12/18/16 SOME PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS
I address the problem of sin as a nature and sin as an action; I point out that the atonement of Jesus was for everyone, and in fact pre-born, new born and infant children are covered by the atonement; I point out that everyone who was saved from the pollution of inherited sin eventually sins against God and therefore they need to come to saving faith personally; I point out that salvation is available to all men, through faith, repentance, confess and following Christ. At the end I give a passage that makes it clear that we are saved from our sins, not saved in our sins.
* ONE PROBLEM,
* THE SOLUTION,
*ANOTHER PROBLEM,
* THE SOLUTION
* ONE PROBLEM
All of humanity (all of the children of Adam) have inherited Adam's sinful nature, propensity to sin, evil disposition. Though God created Adam in His own image, Adam corrupted his own nature and the nature of his descendants, when he chose to sin, to rebel against God.
We are all born with a propensity to disobey God. We are born with a spiritual flaw as the result of Adam's personal sin. As Psalm 51 says, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." We are inherently predisposed to sin, to be self oriented, self serving, self aggrandizing and self asserting. This sin disqualifies us from dwelling in the presence of God.
At birth, we are not sinners by personal disobedience, but rather we are sinners by nature. Regardless of how we became sinners by nature, the fact is that a child of Adam is not fit, is not worthy, is not qualified to enter heaven. Even a pre-born, a new born, an infant is corrupted, polluted by Adam's sin, being in Adam's likeness.
Though the pre-born, the new born has not chosen to disobey God's will or practice lawlessness, the child is separated from God because of inherent sinful nature.
* THE SOLUTION
God loves His creation. God loves the human race. God loved us before the world began. God love us before we were born. God loved us before we sinned. God loved us, knowing we were going to sin. God loved us after we sinned. God loved us while were in sin.
In His love for fallen and separated mankind, God provided salvation, He provided a way out of our sin and into a right relationship with Himself. God did not create us to be lost forever. He created us with the plan to rescue us from our sin. Since before the foundation of the world, God intended for us to be with Him in eternity.
This plan, this provision, this salvation, this redemption, this rescue, this deliverance would take place through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God's Son. God does not want anyone to be separated from Himself. God does not want anyone to be lost. God loved the whole world and His plan, His provision, His salvation included all men.
Even though children are conceived and born with a sin nature, with spiritual corruption, Christ came to take away the sin of the world, including the inherited corruption of the sinful nature. Christ is the satisfaction for the whole world, including the inherent sin disposition of children.
God said,
1 Timothy 4:10
(10) For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
Jesus taught clearly that children are part of the kingdom of God. This is not because they are inherently pure, but because they were atoned for in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus is the Savior of ALL MEN, therefore little children are made acceptable to God and have salvation, by God's sovereign will.
Luke 18:15-17
(15) And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
(16) But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
(17) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
* ANOTHER PROBLEM
However, sin separates us from God, and since everyone has sinned against God, the children who were covered by atoning grace eventually fall into sin, when they rebel against God and His moral law, and then are separated from God; for the wages of sin is death.
Children are spiritually polluted, corrupted by Adam's sin, but they are not guilty for the sins of their fathers. People are only guilty for their own rebellion against God.
Ezekiel 18:19-20
(19) Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.
(20) The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
The atoning work of Christ provides cleansing from the sin nature and forgiveness of sins committed. All men (as children) have been saved from separation through the atonement but all men have willfully chosen to do that which they know to be wrong, therefore everyone has been saved by the grace of God and then have fallen away from God. All saved people have lost their salvation at least one time. All men need to believe, repent, confess and follow Jesus.
* THE SOLUTION
This is not a different solution from the one previously addressed. The solution to personal sins, to sins committed is the same solution for the sin nature, and for sin inherited. Jesus' death and resurrection atones for sin as a nature and sin as an act of rebellion. Remember the passage earlier,
1 Timothy 4:10
(10) For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
Notice the two distinct groups referred to in this passage: ALL MEN, and ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO BELIEVE. The, "all men" includes all children conceived, but, "those who believe" refers to those children who eventually sin against God and need to receive salvation by faith.
Jesus is the only way to God. Faith in His atoning death and victorious resurrection is required for a person to be reconciled to God. There is no other way. God has not unilaterally and unconditionally elected any disobedient person, against his/her own will, to be saved. But God has made provision for all who believe, repent, confess and follow Him to be saved from all sin.
1 John 2:1-6
(1) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
(2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
(3) And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
(4) He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
(5) But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
(6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
