Essay About Doctrine Of Sin Subjectin Karl Menniger And Disappearance Of Sin

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Doctrine of Sin SubjectIn Karl Menniger’s published work, Whatever Became of Sin? (1973) he speaks about the “disappearance of sin” from 20th century society.Wrongdoing is now identified as a crime, a symptom of illness, or a “collective responsibility” (Grudem,451)The language of what sin is has changed. (2 or 3 ways sin has changed)Adultery is called “an affair”Fornication is called “hooking up”Two unmarried people living together before marriage was called “shacking up” and was scorned, now it is a “trial” to see if marriage will workTeenage pregnancy is no longer looked down upon.Cheating is seen as competing.Stealing is justified as getting what one deserves.Abortion is seen as a choice.Two Broad CategoriesPhilosophical Naturalism- Sin is die to man’s essential finitude or creaturely weakness.Philosophical Idealism- Sin is due to bodily appetites or instincts, or to man’s possession of a body.Grudem defines sin as “any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature.”Old Testament Words— know 3Chatat- “to miss”Gen. 4:7 in reference to Cain- “sin is crouching at the door”Avon- iniquity/wickednessLev. 16:21 in reference to Aaron laying hands on the goatPesha- revolt, transgressProv. 28:19Shagah- to err, strayProv. 28:10New Testament WordsHamartia- to miss the markRom. 6:6Paraptoma- fault, transgression, deviation from revealed wayEph. 2:5Aselgeia- lasciviousness, lewdnessEph. 4:19Anomia- lawlessness1 Tim. 1:9Epithumia- lustRom. 7:8- “desire”There are a variety of terms in the Bible that describe sin as rebellion against God.This rebellion is man’s actions, attitudes, and nature.Sin is any type of rebellion, no matter how great or small, against God’s moral law and/ or characterMany people attempt to classify sin as “big” or “little”, but this is a humanistic approach with a subjective view. How did sin originate?Sin did not originate with God.It did not come from some eternally existing evil force.The devil was a created being.Is. 14:12-15Ezekiel 28:1-16The rebelión of angelsGen. 1:31; Gen. 3:1-51 Peter 3:18-192 Peter 2:4Jude 6-7Adam and EveGenesis 3Doubt v.1Denial v.4Deceit v.5DesirePragmatic- good for foodPleasing- looked goodPowerful- able to make wiseDisobedience v.6Eve was deceived, but Adam disobeyed without deceptionResultsFig leavesindicates they were intelligent and artisticShame and fearThey hid themselvesBlame“The woman whom You gave to be with me.”“The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”Serpent cursedProbably had legs priorGround cursedAdam was instructed to tend the garden so “work” is not a result of the cursePain in childbearing and longing to be lord over husbandSacrificeVerse 21- God made tunics of skin. God was the first to make a sacrifice.Paradise lostRomans 5:12“Because all sinned”- All humanity was in AdamWe area not just sinners because we sin, we sin because we are sinners.Romans 5:162 Corinthians 11:31 Timothy 2:14The Extent of SinNo-one is immune to sin1 Kings 8:46Ps. 143:2Proverbs 20:9Eccles. 7:20Is. 53:6Rom. 3:10,12,23Gal. 3:221 John 1:8Results of Sin (from Erickson, 619ff)Affecting the Relationship with God.Divine DisfavorGuiltPunishmentDeathPhysical—Heb. 9:27Spiritual—Romans 6:23Eternal—Matt. 25:34-40 Affecting the SinnerEnslavementFlight from RealityDenial of SinSelf-DeceitInsensitivity Self-centerednessAffecting the Relationship with othersCompetitionInability to EmpathizeRejection of AuthorityInability to love (agape)ViewsPelagianEven human soul is immediately created in a state of innocence, free from depravity.Death is not a consequence of sin, but the natural outcome of mortal life.Man is a sinner because he sins, not because he is born sinful.If God requires us to live holy lives, we must be able to do so.Socinians and Unitarians hold this view.Pelagianism was condemned at the Synod of Carthage (418) and at the Council of Ephesus (431)AugustinianAdam transmitted sin to his progeny by means of natural generation.The entire human race existed seminally in Adam.Identified humanity as spiritually dead.Semi-PelagianAttempt to find middle ground between Pelagianism and Augustinian views.Adam’s sin caused spiritual weakness rather than fallenness.Spiritually sick instead of well or dead.Wesuffer from a spiritual deficiency due to Adam’s fall.Common view of Roman Catholicism.Some would put Charles Finney (first to use the “altar call) into this category.ArminianAdam’s sin causes guilt, depravity, and punishment in the human race.God’s prevenient grace enables man to cooperate with God to overcome this state.Given to all humans indiscriminately.Basis of all the goodness found in humans everywhere.Universally given to counteract the effect of sin.Since God has given this grace to all, everyone is capable of accepting the offer of salvation.There is no need for any special application of God’s grace to particular individuals.John Wesley was a proponent of this view.Federal/CovenantalAdam was appointed head of the human race by God.God entered into covenant with Adam, agreeing to give eternal life on condition of obedience.The race is condemned on the basis of Adam’s sin.New SchoolAll men are born with a physical and moral constitution that predisposes them to sin.All do sin wen they arrive at moral consciousness.The original predisposition may be called sin since it leads to sin, but only voluntary acts are actually sin.God imputes men only their own acts of rebellion.This view was a reaction to Puritan theology.Neo-OrthodoxThe fall is representative of what happens to everyone.We all have our own “little scene in the Garden of Eden”Both Barth and Brunner rejected the reality of a literal, historical Adam and EveLiberation TheologySin is a collective reality revealed in social and political situations.Sin is a act of society rather than an individual act.Oppression of the poor, ethnic, or gender groups.The solution of sin is social and political freedom.Many stories taken as allegorical.Moses leading the Israelites shows God freeing His people from oppression.Mediate or ImmediateImmediateTransfer of guilt and corruption MediatePropensity for sin. Personal sin and personal responsibility.Are there degrees of sin?“Little sins” are still against a holy God.Different sins may have different consequences.The same sins may affect people differently according to their role or position in leadership.The Death of InfantsAll infants are lost due to their corruption by sin.Only elect infants are saved.All infants are saved through benefits of the atonement.Infants are in a state of sin and requires regeneration— Ps. 51:5; Eph. 2:3Infants posses relative innocence—Deut. 1:39; Jonah 4:11; Matt. 18:3-4Appear to be special objects of divine grace— Matt.18:5,6,10,14; Matt. 19:14Age of accountabilityYou dont have to teach a child to sin.Evidence for the salvation of infants.Deut.1:392 Sam. 12:23Revelation 5:9?Closing ToughtsSin of commission and omission.Commission- doing wrong willfullyOmission- unkowingly or without thoughtAll sin is sin.1 John 3:4; 1:9James 1:9We are held responsible by God or both.IdolatryCol. 3:5Fornication- “immorality”Undearness- “impurity”Passion- “physical side”Evil desire- “mental side”Covetousness- “greed”These sins follow the individual’s desires instead of God’s. We end up worshipping ourselves and not God. We make ourselves to be our own god.The Ten CommandmentsThey reveal our sin.People do not understand their need for a Savior if they do not know that they need saving.Let God’s Word convictWe are unable to keep them.If we sin once we have broken them all. They are a unit.