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Commentary on "Sin"

STEVE PITCHER

 

Day 4: Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Today's lesson walks on both sides of the road regarding the topic of original sin, but fails to show how original sin has been dealt with. The quarterly states:

Theologians often distinguish between the sinful acts that we commit and the sinful nature that we possess. We all have been corrupted by Adam’s fall; we all are deemed sinners even before we sin.

This clear and powerful statement then devolves into an argument against the practice of infant baptism. Over and against this practice, is the belief, held by some, that they have achieved a state of sinless perfection.

Both the argument for infant baptism, and the one against sinless perfection in this life avoid two beautiful teachings of Christianity.

First, infant baptism, for many non-Catholic Protestants is not based on the belief that the infant will suffer eternal torment if it dies before baptism—it is a belief grounded in the teaching that one has been elected by God in Christ from all eternity. Notice Romans 8:28-31:

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Please note: This writer is not arguing in favor of infant baptism. I am simply pointing out one of the main purposes for the practice of infant baptism by many in some Protestant Christian denominations. The infant is baptized because he/she has been born into the family of believers who will raise the child in the way he should go, resulting in the choice to believe God's promises in Christ Jesus.

A term that has been used through Christian history is that of “sinless perfection.” As has been stated in Sunday's and Monday's lessons, this state is not one that the believer will achieve in this fallen world. However, sinful perfection is most definitely accomplished by everyone who turns to Christ. Although this sounds like a dichotomy, it is actually a paradox. A dichotomy is a statement that contains two or more contradictory statements that cannot both be true. A paradox is a statement with seeming contradiction that is nonetheless true.

The book of First John provides us with two statements. These statements are either contradictory, (one true and one false), they are both false (this cannot be the case if we have already accepted the Bible as God's word,) or they are both true (which must be the case if the Bible is God's word.)

First John 1:8 says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

First John 5:18a says, “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin.”

Original sin has been dealt with on the cross. The believer is transferred from Adam into Christ and no longer carries the guilt of the sin of being in Adam (if you haven't yet, please read Romans chapter 5.) The sins we commit (including sins of omission) will be with us while we dwell in these bodies. To deny this is to deny 1 John 1:8. To say that we continue to sin is to admit that we have not been born of God (1 John 5:18a.) For the believer to fall into either side of the road without the tension of the other side of the road is to miss the road. We have been (past tense) forever perfected in Him who gave Himself for us. In this life, we will continually deal with the pull of this world and our former self.

Neither infant baptism nor sinless perfection are issues the Christian need deal with. They may be great discussion issues, but neither provides a solution for the believer who struggles while living in this world.

 

Summary

  1. Original sin is a fact, clearly stated in Romans chapter 5. Neither infant baptism nor sinless perfection offers a solution to the problem of original sin.
  2. Original sin was dealt with once and for all on the cross.
  3. Christians live within the tension of a paradox—we are sinful saints. This is not a dichotomy, it is a statement of fact.
  4. If we have accepted the fact that God has dealt with original sin on the cross, we can be transferred from Adam into Christ. We cannot be in both places at once.

 

 

 

 

 

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