Subject: How did sin originate |
Bible Note: Joe Thanks for your reply. I really don't find anything in what you said that I can say I absolutely disagree with. I just want to say that everything has a first cause, sin included. It is my belief that God is not the first cause of sin. Rather God created man with the foreknowledge that he would exercise his God given freedom of choice, and chose to disobey. God knew before He created man, that this is the way it would be. It didn't catch Him off-guard or by surprise. Nevertheless, God knowing what would come about still chose to create His beings. So I agree with you when you say He allows it to happen. To grasp this we need to accept the different aspects of God's will, His perfect will, verses His permissive will. I also agree that the unregenerate in their deadened state cannot please God. I believe, where we might part ways is that I also believe that God can work in the unbelievers heart wooing him, and drawing him, but that God's grace can be resisted. (see Acts 7:51). Here is a few reasons why I believe God's grace can be resisted: (1) If God is all-powerful, then He could save all persons. (2) If God is all-loving, then He would save all persons. If an all-powerful God can save all, but He will not save all, then God is not all-loving. For a God who is all-loving would save all, if He could save all. But the fault lies not with God, but rather with man who when ONCE God enlightens that individual as He does "every man that comes into the world (John 1:9), that man resists God's grace and does not receive the free gift of salvation. When that happens then God,in His justice will not allow that individual into heaven, but he will be cast into hell. Man is held accountable for his decisions. Those who resist God's grace are "without excuse" Rom. 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: |