Wages or Gift?

[RND]

The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 6: 23.

Man was originally endowed with noble powers and a well-balanced mind. He was perfect in his being, and in harmony with God. His thoughts were pure, his aims holy. But through disobedience, his powers were perverted, and selfishness took the place of love. His nature became so weakened through transgression that it was impossible for him, in his own strength, to resist the power of evil. He was made captive by Satan, and would have remained so forever had not God specially interposed. It was the tempter's purpose to thwart the divine plan in man's creation, and fill the earth with woe and desolation.

By nature we are alienated from God. The Holy Spirit describes our condition in such words as these: "Dead in trespasses and sins;" "the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint;" "no soundness in it" (Eph. 2: 1; Isa. 1: 5, 6). We are held fast in the snare of Satan, "taken captive by him at his will" (2 Tim. 2: 26). God desires to heal us, to set us free. But since this requires an entire transformation, a renewing of our whole nature, we must yield ourselves wholly to Him.

The warfare against self is the greatest battle that was ever fought. The yielding of self, surrendering all to the will of God, requires a struggle; but the soul must submit to God before it can be renewed in holiness. . . .

God does not force the will of His creatures. He cannot accept an homage that is not willingly and intelligently given. A mere forced submission would prevent all real development of mind or character; it would make man a mere automaton. Such is not the purpose of the Creator. He desires that man, the crowning work of His creative power, shall reach the highest possible development. He sets before us the height of blessing to which He desires to bring us through His grace. He invites us to give ourselves to Him, that He may work His will in us. It remains for us to choose whether we will be set free from the bondage of sin, to share the glorious liberty of the sons of God.

From God's Amazing Grace by Ellen G. White - Page 312

 

[ChevyRodeo]

I dislike this idea of being born into sin. I pay for the actions of others because of my genetics? but sin is not physical it is spiritual, is the spirit passed on as well ?

 

[RND]

I dislike this idea of being born into sin.

Join the crowd! I hate the idea too. It's all Satan's fault.

I pay for the actions of others because of my genetics? but sin is not physical it is spiritual, is the spirit passed on as well ?

You pay for your own sins because you have heaped sin upon yourself. You are a lawbreaker just like me and every other person that has walked this earth. Fortunately He offers us a free gift of eternal life through accepting His righteousness.

Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His. "With His stripes we are healed."

By His life and His death, Christ has achieved even more than recovery from the ruin wrought through sin. It was Satan's purpose to bring about an eternal separation between God and man; but in Christ we become more closely united to God than if we had never fallen. In taking our nature, the Saviour has bound Himself to humanity by a tie that is never to be broken. Through the eternal ages He is linked with us. "God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son." John 3:16. -- Desire of Ages, Page 25

 

[(THE)]

I dislike this idea of being born into sin. I pay for the actions of others because of my genetics? but sin is not physical it is spiritual, is the spirit passed on as well ?

I uderstand why peopl esay this,,,but I dont agree either,,,,,we are babies when we come into the world,,,,and babies cant sin.......SO really were not born into sin,,,,,we are born into a world strongly influenced by satan and things of the flesh that ultimatly make one sin.......

 

[Steve76]

I wouldn't say it is Satan's fault entirely though... :gah

If Eve had trusted God's word and not believed in Satan's lies then she would not have sinned.
Grrr, Women! (hehe, only joking.... )

I should imagine that the fruit was quite appealing also! The lust of the eyes... :crazy



http://getwiththeword.blogspot.com/

 

[(THE)]

I wouldn't say it is Satan's fault entirely though... :gah

If Eve had trusted God's word and not believed in Satan's lies then she would not have sinned.
Grrr, Women! (hehe, only joking.... )

I should imagine that the fruit was quite appealing also! The lust of the eyes... :crazy



http://getwiththeword.blogspot.com/

The lust of the eyes

 

[RND]

I wouldn't say it is Satan's fault entirely though... :gah

Why not?

If Eve had trusted God's word and not believed in Satan's lies then she would not have sinned.
Grrr, Women! (hehe, only joking.... )

I should imagine that the fruit was quite appealing also! The lust of the eyes... :crazy

Before Eve sinned Satan started a war in heaven causing the heavenly courts to be thrown into utter chaos. Sin was found in Satan long before it was found in earth.

Satan is the culprit.

 

[Steve76]

I understand that Satan was the first being to commit sin against God but Eve still had a choice...and she rebelled also. She could have listened to God's warning and acted on it when Satan tempted her! :yes

 

[RND]

I understand that Satan was the first being to commit sin against God but Eve still had a choice...and she rebelled also.

No question.

She could have listened to God's warning and acted on it when Satan tempted her! :yes

Was Eve ever told by God or did she hear the commandments second hand from Adam?

Gen 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

This commandment came before Eve was made.

 

[Joe67]

RND,

It is the same with us as it was with Eve. Eve added to the words of the prophecy. We have added to the words handed down to us from God through Moses.

This is more than we can bear, the thought that our mother added to God's words. And then fell prey to the response couched in sorcery. We believe she was forgiven. The Lord God made her a coat of skin.

" In sin did my mother conceive me, and I was formed in iniquity." "Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord does not impute his iniquity."

Joe

 

[Clerical]

The blame for Mankind's fall is placed neither on Satan, nor on Eve.
What does the Word say?

By man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
(1Cor 15:21-22)

and again:

sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned..

If MANY DIED THROUGH ONE MAN'S TRESPASS, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.
And the free gift is not like the result of that ONE MAN'S SIN. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.

If, BECAUSE Of ONE MAN'S TRESPASS, DEATH REIGNED THROUGH THAT ONE MAN, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

Therefore, as ONE TRESPASS LED TO CONDEMNATION FOR ALL MEN, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.
For as BY THE ONE MAN'S DISOBEDIENCE THE MANY WERE MADE SINNERS, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.
Rom 5:12-19

Did you notice there is not a single mention of Eve or Satan in that entire passage of Scripture?

So, although Satan is the first rebel and is blamed for deceiving mankind (Rev 12:9) he is not to be blamed for our rebellion and sin.
And although Eve was deceived (1Tim 2:14), Romans 5 clearly shows the blame is not laid on her either.

It is ADAM who is held responsible.
Why?
Because the man is the head of his wife (1Cor 11:3).
He is the image and glory of God, while the wife is the glory of her husband (1Cor 11:7-9) and therefore the man holds the authority and is the representative of their "one flesh."

An important distinction to make, because the nature of marriage has not changed since God created it, and therefore we men are primarily responsible and accountable for the spiritual condition of our wive's and children.

Take heed lest ye fall..