Heidelberbg 6-8 Sin's Entrance

12Therefore, 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— 18Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:12,18-19)

Thoughts: The misery of this life was not always there nor will it be there in the end.  Therefore there is hope to be set free from the misery, guilt, and shame in life.  Sin came into the world as poison comes to good drink- it corrupted everything- making it unfit and unsafe to drink without getting sick.  Originally we were made to relate to God. We were made to be approved and accepted by God- like Him in holiness and righteousness. That relationship was broken and is broken and blocked by the poison of sin.  The good news is that we can start again- be born again by God Himself.  We can escape the poison of sin by the grace of God. 

Prayer: Lord, the powerful poison of the world cannot stand against you.  Help me to rely on your grace.  

Q & A 6

Q. Did God create people
so wicked and perverse?

A. No.
God created them good1 and in his own image,2

that is, in true righteousness and holiness,3

so that they might

truly know God their creator,4
love him with all their heart,
and live with God in eternal happiness,

to praise and glorify him.5

1 Gen. 1:31
2 Gen. 1:26-27
3 Eph. 4:24
4 Col. 3:10
5 Ps. 8

Q & A 7

Q. Then where does this corrupt human nature come from?

A. The fall and disobedience of our first parents,

Adam and Eve, in Paradise.1

This fall has so poisoned our nature2

that we are all conceived and born
in a sinful condition.3

1 Gen. 3
2 Rom. 5:12, 18-19
3 Ps. 51:5

Q & A 8

Q. But are we so corrupt
that we are totally unable to do any good
and inclined toward all evil?

A. Yes,1 unless we are born again
by the Spirit of God.2

1 Gen. 6:5; 8:21; Job 14:4; Isa. 53:6
2 John 3:3-5

5/7/14- The Fall

From this dignity and perfection man and woman both fell; the woman being deceived by the serpent and the man obeying th voice of the woman, both conspiring against the sovereign majesty of God, who in clear words had previously threatened death if they presumed to eat of the forbidden tree.

Scripture: Genesis 3: 4“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

10He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

Thoughts: Many dismiss this passage as if it were simply mythology and fiction therefore there is no truth in it.  But this passage tells us much about ourselves.  It tells us that though God made us good, we polluted the good with our sin- and this sin originated from the very beginning.  The virus and pollution of sin spread like an incurable disease until Christ came.  Paul would say in Romans 5:12- as in Adam all die, so in Christ are all made alive.  When the head of a people messes up- it affects all the people (just ask the Syrians).  So humans messed up from the first Homo Sapiens who walked.  We gave up our innocence for pride and lust.  The pride is found in thinking we know better than God- listening in obedience to other voices besides God's.  The lust is found in thinking our taste is more important than our Maker's instructions.  This is described as "the fall."  It is a free fall away from love, from grace, from God.  The once pure relationship is broken.  

Prayer: Lord, my own heart deceives me.  Take away my love for sin and replace it with love for you.