Friday: Further Thought – The Human Condition
Further Thought: “Thus the biblical terminology shows that sin is not a calamity fallen upon the human unawares, but the result of an active attitude and choice on the part of the human. Further, sin is not the absence of good, but it is ‘falling short’ of God’s expectations. It is an evil course that the human has deliberately chosen.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
It is not a weakness for which humans cannot be held responsible, for the human in the attitude or act of sin deliberately chooses a way of rebellion against God, in transgression against His law, and fails to hear God’s Word. Sin attempts to pass beyond the limitations God has set. In short, sin is rebellion against God.”-The Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2000), p. 239.
“A terrible picture of the condition of the world has been presented before me. Immorality abounds everywhere. Licentiousness is the special sin of this age. Never did vice lift its deformed head with such boldness as now. The people seem to be benumbed, and the lovers of virtue and true goodness are nearly discouraged by its boldness, strength, and prevalence. The iniquity which abounds is not merely confined to the unbeliever and the scoffer. Would that this were the case, but it is not. Many men and women who profess the religion of Christ are guilty. Even some who profess to be looking for His appearing are no more prepared for that event than Satan himself. They are not cleansing themselves from all pollution. They have so long served their lust that it is natural for their thoughts to be impure and their imaginations corrupt.” – Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 346.
Discussion Questions:
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the present age of people is not different from the days of noah; there is partying, marrying,entertainments,the list goes on and on, even profess Christians turning luke warm and are falling away easily. but evil will not prevail if we abide by the word of god and up hold the teaching of jesus ' happy are those who are spiritualy poor ' god will satisfy them fully' yes if we keep on longing for gods word God will fully satisfy us and will endure the trial and temptation and hold fast till his glorious coming which signs of time indicated that it is not far. so I encourage my fellow brethren hold fast don't look back moved forward. GoD Bless us All
In ourselves we may not have great power to overcome our limitations. But we do have free will. Let us choose to be with Jesus! There is no peace else where...
I am a sinner. I cannot turn away from my past sins. I can't even change my heart and make myself holy. But I know someone who can. I grasp hold of God's promise to do all this for me through Christ. And I believe that He will fulfill to the uttermost, just as I believe He has forgiven me of all my sins every morning. Sometimes I don't feel like He has made me whole. That is when I say to myself, out loud if necessary, "I believe it; it is so, not because I fell it, but because I believe God promised." He has also promised to be by my right side, nor ever to forsake me. Therefore I am comfortable to walk up to Jesus and be cleansed. I now stand before the law without shame, or remorse because He causes me to remember. Romans 8:1.
While we may always rely on help, it is left with us to "deny" our self, "take up [our] cross" and "follow [Him]. Jesus invites us to "take My yoke upon you and learn of Me". This is not done for us. We must choose, then act on that choice, to rise early, go to our knees and search the scriptures to learn the will of God that we might follow it in place of our own contrary will. All this is done through the power of God if we ask for it then act in faith. The flooded Jordan would never have parted if no one had moved forward in faith. God will not transport us to heaven without our desire and action of faith. Why else will so many be lost and never know the joy of salvation?
I wonder if we sometimes leave too much of the overcoming of sin to God, and it doesn't get done. We can't do it without God, God can't do it without us. I had the caffeine habit bad, mostly tablets. To get up with, keep going with, a bottle in my pocket at all times. I decided it had to stop. Threw many a bottle of tablets away, only to buy some more. I had asked God to help me. One evening, I decided enough was enough. I told myself, I am going to quit. I told God, I am going to quit but I obviously don't have what it takes. But, God, this time I am going to put up every bit I have to quit, back me up, please. It was murder, but I did it. Yes, I did it, not alone, backed up by God. But I did it. When I put all my will and actions that this was the way it was going to be, then God could back me up with what I needed. Did God "give" me victory? Or did He back me up with what I needed because I put my all into the task?
Yes. Just as with Jacob, we must wrestle as if for our very life, and if by faith, we will be blessed. God's promises are sure IF we exercise faith and act upon them as if having received the blessing already. It will follow.
The manna fell freely from heaven, but you would starve in the midst of that abundance if you did not get up before "the sun waxed hot" and gather for yourself. Faith is action that is based on truly believing God's promises.
Likewise, God does not put the food into the mouths of His creatures. They need to gather it themselves as He has blessed. If not, they would perish while rejecting God's blessings.
Raymond, when God gives you the motivation of His Love for the victory, that is the first and most important thing you need for true victory. If that victory is based on your own merits and selfish motivation allowing God to follow on behind you, it is "filthy rag" righteousness and doesn't amount to salvation from yourself but only puffs up self in the accomplishment in my understanding of the way of the salvation God offers us. The valuable thing we have to offer is the choice of who will rule my will. Will it be God or me. Will He lead me or will I try to lead Him to do things for me.
I've said this many times in tearful prayers but still no change. I'm loosing my memory and its making me look very questionable when my reputation is dependent on it(just in my 40s). I think God is punishing me for my sins. Ive been hurt badly over the years due to a sinful relationship. I've prayed to overcome this love and person but as soon as I think I was improving the person would call or we would crossed path by some weird way and the painful memory of the treatment I received would start all over again. Ive forgotten good things but these evil episodes are haunting me. If I do speak to him, I'm firm in my tone. Though I'm not actively participating in the sin anymore my mind is trapped and I've no peace. I think I've bn overwhelmed with the grief of how I was used and the guilt of my sins that my memory is now affected. I tust no one and I feel as though God has gone silent on me. If that's not bad enough when I attend church at times I leave feeling worst than I went. The sermons are a direct attack due to knowledge of somebody's current lifestyle or our lack of work in church. I helped out a lot and will give others encouragement but find none for myself. I give and leave myself without. I'm glad when i can make someone happy but as soon as i get home I'm depress again. Sometimes I'm on a spiritual high and next I'm crying out to God to get past my stressors. I've bn praying for another job and I've sent applications and I know I'm qualified for them but nothing. Is it that I don't understand faith? I've cried and pour out to God but I feel He's tired of me cause I've dishonored Him too many times. I'm miserable,very sad and fear I'll be vulnerable again even though I confessed to God my fears and have seen and felt the evil effects of my sins. I don't feel like I'm a childf of God. I've asked for forgiveness and I've gone to the altar many times but still I feel rejected. I've asked God to help me to be willing to be willing. I've asked for prayer and I've fasted but I feel destitute. If God can't help who can?
Dear Dejected & sorrowful, your comment sounds to me as if you have lost hope because of your feelings of guilt. God loves you now as much as He loves me. He is more willing to give us His Holy Spirit than parents are willing to give good gifts to their children. So what is the problem?
Do you feel that you have separated from God so far that He doesn't want to hear your prayers. I am sure that He wants to put His Spirit of Love right into your own heart so that every thought or feeling you have will be motivated by His Own Love and will be what He would think or feel. Forgiveness for your sins and those who have sinned against you is what Jesus died for. That comes with His Spirit of Love when we give Him permission to be the motivation for our thoughts and feelings.
I think that God wants to give us employment that is secure and just right for us. We have found that if we allow Him to be that employer for us that He has work for us when we seek first His kingdom and His Righteousness.
He also is faithful to pay us. Sometimes He pays in ways we don't expect and sometimes we don't seem to be paid at all, but we always have enough and the work is fulfilling because we are working for the King who truly Loves us. He gives us love to share with others and it makes us happy.
We have chosen God to be our employer for 28 years and He has not disappointed us. We are not dependent on any other person or organization than Him.
Dear Dejected & Sorrowful
I know you know all that I am going to say, but I will still say it.
In 1 John 1:9 we are PROMISED that we if confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
In 2 Pet 3:9 we are also told that the Lord is not slack concerning His PROMISE, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
In John 6:37, a further promise - the one who comes to Me I will BY NO MEANS cast out.
Finally, Rom 4:21 reminds us that what God had PROMISED He is also able to perform.
Sometimes it is very hard to believe the promises especially when we are in the throes of despair. God has never failed in any of His promises, and is not about to change now.
Here are some suggestions:
1. Pray for understanding of what God requires you to do.
2. Spend every available moment in prayer and immersed in the Scriptures.
3. Increase those available moments, cutting out EVERYTHING in your day and week that is not necessary.
4. Start with the book of John, reading through the entire book four or five times or more until the message permeates your entire psyche and your being. Pray before reading it and stop and pray for guidance while you are reading it. Apply its principles to your life.
5. Study the life of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit as revealed through Scripture.
6. Incorporate a time of fasting from food and anything other distraction for a season, as you are studying the Scriptures.
7. You will begin to see Jesus Christ in a new way, and you will begin to hear His voice to you.
Results may take a long while, but DO NOT stop until you have gained the victory.
I am praying for you.
Sincerely,
Your brother in Christ
Fred
To Caring & Concerned & Fred-
Thanks so much for both of your encouragement and prayers. I've started some of the suggestions. I look forward in the future that one day I'll share my breakthrough. Please continue to pray for me. God bless you both!
Raymond, just remember every day we go out to war in the battle called good and evil (Ephesians 6: 10-18). If you don't have any armour then you will be overcome by the evil. Keep fighting, the trumpet that will announce 'The War Has Ended!' will soon be blown.
I do not agree with the author's idea on Friday's part that sin is an evil course that humans "DELIBERATELY CHOOSE." Maybe some humans eventually "Deliberately choose" this course, like JUDAS did. But not all humans deliberately choose this course for their lives. And also, ALL HUMANS INEVITABLY are born into this world with this course in their BIOLOGICAL GENETICS. But because of God's PLAN OF REDEMPTION via HIS SON JESUS, all humans are now given a choice that they can make to forsake their SINFUL GENETICS and accept JESUS in place of it.
If no one is prone to sin then why isn't there anyone besides Jesus who has never sinned?
It is at the point that I understand that sin is killing me that I become desperate to quit it. That is the first step in recovery. I then make my best efforts over and over again attempting to quit. It is then that I realize the power of sin and how deeply rooted it is in the essence of my being. It is then that I either succumb to sin or recognize my powerless and that Someone must change me from the inside out. That is God’s work—he created me and he can recreate me. And why would I trust God with that work? Because in Christ he has shown he will do whatever it takes to rescue me from sin and death.
Will I never fail back into sin? Not as long as I trust God to do his work, but that trusting is the work of lifetime. I found this article of interest: “Estimating the number of quit attempts it takes to quit smoking successfully in a longitudinal cohort of smokers” http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/6/e011045.
I think that we often have a very unrealistic understanding of the power of sin and the Power that is necessary to break its hold on our lives.
Yes, Robert you bring up a very important point. Many of us try hard to overcome some some sin without good success. We may decide that it is not necessary to overcome then and accept some of the popular theology that makes some sin alright since we are "only human." After all "it was all finished at the cross" wasn't it?
It is very important to remember that "I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me." Jesus wants to give us the same Spirit that gave Him the Mind of His Father and victory in this world over the weakness of His human flesh.
Our thoughts and feelings can be motivated by God's Love when we give His Spirit access to our will. Everything depends upon the the will. Thoughts and feelings determine our actions and our character.
Don, "everything is dependent on the will"? Our will? God is dependent on our will? What does that make God? Doesn't that make God a man like me or you? Was God dependent on Paul's will when He addressed him on his way to Damascus?
Kenny, this phrase you address concerning the will, is from a quote that speaks of how we exercise our will according to the will of God through faith. We are not to rely on feelings or allow circumstances to control our lives, but to surrender our will to the will of God. We can and must make a choice, then act on that choice by God's grace.
God will never control anyone against their will, and we must yield to His will by choosing to do so, or we will be helpless against the power of Satan. This is why the Bible teaches all to "choose you this day whom you will serve". God will not choose for you, for that would violate your free will.
Robert, the origin of this “free will” tenet, which some religionists promote as *inviolable*, even to God, is with atheistic humanists who say there is no god, that man is in absolute control of his destiny and has no need of God.
God created Adam and let him know from the outset that he was subject to Him. Since God was creator and He alone has “knowledge of good and evil” - the capacity to determine good and evil - He told him what was good for food, what was not. He gave him his work and the details of it. Adam was not free to do whatever he wanted. Adam was ‘alone’ and apparently didn’t complain. But God who knows thought that it was not good for him to be alone. Adam didn’t say, “Well, shouldn’t that be my decision? Am I not made in your image! I am capable, you know… Adam’s will was in harmony with , and conformed to, God’s will. He named the animals exactly as God would have done. Is this the “free will” which God must acknowledge and respect and consider as of equal authority as His? Should God have asked Adam: “Do you want to work? Is it okay for Me to put you to work in the garden? Is it okay to place a tree as a test for you? If you eat of the forbidden fruit is a sentence of death ok? Do you think that you need a wife… It seems that Adam’s will was not as *free* as our will is today.
When Adam conceived that God was an obstacle to his pursuit of “godness” was that an exercise of “free will”? That was under the influence of Satan. That exercise was not all that free. Some will say he was ‘free’ to do it. No, he wasn’t. He was commanded not to do it. Therefore it was rebellion. He turned his loyalty to Satan dragging his seed with him.
Thank God Adam was only a type (Rom 5:14) of the Son of God who was heir of all things, including the “knowledge of good and evil”(Eph 1:10,11; Col 1:15-17; Rom 8:17). In his encounter as Head of the spiritual human race He vanquished Satan dragging His seed along with Him (Isa 53:10-12; Jn 12:23-26). The corrupt stubborn *will* of God’s people is relatively easy for Christ our Lord to overcome when compared with Satan.
Kenny, the Bible is clear: You CAN do what you want, but God has mercifully laid out the consequences for the wrong choices. There was a tree planted in the midst of a perfect creation that was off limits. Yet it was there, within reach, no guards around it, no fence, just a statute given with a choice to make.
God only invites sinners, never compels. God has placed YOUR right to choose above His authority to force your choice.
So how to you take this to mean anything other than entire freedom to choose our own way, as billions will do? Most will be lost because they chose to go against the law of God, and God allows them that liberty to do so. And you must see that you are totally wrong to conclude that Satan forced Adam's choice. Just study the story again, and also realize that just as God does not force our will, He will not allow Satan that ability until we choose it willingly. Adam chose on his own, or he would not have been found guilty and suffered the curse his choice brought upon him.
This principle of being free to choose does not originate with atheists, even if they embrace it. It existed before any such individuals existed.
Lucifer was allowed to choose against the will of God long before Adam and Eve chose the same wrong course. And in the end, God will exclude all from His government who want no part of it or His authority. They will be given what they want: to be where God isn't. Death is the only place where God isn't to be found.
Concerning another issue, you state that Adam "apparently didn't complain", yet God concluded that it was "not good that man should be alone". What led God to this conclusion? Perhaps Adam didn't "complain", but he must have felt alone after seeing all the animals with companions and finding no such companion who could relate to him. We have a social "need" hardwired into our makeup since God Himself is a social being and we are created in His image. Only in a sinful world will you find those who wish to be free of all other human ties. This is an extreme form of selfishness isn't it?
I think maybe Paul was dependent on God's will to become his will in order to do the work he finally did. This happens when we give God permission to mold us in His Character.
Robert, I wrote that Satan influenced, not forced, Adam. I concluded therefore it was not an exercise of as free a will as you claim for beings today. The will is influenced by its environment. It is dependent. God, as Creator, has overwhelming "power" to influence anyone above all else, to convince, and to convict. That is not force.
If God does not force anyone and does not determine personal choices, then we all have free will, right?
After all, it is God's will that all be saved. 1 Tim. 2:4 The deciding factor remains our choice to accept or reject this salvation.
The natural fleshy beings will always choose contrary to God (1 Cor 2:14; 15:50). The first test Adam encountered he chose against God, perfect as he was. Christ *emphasized* “You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to you.” Jn 15:16