The Origin and Extent of My Sin

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Ecclesiastes 7; Lord's Day 3
Psalters: 228, 338, 37, 23
  1. The creation.
    1. God created man good, without sin and misery, so we cannot blame the good God.
      1. God’s creation of man was especially good because man was God’s highest creature.
      2. God created man able to bear His image and to have a relationship with Himself.
    2. God made man a personal being, with a rational-moral nature, reflecting God’s will and attributes.
  2. Man’s sin and misery had its origin in our first father’s willful and deliberate fall into sin.
    1. Adam was created fallible (lapsible), i.e., he was able to fall from this lofty position.
      1. It would take only a single act of disobedience.
      2. Adam was created with a morally free will, i.e., he was able either to love God or to hate Him.
      3. To eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (disobeying) he would experience God’ anger and rejection.
    2. Sin came when Adam, of his own will, deliberately chose to disobey God and determine good and evil for himself.
    3. Therefore, our problem is not that we are imitators nor that we have bad parents, schools, friends, or bad circumstances.
  3. To what extent are we sinners?
    1. Adam and Eve immediately knew guilt, worthy of the punishment of death (God’s just wrath).
    2. Adam’s fall into sin had bitter consequences for all mankind, for God had appointed Adam representative and father of all.
    3. Now we are, by nature, wholly incapable of doing any good and are inclined to all wickedness (totally depraved).
  4. The only hope of escape is from outside of ourselves: the grace and mercy of God in Jesus Christ.
    1. Learn that in Christ there is forgiveness of all our sin and guilt, and He has the power to remove sin’s dominion over us.
    2. Jesus does this by regenerating us, re-creating us in the image of God (now the image of Christ).