The Effects of Sin

In our post modern society more often than not, people account their misfortunes or their hurt felt lives to their environmental surroundings, sickness and anything else that will remove the blame from their own sinful nature. The husband, who is dissatisfied, blames the critical wife, the student with bad grades blames their terrible teachers, the depressed woman blames her childhood and people continue to blame everyone except the sin that entangles our thoughts and ways when we walk away from obedience to God. The fact is, sin gives birth to enslavement, self-centeredness and leaves people with an inability to love among many other things.

Sin often times becomes an enslavement of bondage. “Sin becomes a habit or even an addiction.”[1] When we walk in sin, such as lying, harming our bodies and walk in direct opposition to God’s desires, we bring on anxiety, pain and broken relationship with God. All sin leads to bondage, pre-marital sex produces fear and anxiety in a relationship because it is outside of God’s desire, uncontrolled anger produces violence when God desires self-control, and drinking robs us of a sober mind, just to name a few. While in my college days many encouragers gave me some good advice and it is that, “Sin takes you farther than you are willing to go, keeps you longer than you are willing to stay and has a price higher than you are willing to pay” (author unknown).

Sin will always have a self-centered view of life. For example, in the story of Cain and Abel in the account of Genesis, it is pointed out that Cain’s face was downcast. Normally when someone has a downcast face something in their life is not going well, in our society we would call the person depressed. However, God gave Cain a choice that if he would do what is right, then his countenance would be lifted. However, Cain wanted to serve his sinful desires and he killed Abel due to his own jealousy. “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing” (James 3:16).

Sin also leaves people with an inability to love according to God’s desire. Most people have a skewed view of love, however God gives us a clear picture in the book of 1 Corinthians 13. Love is patient, kind, not jealous, not bragging, not arrogant, not self seeking, does not rejoice in wrong, is not provoked, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. Sin will not produce these things in the life of a person, instead it will produce just the opposite. “The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, to turn aside from the snares of death. Good understanding produces favor, but the way of the sinner is hard” (Proverbs 13:14-15).

In the end, sin will always lead to bondage, self centeredness and an inability to love. “The problem with this answer is not that people find it unclear but that they find it unpalatable.”[2] The healing in life will come through calling out to God in repentance and learning to walk in his ways. Marriages will be healed when wanting my way turns into wanting it God’s way, depression will be healed when the Word of God is actually applied and lived out, and lives will experience peace when we realize who we are and who God is.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Deanna

[1] Erikson, Millard J., Christian Theology, Baker Academics, Grand Rapids, MI, 1998, pg. 632.

[2] Colson, Charles, How Now Shall We Live, Wheaton, Illinois, Tyndale House, 1999, p.148.

Minimal Facts Approach - Testing Hypotheses

This post is a continuation of a series of posts by Mary Jo on the Minimal Facts Approach.

Various Hypotheses Concerning the Resurrection

After establishing the four minimal facts surrounding the event of resurrection, I will now put to the test a few of the numerous hypotheses given as an explanation for these facts. The answer at the end of each fact demonstrates whether or not the theory in question can account for that particular fact.*

Swoon Theory – Jesus did not die on the cross; he fainted or swooned, and was eventually revived

Fact 1: Jesus died by Roman Crucifixion – NO
Fact 2: Jesus appeared to the disciples – NO
Fact 3: Jesus appeared to foes – NO
Fact 4: Jesus’ tomb was empty – NO

X This hypothesis does not account for all of the facts.

Hallucination Theory – The disciples had grief-induced or other type hallucinations, which explain the appearances of Jesus.

Fact 1: Jesus died by Roman Crucifixion – YES
Fact 2: Jesus appeared to the disciples – NO
Fact 3: Jesus appeared to foes – NO
Fact 4: Jesus’ tomb was empty – YES/STRAIN

X This hypothesis does not account for all of the facts.

Legend Theory – Jesus was most likely a man who led a small religious cult in first century Palestine, but legend about him developed over the years after his death in an effort to convert people to Christianity.

Fact 1: Jesus died by Roman Crucifixion – NO/STRAIN
Fact 2: Jesus appeared to the disciples – NO
Fact 3: Jesus appeared to foes – NO
Fact 4: Jesus’ tomb was empty – NO

X This hypothesis does not account for all of the facts.

Myth Theory – The story of Jesus Christ is a myth that developed much like the myths of other ancient near east religions.

Fact 1: Jesus died by Roman Crucifixion – NO
Fact 2: Jesus appeared to the disciples – NO
Fact 3: Jesus appeared to foes – NO
Fact 4: Jesus’ tomb was empty – NO

X This hypothesis does not account for all of the facts.

Jesus was resurrected – Jesus died by Roman crucifixion, was buried, and subsequently appeared to his disciples and others in bodily form.

Fact 1: Jesus died by Roman Crucifixion – YES
Fact 2: Jesus appeared to the disciples – YES
Fact 3: Jesus appeared to foes – YES
Fact 4: Jesus’ tomb was empty – YES

This hypothesis accounts for all of the facts.

The inference suggested by historically exploring the evidence around the events of Jesus’ life is that a resurrected Jesus is the best explanation for the historical facts. What are the implications of a resurrected Jesus?

Mary Jo

Main Sources:

Habermas, Gary. Mike Licona. The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus. Grand Rapids, Kregel: 2004.

*Licona, Mike. Resurrection of Jesus. Lecture. McLean Bible Church Apologetics Conference, “Loving God With All Your Mind.” November, 2006. Format for checking hypotheses from Licona’s lecture.

For further reading:

Explaining Away Jesus' Resurrection: The Recent Revival of Hallucination Theories - Gary Habermas

The Late Twentieth-Century Resurgence of Naturalistic Responses to Jesus' Resurrection - Gary Habermas

Contemporary Scholarship and the Historical Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ - William Lane Craig

Did Jesus Really Exist? - Paul L. Maier
© Mary Jo Sharp 2007

What is Sin?

On any given day, you can open up the newspaper to find conflict, shootings, theft, adultery and moral decline. But, what is at the heart of moral decline? What is it that causes others to kill, cheat on their taxes and deceive people? It is sin, oops! If anyone speaks of sin or calls someone a “sinner it is almost like screaming out a profanity or obscenity at a very formal, dignified, genteel meeting, or even in church.”[1] Yet, we are all sinners resulting from the fall of Adam and Eve. So, what is sin according to the Bible and what causes someone to sin?

The nature of sin is “any evil action or evil motive that is in opposition to God”.[2] Sin is displacing God from His rightful place. Scripture gives several descriptions of sin:

¨ Missing the mark - Pro. 19:2
¨ Rebellion - Deut. 31:27
¨ Transgression - Nub. 14:41-42
¨ Iniquity - Lev. 26:40
¨ Treachery - Pro. 13:15
¨ Abomination - Deut. 22:5

“The essential nature of sin is giving the allegiance that we owe God, to someone or something else.”[3]

Knowing that sin is against God, what is it that causes a person to sin? James wrote, “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death” (James 1:13-15).

God has given us natural desires such as hunger in order that we would not starve, but when our own desires go beyond His desires then we are in gluttony and missing the mark He had intended for us. He has given us natural desires, such as:

¨ The desire to obtain things, but when our desires are at the cost of exploitation or hurting others, then the pursuit is coveting.
¨ God has given us the desire to do things, but when we boast in our own pride instead of thanking Him for the gift, then the pursuit is putting ourselves above God.
¨ God has give us the desire to enjoy marriage, but physical relations outside of marriage is pursuing adultery.

It is when we miss the mark, rebel and transgress God’s laws that we sin. Because of our sin we deserve death. However, "God demonstrated His love that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8), making restitution for our sin to all who believe. It is only when our society turns away from sin and turns to repentance to God that people will begin to walk in integrity, live with morals and love one another.

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” Psalm 1


Deanna

[1] Erikson, Millard J., Christian Theology, Baker Academics, Grand Rapids, MI, 1998, pg. 582.
[2] Ibid
[3] Lewing, Jason, Systematic Theology, The Doctrine of Sin.