Hamartiology: Is Sin Really So Bad?

1
Hamartiology Is Sin Really So Bad?

• A Study of the Doctrine of Sin

2

• Sin is what you do when youre not satisfied
  with God.
• John MacArthur
• Sin is irrational. Consider Satan himself, who
  knows more about God than most any of us but,
  nevertheless, seeks to replace God on the throne
  an intelligent begin, yet from one perspective
  incredibly stupid.
• John Frame, Salvation Belongs to the Lord.

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WHAT IS SIN?

• Degrees of sin
• Every and any sin is worthy of eternal
  condemnation (Rom. 516 623)
• Scripture denotes that some sins are greater or
  lesser than others (Mt. 519 2323 Jn. 1911).
• Some sins are more offensive to God because
• some sins deserve excommunication from the church
  body
• some sins do not deserve excommunication from the
  church body
• some sins attributed the work of Christ to Satan
• some sins remain perpetual, malicious, willful
  and unconfessed

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THE QUESTION OF ORIGINAL SIN DEPRAVITY

• This term does not mean
• every individual is as completely corrupt and
  depraved as he could become
• the sinner has no innate knowledge of God
• the sinner cannot admire virtuous and righteous
  character
• every unbelieving man will indulge of every form
  of sin.
• This term does mean
• the inherent sin in man extends to every part of
  his nature
• there is no spiritual good in relation to God in
  the sinner at all

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THE QUESTION OF THEODICY

• God does not and cannot sin Himself nor can He
  decree or command sin (Js. 113).
• God does use sin to accomplish His purposes
• God does use even the greatest sin (Acts 223-24)
  as the greatest demonstration of His purpose and
  for the exaltation and glory of His name.

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HOW WAS SIN IMPUTED TO ALL MEN FROM ADAM?

• Imputation of sin means that sin is universal.
• We sin because we are sinners (born with original
  sin) and we are sinners because we sin (our own
  sin condemns us).
• If there is no imputation of Adams sin to us,
  then neither can there be an imputation of
  Christs righteousness to us (Rom. 518). If
  Adam cannot sin on our behalf, then neither can
  Christ offer His righteousness on our behalf (1
  Cor. 1522).

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WHY DO CHRISTIANS STILL SIN?

• Believers have been saved from the power of sin
  so they no longer have to sin (1 Jn. 21).
• Believers still have indwelling sin (Rom. 717,
  18, 20, 21), though they are freed from its
  power.
• The sources of conflict for the believer are (1
  Jn. 216)
• the world the system that is under the control
  of Satan which is hostile to God.
• the flesh the old nature and man indwelling
  sin
• the devil Satan and his angels who seek to
  devour Christians (1 Pt. 58).

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WHAT IS THE PROVISION FOR THE BELIEVER?

• the Word of God (Js. 15)
• the intercession of Christ (Heb. 725)
• the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit (Rom.
  89 Gal. 516ff)
• the redemption of sin through confession and
  forgiveness (1 Jn. 19)

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WHAT IS THE HOPE FOR THE CHRISTIAN WHO SINS?

• Our sins do not affect our legal standing with
  God.
• Our sin does disrupt our fellowship with God
• Our sin is redeemable and is able to be used as
  an instrument of growth by means of appropriating
  afresh the truths of the gospel.

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WHAT ABOUT UNBELIEVERS?

• Unregenerate men remain guilty because of imputed
  sin.
• Unregenerate men are born with original, in a
  state of death, separated from God.
• Unregenerate men are guilty because of their own
  acts of personal sin against God.
• Unregenerate men live under sin, with no ability
  to escape apart from Gods grace.
• Unregenerate men remain under the blinding
  influence and authority of Satan.