Results 1 - 6 of 6
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Is God somehow responsible? | Rom 1:20 | Morant61 | 70115 | ||
Greetings Joe! I was reading some in Norman Geisler's book, "Chosen but Free" the other day. He made an interesting point about Adam and Eve. I can uderstand how someone could argue that a sinner freely chooses to sin, and as such deserve their punishment. But, how about Adam and Eve? They were not created with a sinful or depraved nature, so what was the cause of their choice to disobey God? I'm ust curious as to how you view this question! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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2 | Is God somehow responsible? | Rom 1:20 | Reformer Joe | 70148 | ||
This is a good question, and not an easy one to answer from Scripture, since we get no insight into the thoughts going through the heads of our first parents. One thing does stick out to me when considering the cause of their fall, and he was coiled up in the tree coaching Eve to do what she did. Would they have obeyed God without the prince of lies coming in and convincing them otherwise? I am pretty convinced that they likely would have. And I also think this serves as a reminder to us that our enemies here and now are the flesh (which wasn't a problem for Adam and Eve at the outset), the world system (which was perfect pre-Fall) and Satan, whose minions are constantly prowling about seeking whom they may devour. Therefore, since Adam and Eve were not created with a disposition to sin, nor had a society around them coaxing them into it, I think that Satan gets the credit for being the prime mover in the Fall. And the prize? His head crushed and a lake of fire forever and ever. --Joe! |
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3 | Is God somehow responsible? | Rom 1:20 | Morant61 | 70149 | ||
Greetings Joe! Thanks for your response my friend! The reason I asked is that Geisler makes a strong point that orignal sin is evidence of free will (at least as I defined in a previous post). Since, Adam and Eve did not have a fallen nature at this point, they had (as you put it) no 'disposition to sin'. So, one is really only left with two possibilities. 1) God 'made' them choose sin. or 2) They freely chose to sin against God. I agree that Satan had a part to play, but he had no ability to force them to do anything. So, his could only be a tempting role, not a determintive role. I think that we would both agree that God didn't make them sin, since that would make God the direct author of sin. The only possibility that I can see which is left is that they freely chose to sin, not in obedience to a fallen nature, but as an act of will. One could even argue that 'sin' was against their nature in that sense that there had never been a human act of sin prior to this. Any way, I was just curious if there were any holes that I was missing! :) Keep me in prayer this week my friend. I have two abscessed teeth and the entire side of my face is swollen and painful. I can't get in to have them removed until Dec. 31. :-( Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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4 | Is God somehow responsible? | Rom 1:20 | Reformer Joe | 70152 | ||
"The only possibility that I can see which is left is that they freely chose to sin, not in obedience to a fallen nature, but as an act of will. One could even argue that 'sin' was against their nature in that sense that there had never been a human act of sin prior to this." Augustine didn't see it as "against their nature." Here is how he explained it (in Latin): posse peccare ("able to sin") -- pre-fall humanity non posse non peccare ("not able not to sin") -- post-fall unregenerate humanity posse non peccare ("able not to sin") -- the Christian on earth non posse peccare ("not able to sin") -- the glorified saint So Adam was created sinless, but fallible. Whatever the case, we can all agree that he wasn't created irresistibly disposed to doing good. --Joe! |
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5 | Is God somehow responsible? | Rom 1:20 | Morant61 | 70159 | ||
Greetings Joe! One of the more interesting chapters in Geisler's book was the one listing quotes from the Early Church Fathers and their views of free will. Even Augustine initally believed in it, though he did change his position later in life. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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6 | Is God somehow responsible? | Rom 1:20 | Reformer Joe | 70168 | ||
"Even Augustine initally believed in it, though he did change his position later in life." Sounds like me! :) --Joe! |
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