GOD MADE HUMANS TO SERVE HIM AND OTHERS. THEY SINNED; THEY BECAME SELF-SERVING,[ROMANS 3:23]. SIN PAYS WAGES-- "DEATH.!" [ROMANS 6:23]. HOW DOES FALLEN HUMANITY TO GET OUT OF ITS DILEMA? TO WHAT CAN IT LOOK FOR RESCUE? HUMANY LOOKS TO ONE OF TWO SOURCES OF HELP:
WHAT IT DOES FOR GOD- ITS OWN WORKS.
WHAT GOD DOES FOR IT- A PERSON. THE FIRST IS A DELUSION, BORN OF PRIDE AND DESPAIR.. THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM MUST COME FROM GOD. THE FOOLISHNESS OF THE SOLUTION OF "WORKS."
WHEN GOD FIRST MADE ADAM, ADAM WAS IN FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD. GOD ESTABLISHED THAT FELLOWSHIP (GEN 3].
ADAMS OBEDIENCE DID NOT ESTABLISH FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD. FELLOWSHIP EXISTED.
AFTER THE FALL INTO SIN, ADAM NO LONGER DID GOD'S WILL. HE DID HIS OWN WILL. HE SOUGHT TO BE FREE FROM GOD, ONLY TO BE A SLAVE TO HIMSELF, SUBJECT TO DEATH, JUDGMENT. AND CONDEMNATION. HIS PLIGHT WAS ONE OF HIS OWN MAKING. BY NATURE, FALLEN HUMANITY TRIES TO PUT MATTERS RIGHT BETWEEN GOD AND ITSELF ON THE BASIS OF WORKS. IT USES WORKS TO MANIPULATE GOD TO ACCEPT IT. IN SO DOING, IT PUTS GOD'S LAWS TO USE HE NEVER INTENDED. NOT SET OF RULES CAN PUT MATTERS RIGHT BETWEEN GOD AND HUMANS WHETHER THEY BE COMMANDMENTS IN THE BIBLE, OR CODES OF LAWS DEVISED BY ANY NATION, GROUP OR TRIBE. NOW WE LOOK AT THE "DIVINE SOLUTION."
THE SOLUTION TO THE BROKEN FELLOWSHIP BETWEEN GOD AND HUMANITY COMES FROM GOD'S SIDE. GOD INSISTS THAT IT BE THAT WAY. HE WILL BE INDEBTED TO NO PERSON HE INSISTS ON BEING ENTIRELY THE "GIVER" IN THE SPHERE OF SALVATION. MAN MUST ALWAYS REMAIN A RECEIVER OF WHAT GOD GIVES. THOUGH MANY CHRISTIANS LOOK ON THE COMMANDMENTS ( WHETHER TWO, TEN OR, MANY) AS GUIDELINES FOR THEIR WALK THROUGH LIFE, THEIR REAL GUIDELINE IS TO BE THE LIFE OF JESUS, ( JOHN 13;34,35; EPHESIANS 5:1; MATTHEW 11:28-30).
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AS QUOTED IN EXODUS 20 AND DEUTERONOMY 5 BELONGED TO THE GOD MADE WITH OLD ISRAEL. THIS COVENANT WAS REPLACED BY JESUS. ANY OLD TESTAMENT COMMANDMENT MUST NOW BE FILTERED THROUGH JESUS MIND. HIS LIFE AND TEACHING ARE THE FINAL AUTHORITY FOR
DETERMINING THE WAY HIS DISCIPLES ARE TO WALK THROUGH LIFE. WHEN GOD REVEALED HIS TRUTH TO HUMAN KIND, HE DID NOT PROVIDE HIS WRITERS WITH A NEW-HEAVEN DESIGNED SET OF WORDS TO EXPRESS IT. HE LET THEM EMPLOY WORDS ALREADY IN USE TO CONVEY MESSAGE.
THE BIBLE HAS A RICH VOCABULARY OF WORDS TO DESCRIBE SIN.
1. THE MOST COMMON WORD THE BIBLE USES TO EXPRESS HUMAN REBELLION IS "SIN." THE WORD THE NEW TESTAMENT USES FOR SIN WAS USED IN CLASSICAL GREEK TO MEAN, "TO MISS A TARGET OR ROAD, " HENCE ALSO AN INTELLECTUAL ERROR, AND "A MORAL FAULT."
2. A SECOND WORD IS "TRESPASS". IT MEANS TO WALK IN FORBIDDEN PLACES. IT USUALLY REFERS TO AN INDIVIDUAL LAPSE, RATHER THAN TO A CONDITION OF SINFULNESS
[EPHESIANS 2:1].
2B.THE NEW TESTAMENT USES THE WORD TO REFER TO MAN'S STATE OF REBELLION AGAINST GOD e.g. ROMANS 5-7. MAN'S SINFUL CONDITION GIVES RISE TO WRONG ACTIONS.
3. THE WORD " TRANSGRESS MEANS " TO GO BEYOND THAT SPECIFIED LIMIT," AND " TO CROSS OVER THE LINE." IT DESCRIBES BREAKING GOD'S LAW [MATTHEW 15:2,3.]
4. THERE ARE SEVERAL WORDS WITH RELATED MEANINGS. THE NEW TESTAMENT WORD "LAWLESSNESS" INDICATES THE ATTITUDE OF CONTEMPT FOR GOD'S LAW,
1 TIMOTHY 1;9. IT INCORPORATES IDEAS OF REVOLT, REBELLION, AND DEFIANCE.
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