Original Sin Concept Explored
 |
| If you ever felt the temptation to steal (take what is not yours), yet resisted and did not justify your situation (even if starving), you know what it is to be tempted by evil and how to decide to do what is right. |
The concept of ‘original sin’ should best be understood through this:
So I find this law at work:
Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.
For in my inner being I delight in God’s Law;
but I see another law at work in me,
waging war against the law of my mind
and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.
What a wretched man I am!
Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?
Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Yeshua Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s Law,
but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
- Romans 7: 21–25Evil is temptation.
Thus it is like a notion, an idea, a way of thinking.
Temptation can be ignored, denied, repented from.
Evil’s temptations are persistent.
Like a maniac who will stop at nothing.
Even a small victory is better than nothing at all for the demoniac.
Thus how insane evil is in its own nature (the fallen nature it became).
Evil, knowing it will be extinguished one day, works persistently and continually for even the smallest possibility to undermining the saints.
Evil and temptation will persist for the believers so long as they are in the flesh.
However, God grants victory over temptation whenever it arises.
Some of the original sin concept is derived from this passage:
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight;
so You are right in Your verdict and justified when You judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet You desired faithfulness even in the womb;
You taught me wisdom in that secret place.
- Psalm 51: 3–6What should be noted is what God, expressed through David, is telling mankind about their life while in the flesh.
Remember, we are also called ‘gods’ by the Lord our Creator... but promised death.
We’ve been told we existed ‘before’ coming to reside in the flesh (soul)... and are now experiencing a purposed existence.
These realities then should be resolved with what is being expressed through David.
Original sin’s concept is to help explain this development... something that depicts the battle within:
The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth,
and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.
- Genesis 6: 5What made Noah different from his contemporaries?
Noah made the effort to choose right instead of wrong.
Conscience.
Choice.
Obedience.
Submission to God (not submission to evil's temptation).
What did Christ reveal about things spiritual, the internal battle?
In your struggle against sin,
you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son?
It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when He rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines the one He loves,
and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son.”
- Hebrews 12: 4–6This reality is often why religious people miss the Way.
Religious people are arguing about, and focused on, concepts... instead of reflecting their lives in what the Spirit is showing them.
I don’t blame religious people, because for those not yet ‘there’ or who do not have faith, they likely read my words and think ‘what a religious crazy person’.
Yet I ‘understand’ inside despite my words possibly failing to express my life, experiences, and internal struggle against whatever tempts me to sin.
In other words: men focus on and argue over words and doctrines and dogmas, instead of living the life of love.
Moving on from theories, consider:
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man,
and death through sin,
and in this way death came to all people,
because all sinned—To be sure,
sin was in the world before the Law was given,
but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law.
- Romans 6: 12–13Evil tempted Adam (and Eve), and they disobeyed (were overwhelmed by temptation and decided to do wrong).
Since the Law is fulfilled in Christ, and we fulfill the Law’s requirements through loving others (even ‘enemies’), then the Law has no condemnation over those who love and obey His moral code.
It is in living the Life that man realizes he is sinful, but also that God’s grace saves him despite his sin.
Thus why it is better to focus on and realize His grace, to focus on things Above.
To seek out the Light in all things on earth, not focused on and harping on evil or the wicked deeds of men… (turn off the news).
‘Set your heart on things Above’ it says.
Men come up with all kinds of ideas to help them understand what is going on, and those ideas seem like efforts to be turned into Gospel.
Notice the Gospel is already here (in the hearts of those God chooses), and for the rest, it is written down to remind them or clarify things when their notions get swept away.
But Yeshua would not entrust Himself to them,
for He knew all people.
He did not need any testimony about mankind,
for He knew what was in each person.
- John 2: 24Christ knows those who are His (now and in due time), and those who are not (and will never be).
God / Christ loves His children despite their troubled hearts, their persistent battles, the manner they are harassed by evil’s temptations.
He enables His children to overcome.
Part of that process is being refined by fire.
Thus when we identify that evil is right there with us, we should be humbled and motivated to consider our ways in every situation.
But never forget the battle has already been won!
Although it seems we are behind enemy lines, realize since the kingdom is within, we have already been brought to victory... and His kingdom reigns supreme throughout the earth.
Obey, follow the Way, live in the Light, praise His Holy Name in all things.
Comments