[Biblemat] B> Gospel Observer 1/7/07
tedwards at onemain.com
tedwards at onemain.com
Tue Jan 9 09:01:36 CST 2007
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THE GOSPEL OBSERVER
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"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching
them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you
always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20).
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January 7, 2007
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Contents:
1) Four Facts Fatal to Original Sin (Larry Ray Hafley)
2) Wondrous Works (Johnny Ramsey)
3) News & Notes
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-1-
Four Facts Fatal to Original Sin
by Larry Ray Hafley
The doctrine of original or Adamic sin states that every person
is born in sin. Because of Adam's sin, all men are corrupt and
guilty of sin at birth. Note the testimony of the Philadelphia
Confession of Faith:
"By this sin (eating of the forbidden fruit -- LRH) they (Adam
and Eve -- LRH) fell from their original righteousness and
communion with God, and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled
in all the faculties and parts of the soul and body. They being the
root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed and the same
death in sin and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posterity
descending from them by ordinary generation. From this original
corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made
opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed
all actual transgressions" (Chapter 6).
Contrary to New Testament Concepts
This doctrine is contrary to at least four New Testament
concepts; namely, sin, forgiveness, the death of Christ, and the
judgment.
(1) The Concept of Sin. John said that "sin is the
transgression of the law." When one commits sin, he transgresses
(goes against, crosses) the law (1 Jn. 3:4). "All unrighteousness
is sin" (1 Jn. 5:17). Anything that violates God's righteousness is
sin. One who works apart from or against God's will and word is
guilty of sin. He performs iniquity; he acts without divine
authority (Mt. 7:21-23). Sin is the child of lust (Jas. 1:15). When
one is drawn away of his own lust and enticed, lust conceives her
offspring, sin, and gives it birth. We are separated and alienated
from God "by wicked works" (Col. 1:21). It is our sins which are
produced by the fulfilling of the desires of the flesh and of the
mind (Eph. 2:1-3; Col. 2:13). This is the New Testament's concept
of how one becomes guilty of sin. There is no Scripture which
teaches that sin is inherited.
(2) The Concept of Forgiveness. The word of God does not
describe the forgiveness of inherited sin. It does not mention
forgiveness of the "guilt" of original sin. The New Testament
speaks of "your sins" and of "thy sins" (Acts 3:19; 22:16). One is
forgiven of his own acts of transgression, iniquity and
disobedience. "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and
their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb.
8:12).
"The body of the sins of the flesh" are put off, cut away, when
God forgives (Col. 2:11-13). As the sins are those one commits, the
forgiveness applies to those sins. If as the doctrine of original
sin avers, all men are born guilty of Adam's sin, why is the Bible
devoid of any reference to the forgiveness of it?
(3) The Concept of the Death of Christ. Christ "was delivered
for our offences" (Rom. 4:25). "Who his own self bare our sins in
his own body" (1 Pet. 2:24). It was "in the body of his flesh
through death" that Jesus reconciled us to God (Col. 1:21,22). "But
God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). Each individual can
consider that Christ died "for me" (Gal. 2:20). Why is that?
Because our sins, our guilt, is of our own doing; because
forgiveness is of our sins and iniquities (Heb. 8:12; Isa. 59:1,2);
the death of Christ was for my sin, my guilt, my salvation; hence,
"for me." The death of Christ and the shedding of His blood is
never said to be for the purpose of removing inherited, original
sin. However, if original, Adamic sin is universally pervasive, as
the creeds of men allow and allege, should we not expect to find a
reference that decrees and declares that the death of Christ
removes that sin?
(4) The Concept of Judgment. New Testament judgment scenes vary
in many respects, but in this one item they are all constant and
consistent -- man is judged by how he has lived, by what he has
done. Contemplate and consider the judgment pictures of Matthew
(chapters 5-7, 13 and 25). See the awe and dread of Revelation
20:10-15. Hear the admonition and warning of Galatians 6:7-9,
Matthew 16:27 and Revelation 3:23. What is the single fact of all
these passages? Individuals are judged by their own works. They are
rewarded "according to their works." Is there a judgment view of
one being condemned on account of what Adam did? Is anyone ever
renounced for not ridding himself of the depravity he is supposed
to have inherited from Adam? No, but if original sin exists to the
extent that men claim, is it not strange that not a single,
solitary judgment scene features some creatures lost because of it?
Conclusion Of These Concepts
The doctrine of original sin, if true, would be an innate,
inherent part of the nature of sin, forgiveness, Christ's death and
the judgment. Yet, the Bible, in discussing these four themes,
never once links it to them. There absolutely could not be such an
omission if the doctrine of original, Adamic sin were true.
Therefore, these four fundamental facts are fatal to the theory.
-- Via Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 23, pp. 713, 716, December 6,
1984
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-2-
Wondrous Works
by Johnny Ramsey
The 75th Psalm is a classic reminder of the gracious and
awesome power of the Almighty One. In the middle of the praise and
adoration of a book devoted to exalting Jehovah, we find this
little section of only ten verses. But the brevity of the passage
does not militate against its portent message.
"We give thanks unto thee, O God; we give thanks, for thy name
is near: men tell of thy wondrous works. When I shall find the set
time, I will judge uprightly. The earth and all the inhabitants
thereof are dissolved: I have set up the pillars of it. Selah. I
said unto the arrogant, deal not arrogantly; and to the wicked,
lift not up the horn: lift not up your horn on high; Speak not with
a stiff neck. For neither from the east, nor from the west, nor yet
from the south, cometh lifting up. But God is the judge: He putteth
down one, and lifteth up another. For in the hand of Jehovah there
is a cup, and the wine foameth; it is full of mixture, and he
poureth out of the same: surely the dregs thereof, all the wicked
of the earth shall drain them, and drink them, but I will declare
forever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. All the horns of
the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous
shall be lifted up" (Psalm 75:1-10).
Notice these outstanding points to be taken from this rich and
valuable stanza. [1] We give thanks, [2] God's name is near, [3]
God's wondrous works, [4] Proper judgment, [5] Wicked men are weak,
[6] Cup of God's fury, [7] Singing praises to the Lord. These seven
challenging thoughts demand our attention and will reward those who
pursue a life of godliness and devotion. The first point and the
last point blend together into what should come as natural to
mankind as breathing -- worshiping the Creator from the depths of
our souls.
Another passage, found in I Chronicles 29:10-13 evinces this
expression: "Wherefore David blessed Jehovah before all the
assembly; and David said, Blessed be thou, O Jehovah, the God of
Israel our father, forever and ever. Thine, O Jehovah, is the
greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the
majesty; for all that is in the heavens and the earth is thine;
thine is the kingdom, O Jehovah, and thou art exalted as head above
all. Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou rulest over all;
and in thy hand is power and might; and in thy hand it is to make
great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we
thank thee, and praise thy glorious name."
If men spent more time adoring God properly, we would have a
much better world (John 4:24). We are urged to "Praise the Lord for
His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men"
(Psalm 107:21). We are blessed beyond measure, and wisdom demands
that we acknowledge this fact. Notice: "Let the redeemed of the
Lord say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy"
(Psalm 107:2), and, "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is
within me, bless His holy name" (Psalm 103:1).
When we behold the wonders of heaven's creative genius, we
should stand in awe of God! "The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament showeth his handiwork" (Psalm 19:1). Again the
psalmist says, "When I consider thy heavens, the works of thy
fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained: what is
man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou
visited him" (Psalm 8:3-4). The order, design and purpose of all
that makes our daily sojourn here on earth so precious should cause
us to exclaim before deity: "How great thou art!"
We also learn from Psalm 75 the balanced view on judging. Jesus
demands that we "judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24). Valid
judgment must be based on the Scriptures, as Jesus declared in John
12:48, "He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one
that judgeth him; the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge
him in the last day." We can surely count on one thing, as Genesis
18:25 enunciates clearly: "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do
right?" When the cup of God's fury (Isa. 51:17) is finally poured
out, the wicked will realize their power was shallow and temporary
in comparison with the genuine power from Heaven. "Our God is a
consuming fire" (Heb. 12:29). To stand on the wrong side on
Judgment Day will be but a reflection of a life misspent and
choices foolishly made.
In view of the rich contents of Psalm 75, let us determine to
sing praises (James 5:13) and count our blessings before the
beautiful throne of God. Let us rise above the petty nature of
murmuring and complaining and truly be saints of God: "Do all
things without murmurings and questionings: that ye may become
blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the
midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen
as lights in the world" (Phil. 2:14-15).
So shall my walk be close with God,
Calm and serene my frame
So purer light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb.
-- Via The Bulletin of the Church of Christ at New Georgia,
October 29, 2006
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-3-
News & Notes
Chuck Bartlett, who preaches in Toronto, has requested prayer
for his wife Deb, who will be undergoing surgery this Wednesday for
a thyroid removal. He points out that they both realize that this
type of surgery is routine and that all should go well; but, even
so, he would still like prayer for his wife. She will probably be
home by Friday.
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MYRTLE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST
1022 Myrtle Street
Denham Springs, LA 70726
(225) 664-8208
Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM
Wednesday: 7:00 PM
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520
e-mail: tedwards at onemain.com
web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go
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