Knowing Christianity

Even though Christians have died to the sin nature and are no longer slaves to sin ( Rom. 6:2, 14), as Christians we know that we are still able to sin and do sin, 1 John 1:8-10 makes this clear.  John also indicates that the believer has three enemies in this life, three areas in which the believers conflict with sin arise in (1 John 2:16 ): (1) The world. This is not to be understood as God’s creation (nature), but rather the ordered system of this age which is dominated by Satan, the world that is hostile to God. 1 John 2:15 tells us that we are not to love the world (this ordered system) (2) The Flesh (Rom. 7:17 -20; Eph. 2:3). (3) The devil (1 Pet. 5:8). In spite of the fact that we have the world, the flesh, and the devil as enemies in this life, God, by His grace and mercy, has made ample provision so that as Christians, we might experience true victory over sin: (1) The Scriptures (Ps. 119:9-16; John 15:7; 17:17 ; Eph. 5:26; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). (2) Christ (Jo...

From the Latin word imputare , which means “to reckon,” “to charge to ones account.” [1] Imputation relates to how every person is charged with sin. The whole debate of imputation of sin revolves around the meaning of Romans 5:12, particularly around the words “all sinned.” About those two words Charles Ryrie states, “Do they mean that all are sinners (which is essentially saying that all have a sin nature) or do they mean that in some way all mankind sinned when Adam sinned? If the latter, then this is imputed sin.” [2] The two most widely held interpretations are: (1) The Federal view which in essence states that sin is imputed to all men because of Adam’s sin. It was Adam alone who sinned but all men are affected. Sin and guilt are imputed which result in total depravity. Paul Enns states, “Through the one sin of Adam, sin and death are imputed to all humanity because all humanity was represented in Adam.” [3] This view was held and taught by theologians such as Charles H...

Louis Berkhof states that original sin is “The sinful state and condition in which men are born…This sin is called ‘original sin,’ (1) because it is derived from the original root of the human race; (2) because it is present in the life of every individual from the time of his birth, and therefore cannot be regarded as the result of imitation; and (3) because it is the inward root of all the actual sins that defile the life of man.” [1]   Charles  Hodge defines original sin as “The corruption of our whole nature.” [2] The first result is man’s total depravity. Charles Ryrie states, “Total depravity does not mean that everyone is as thoroughly depraved in his actions as he could possibly be, nor that everyone will indulge in every form of sin, nor that a person cannot appreciate and even do acts of goodness; but it does mean that the corruption of sin extends to all men and to all part of all men so that there is nothing within the natural man that can give him merit in G...

I n Scripture we find many words that refer to sin. In the Old Testament there are eight principal words and in the New Testament twelve. These words convey a number of ideas such as missing the mark, disobedience, transgression, lawlessness, rebellion, unrighteousness, etc. In Romans 4:15, Paul teaches that the law was given in order that we may better understand both God’s standard and the seriousness of transgressing that standard. We must carefully consider a number of passages if we are going to properly define sin. Based on those passages, sin is:   (1) A transgression of the law of God (Rom. 2:23 ; 5:14 ; Gal. 3:19 ). Murder is a sin because it is a transgression of God’s law in which He stated “Thou shalt not kill” (Ex. 20:13 KJV). (2) Missing the mark and falling short of God’s standard (Rom. 3:23 ). We can miss the mark or fall short of God’s standard by either things we do or things we fail to do (cf. Rom. 14:23 ). (3) A principle that dwells in man. There ar...

In Genesis 3 we see the entrance of sin into the human realm. The test Adam and Eve would face was a test of obedience. Of all that God had provided for them in the Garden of Eden, the only prohibition given to them was that they were not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:16-17). The command of God not to eat of that tree was a test that would determine whether they would believe and obey God. Keeping or breaking the command of God would show their obedience or disobedience to the will of God. Scripture clearly indicates that Satan was the one who tempted them (Gen. 3:1; cf. Rom. 16:20 ; Rev. 12:9; 20:2). His strategy was threefold: (1) to create doubts in their minds about God’s Word as well as His motives. (2) To make them believe that death would not really result if the ate, and (3) to convince them that if they did eat, they would be like God. Eve succumbed and Adam followed. This sin resulted in judgment on the serpent (Gen. 3:14), on Satan (Gen...