The doctrine of sin and how it ought to shape our ministry
and sense of mission in the church
The essence of sin: What
is sin?
The essence of it
Rebellion against God
Sin is lawlessness – breaking God’s commandments either
knowingly or unknowingly
Leads to death
Missing the mark
Idolatry
Spiritual adultery
Pollution
Pervasive
The problem of the universe which redemption answers
Iniquity
Rebellion
Wickedness
Evil
Trespass
Transgression
Godlessness
Failing to listen to God
Unrighteousness
The primordial sin? Paradigmatic
Sin to disbelieve the word of God
Sin as pride, thinking you know better than God
Trying to be like God in our own way
The pursuit of illicit pleasure
The origin of sin: Where
did sin come from?
Probation in the garden – tree of k of gd and evil
Knowing / deciding good and evil
Lady Gaga, I’m born this way – defining ourselves apart from
God
Shame, guilt, fear, blame, pain, broken relationships,
curse, judgement
Thorns and thistles
Creation groaning and subject to decay
Our fundamental problem not circumstances etc., upbringing
We are born with a bad heart – Heidelberg catechism – I have
a natural tendency to hate God and my neighbour
Mark Dever prays people will come to an awareness of their
sin – people don’t believe in the chasm of sin between them and God, sin an
offence to God almighty, work of the Spirit required
Titus 3:5; Gen 6:5
Total depravity – every area of person and life affected by
sin – all faculties of person affected, rational faculties affected, the noetic
effects of the fall – on thinking – we can do no spiritual good without the
work of the spirit
Original sin – pollution, guilt
Ps 51
Job 15
Jn 3 – necessity of new birth
Rm 3
Eph 2
Gal 3
1 K 8:46
Ps 143
Ecc 7:20
1 Jn 1:8-10
We do not want a soft Pelagianism
Aug Confessions: grant what you command and command what you
will – you tell us to do what we cannot do unless you empower us to do them
The bondage of the will
We can only accept God’s grace by the grace of God
Monergism not synergism – the one work of God not our own
contribution
Distinguish freedom of will – Calvin – freedom from
necessity, misery,
The will is in bondage to sin, not by external compulsion –
not just a puppet on a string / robot
We sin because we want to – not God / devil made me do it
Synod of Dort – we are not stocks and blocks, sticks and
stones, we will, but we have lost the freedom of the will to choose right
We are not just sick but dead
God doesn’t just throw the dead a life preserver – he gives
new life
Unable to please God without the Spirit or come to X unless
drawn
The transmission of
sin: How did sin spread?
Pelagius – only sinful acts by imitation not the imputation
of Adam’s sin
Sin a condition as well as acts, an inherited nature
Parenting is the great antidote to Pelagianism! You do not
need to teach the kids to sin!
Rm 5 – Adam our representative, federal head in the covenant
of works – we sinned in him
Born with original sin (nature) and guilt (culpability)
Cf. Western individualism – strong sense of family
We participated in Adam’s sin – we sinned in Adam
We all inherit the same nature and stand in need of the same
grace – a unity in diversity
God has the right to judge us because we have sinned and we
sin in Adam
Implications: What
difference does this doctrine of sin make? How does this translate into
practical actions, aims in ministry etc.?
(1) We ought to have a proper recognition about ourselves as
sinners prone to wickedness. You are capable of great evil. You should know
your weakness / limitations
Alexander Solzenitskin – the line between good and evil
passes through the human heart
Humility
My biggest problem in pastoral ministry is me, my own people
pleasing, weakness, lack of self-discipline, defending self, fighting back etc.
(2) it ought to give us a realism about the world
Rev John Witherspoon – James Madison – human nature requires
division of powers and of government – angels would need no government – men
must govern men so how will the governors be governed? Checks and balances –
men are generally not to be trusted with great power
The greatest problems and challenges are within
No utopian schemes.
Everyone can be selfish, cruel and arrogant and is hard
wired to behave in these ways. This is wrong and we have fallen from primal
innocence. Only supernatural power can save us.
This makes sense of the world.
Original sin is the only doctrine that can be proved by
human observation.
(3) We should be resolute in our task. We understand the real
problem so we must offer the real solution.
Responsibility for sin
The death of Satan: how Americans have lost their sense of
evil (1990s book)
Moral categories, God, the devil, evil, not just therapy
etc.
Euphemisms for sin – sin as brokenness – yes, but also...
Culpability
Confess rebellion, disobedience, evil not just that
something is not right
C S Lewis – miserable offenders
The Bible v strong on sin and its God orientation
We do not need a handyman but a Saviour!
The problem is God defiance not lack of trees, or
unemployment or....
The gospel!
(4) Rejoice in salvation! Don’t be miserable. Be an advert
for good news. Preach on joy joyfully. Forgiven! Blood bought freedom. The
worst thing that can happen to you is death and that is also the best thing
that can happen to you. Be a winsome warrior for Christ with the best news
possible for a sinful world.
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