numbers 15, I see that Israel was clearly instructed that there were sins of ignorance that polluted people and for which they were to be atoned for (Lv 4:1-35; 5,14-19; Nm 15: 25-29). And I also find that the Lord expressly teaches that the servant who has not known the will of his master and has not acted according to this will will will not be excused from his ignorance, but punished (Lr 12:48). It is good to remember that by making our knowledge and conscience miserably imperfect to measure our state of sin, we are walking on dangerous ground. A deeper study of the book of Leviticus would do us good.
2. As for the origin and origin of this vast so-called moral disease? Sin? I also feel compelled to say something. I am afraid that the views of many believers in this regard are sadly wrong and unhealthy. I dare not continue without a comment. So let us keep in mind that a man’s sin does not begin on the outside, but on the inside. Nor is it the result of poor training in the first years of life. It is not acquired with bad company and bad examples, as some weak believers say. Not! It is a family disease, which we inherit from our first parents, Adam and Eve, and with which we are all born. Created in the image of God? and innocent at first, our parents fell from original justice and became sinful and corrupt. And, since that day, have men and women been born in the image of fallen Adam and Eve, inheriting a heart and nature prone to sin? ? Did sin enter the world through one man? “What is born of the flesh is flesh”; “We were, by nature, children of wrath”; “The inclination of the flesh is enmity against God”; “From the hearts of men proceed evil designs, prostitution, robberies [naturally, as from a fountain]. (Rom 5. 12; Jo 3. 6; Eph 2. 3; Rom 8. 7; Mk 7. 21). The most beautiful baby in the world, who has become the sun of a family, isn’t he, as his mother lovingly calls him, a “little angel”? or an “innocent”, but a “little sinner”. Unfortunately, smiling in its cradle, the little creature carries in its heart the seeds of all kinds of iniquities. Look at him closely, as he grows and his mind expands, and we will find in him a relentless tendency toward what is wrong and a great hesitation about what is right. Can we see in him the grains and germs of deception, bad humor, selfishness, volunteerism, stubbornness, greed, envy, jealousy, passion? all this, if fed and left comfortable, proliferates at a painful rate. Who taught the boy these things? Where did you learn them? Only the Bible can answer these questions! Of all the nonsense parents say about their children, none is worse than the common phrase: “Deep down, my son has a good heart. It is not what it should be; he just fell into bad company. Schools are bad places. Teachers neglect children. However, deep down, do you have a good heart? The truth, unfortunately, is the opposite. The main cause of all sin lies in the natural corruption of the child’s heart and not in the school.