Sin, Law And Grace

Sin is a pollution or corruption or distortion of the divine nature inside a created being because of their heart separation from God.

This is similar to the pollution of stagnant water when it is no longer in contact with the source of water and so is no longer flowing.

This was what happened to Satan when he fell: his heart was lifted up in pride and so became separated from God: the fountain of life: living water (Jn. 4:14, Jer. 2:13) and the originally perfect nature in him became corrupted forming sin and iniquity.

Isaiah 14:12-13 KJV: How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! (13) For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

Ezekiel 28:14-19 KJV: Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. (15) Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. (16) By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. (17) Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. (18) Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. (19) All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

Satan originally created perfect as Lucifer became proud because of his beauty and the material wealth God gave him thinking he was now self-sufficient and so able to be independent of God: this is the original sin and all men have this tendency. Hence they seek more and more money and material things thinking if they have enough they will not need God: this is why the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Tim. 6:10)!

This attitude of pride blocked his heart from the flow of divine life from God and so the life and wisdom in him became corrupted; this corrupted nature is called iniquity and sin.

So sin is spiritual substance; in its ‘solid' state it is called sin as it blocks of the life of God; in its ‘liquid' (Rev. 12:15) and ‘gaseous' (Eph. 2:2-3) state it is called death. It is the root of all lust: a desire contrary to the will of God and subsequent acts of sin.

James 1:13-15 KJV: Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: (14) But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (15) Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Sin is therefore firstly a substance that brings forth nature and power of death.

All men inherit this nature of sin and death by physical birth because of the sin of Adam in the Garden of Eden:

Romans 5:12 KJV: Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Psalms 51:5 KJV: Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Having now a clear understanding of what sin is, what then is law?

It is instructive to know that divine law is at 3 levels:
1. Spiritual law: the laws that govern the generation, release and reception of spiritual power.
2. Moral law: the laws of right and wrong or good and evil: these are universal and are in the consciences of all men.
3. Ceremonial law: physical ceremonial observances commanded by God to be performed by men.

In the Old Testament, God formalized moral and ceremonial in the Ten Commandments (moral law) and the Mosaic and Levitical sacrifices and feasts (ceremonial law).

When the Bible says in the New Testament that we are free from the law: it means we are free from the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament. However, we are still under the same spiritual and moral laws.

So it is not a question of law or grace, rather it is keeping law (spiritual and moral) by grace!

In part II of this study, we will see why God instituted ceremonial law and how in Christ we are free from it and how to use the grace in Christ to keep spiritual and moral law.

Courtesy: Scripture Pasture Christian Centre (SPCC).
 
Dear Major.

Disobedience to me is on the list of what I consider the symptoms or physical manifestations of sin. Sin is a substance that produces disobedience, pride, and all other works of the flesh. It is resident in the spirit and the soul of the unsaved but only in the soul (not in the spirit) of the saved. It is our duty to use the life of God in his word, through the spirit to cleanse out (diminish its effect) from our souls (Will, Mind and emotion).

A man with the HIV is plagued with many forms of illnesses, ranging from tuberculosis to skin diseases. But these are indications, symptoms or manifestations of the HIV; and unless such a person is placed on anti-recto viral drugs, these symptoms will persist and eventually lead to death. So is sin. If not dealt with (Sin, not the signs), it will gradually but eventually lead to death (separation from God) and indeed physical death in extreme cases, for God does not delight in the death of the sinner.

Thanks Major.
 
Sin as more of a "term" used to describe the disobedience of God's laws. The word literally means offence or transgression. To offend or transgress implies there is something to offend or transgress against. In biblical terms this would be God's laws.

Chris - I agree with most of what you posted. I see sin as a disease which we are inherently born with and there is only one cure - the atonement of Jesus Christ.
 
Dear Major.

Disobedience to me is on the list of what I consider the symptoms or physical manifestations of sin. Sin is a substance that produces disobedience, pride, and all other works of the flesh. It is resident in the spirit and the soul of the unsaved but only in the soul (not in the spirit) of the saved. It is our duty to use the life of God in his word, through the spirit to cleanse out (diminish its effect) from our souls (Will, Mind and emotion).

A man with the HIV is plagued with many forms of illnesses, ranging from tuberculosis to skin diseases. But these are indications, symptoms or manifestations of the HIV; and unless such a person is placed on anti-recto viral drugs, these symptoms will persist and eventually lead to death. So is sin. If not dealt with (Sin, not the signs), it will gradually but eventually lead to death (separation from God) and indeed physical death in extreme cases, for God does not delight in the death of the sinner.

Thanks Major.

Chris.........., I understand what you are saying and again I do in fact agree somewhat, but wouldn't that man with HIV be suffering from the "circumstances" of wrong choices?????

Now I am assuming of course as I know one can get HIV from blood transfussions (not so much any more though) that the man had a sexual entounter that God DID NOT PERMITT.......hence judgment of disobedience which is SIN.
 
In the last article, we saw that we are to keep spiritual and moral law by grace through faith in Christ: we will see how to do this in detail this week.

It is not law or grace, it is law by grace!

Now because of sin, God formalized moral law in the Ten Commandments given to Moses in Mount Sinai:

Romans 5:13 KJV: For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

These moral laws are and have always been in the consciences of all men before the law was formally given through Moses:

Romans 2:14-15 KJV: For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: (15) Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

Now in addition to this moral law, God added an elaborate set of ceremonial laws to symbolically show man that the way to remove the nature, guilt and power of sin from the human heart would be through the blood sacrifice of the Lord Jesus whom the animals killed in the observance of the ceremonial laws represented.

Galatians 3:19 KJV: wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Of course God knew that no man could keep the ceremonial laws perfectly: they were just a guide to show man that justification from sin would only come through faith in the blood sacrifice of the Lord Jesus.

Galatians 3:21-26 KJV: Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. (22) But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. (23) But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith, which should afterwards be revealed. (24) Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (25) But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. (26) For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

So it is grace, which comes through faith in Christ that will now give us divine life and ability to keep moral and spiritual law, while totally freeing us from ceremonial law.

Now grace is God's favour that causes Him to release a measure of His life into your spirit through the cleansing of the blood of Jesus.

1Peter 3:7 KJV: Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Romans 3:24-25 KJV: Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

The life of God so received by His grace gives us the divine ability to keep both moral and spiritual law.

Philippians 2:13 KJV: For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

We speak, think, pray (in the Spirit: with tongues and travail), and act on God's Word; as we do this, the Holy Spirit gives us divine life, that is processed through prayer to become divine creative power which enables us to will and to do God's moral and spiritual law fulfilling

Romans 8:2-4 NIV: because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.(3) For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, (4) in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

So we overcome sin and fulfill God's moral and spiritual law by faith in the grace in Christ Jesus!
 
I have some objections below I'd like to see how you answer. NOT because you are wrong, or need to answer to me, but I don't agree and I can test my thinking by understanding how you got to where you got.



In the last article, we saw that we are to keep spiritual and moral law by grace through faith in Christ: we will see how to do this in detail this week.

It is not law or grace, it is law by grace!

Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
NASB (all vss NASB)
The verse doesn't leave any room for the law to be involved, in fact Paul said....
Gal 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.
.... AND.....
Gal 5:4 You have been severed from Christ, you who [are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
I don't see room for the law being there....


Now because of sin, God formalized moral law in the Ten Commandments given to Moses in Mount Sinai:

Romans 5:13 KJV: For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

These moral laws are and have always been in the consciences of all men before the law was formally given through Moses:

Romans 2:14-15 KJV: For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: (15) Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

The OT didn't hold Gentile converts to the whole law. Why would it happen now in our FREEDOM Gal 5:1? The NT didn't hold GENTILE converts to the whole law, a council in Jerusalem, with James heading, Paul, Peter, and Barnabas arguing for the Gentiles, and the other disciples there as well stated point blank they weren't under the law. So why would you impose that on them now?

Now in addition to this moral law, God added an elaborate set of ceremonial laws to symbolically show man that the way to remove the nature, guilt and power of sin from the human heart would be through the blood sacrifice of the Lord Jesus whom the animals killed in the observance of the ceremonial laws represented.

Galatians 3:19 KJV: wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Law given only to the JEWS the CHOSEN PEOPLE to show they were more holy, the HOLY NATION set apart, and you want to apply it to the Gentiles too. I don't understand how?


Of course God knew that no man could keep the ceremonial laws perfectly: they were just a guide to show man that justification from sin would only come through faith in the blood sacrifice of the Lord Jesus.

Of course, this isn't discussed anywhere in the Bible, it's added in for dramatic affect by teachers before you or I lived. We do know, that the RICH YOUNG RULER claimed to have kept them and Christ didn't objecto to that claim. So, because of the teaching NO BODY CAN DO IT, we assume that's the truth of the matter, but it isn't stated anywhere in the Bible. It's protestant tradiction, and protestants don't like Tradition, they bash RCC over it... Intersting dichotomy behind the teaching to get you to that point....

Galatians 3:21-26 KJV: Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. (22) But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. (23) But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith, which should afterwards be revealed. (24) Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.(25) But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. (26) For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

So it is grace, which comes through faith in Christ that will now give us divine life and ability to keep moral and spiritual law, while totally freeing us from ceremonial law.


Where is the "LAW" in the above sentence?

Now grace is God's favour that causes (? something CAUSES God to do something? No Omnipotence?) Him to release a measure of His life into your spirit through the cleansing of the blood of Jesus.

1Peter 3:7 KJV: Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
(OTHER THAN THOSE WORDS BEING THERE this has nothing to do with the tag line above it?)
***********EDIT*************

So we overcome sin and fulfill God's moral and spiritual law by faith in the grace in Christ Jesus!

Gal 5:16 says by His Spirit, but I don't think that would be different from your statement's words, is that how you see it too?
 
Dear Major.

Disobedience to me is on the list of what I consider the symptoms or physical manifestations of sin. Sin is a substance that produces disobedience, pride, and all other works of the flesh. It is resident in the spirit and the soul of the unsaved but only in the soul (not in the spirit) of the saved. It is our duty to use the life of God in his word, through the spirit to cleanse out (diminish its effect) from our souls (Will, Mind and emotion).

A man with the HIV is plagued with many forms of illnesses, ranging from tuberculosis to skin diseases. But these are indications, symptoms or manifestations of the HIV; and unless such a person is placed on anti-recto viral drugs, these symptoms will persist and eventually lead to death. So is sin. If not dealt with (Sin, not the signs), it will gradually but eventually lead to death (separation from God) and indeed physical death in extreme cases, for God does not delight in the death of the sinner.

Thanks Major.

Sorry bud..........I love ya but can not agree with ya!

SIN is not a substance!
 
Sorry bud..........I love ya but can not agree with ya!

SIN is not a substance!


Find the words, "and sin became alive inside of me". Show me a mortal life that has no substance. THEN if you can pull that off, show me how the analogy doesn't agree with Paul, John's and Jesus' analogies on the same topic. It can't be done, this statement is just a move to evade and be right.

ANother thread I'm out of.

If a person can't come to the table to reason, they can't be forced to.
 
Sin as more of a "term" used to describe the disobedience of God's laws. The word literally means offence or transgression. To offend or transgress implies there is something to offend or transgress against. In biblical terms this would be God's laws.

Chris - I agree with most of what you posted. I see sin as a disease which we are inherently born with and there is only one cure - the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Kevin, I really like what you said here, especially the part I underlined! Just a point, and forgive me, it's the teacher in me...sin, in the Greek, means "to miss the mark". The mark being God. He is the Standard, and when we don't live up to that mark...well. you know the rest! beeteedubs- I found that Greek meaning at biblos.com. So grateful to God for that site! Forgive me picking at nits, Kevin? ~ellie
 
So, are we talking 'sin' as a noun or 'sin' as a verb and any of the many possible conjugations? Seems the subject is switching from one to the other without a noticeable pause. (Maybe I got outta bed on the wrong side this morning:rolleyes:)
This thread could lead to a fruitful discussion on 'forensic righteousness'.....'forensic justification'. For my part, I contrast forensic with intrinsic.
The interesting thought might be 'is there intrinsic sin or only forensic sin'?
Sin, Justification and Righteousness are all related.
 
So, are we talking 'sin' as a noun or 'sin' as a verb and any of the many possible conjugations? Seems the subject is switching from one to the other without a noticeable pause. (Maybe I got outta bed on the wrong side this morning:rolleyes:)
This thread could lead to a fruitful discussion on 'forensic righteousness'.....'forensic justification'. For my part, I contrast forensic with intrinsic.
The interesting thought might be 'is there intrinsic sin or only forensic sin'?
Sin, Justification and Righteousness are all related.

I've never heard that terminology, and would like to hear more at some point. And sorry if I hijacked. :( And the difference between sin as a noun or verb...that sounds interesting, too. I am assuming (and you know how dangerous that is!) you mean intrinsic sin to be something akin to inherent, " original sin"?
(my- I just realized this program has a spell check feature! that will interfere with my typo master claim! lol)
 
It is e4asy to get past the spell checker with a ty6po or two, t7ry it:).

But let's not hijack this thread, no fun any more. I'll open a new topic ( :)with halo)
 
We are not free moral and spiritual laws. You are not allowed to covet, murder, fornicate or commit adultery. neither are you permitted to serve another god apart from the Almighty God. However, the difference between us (now) and the old testament (then) is that we have the grace of God made available through the Jesus Christ. Our atonement is through him, no longer through the blood of bullocks or beasts. That is what the blood of Jesus Christ is primarily for. So when we fail in any of moral laws (which are often sins of commission) or spiritual laws (which are most times sins of omission), God readily forgives if we confess, forsake and plead the blood immediately.
However, God frowns at abusing this privilege, for "shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?"

So grace does 2 things:
1. Provides us with the divine ability to keep the moral and spiritual laws which are still very functional
2. Provides access for forgiveness and atonement when we err.

On the argument on whether sin is a substance or not, well I will say that if you don't understand sin, you will never be able to overcome it. Brethren, sin is not just disobedience. Sin is a substance that was first found in Lucifer as a result of his separation from God. When we fail to keep spiritual laws (praying, studying, forgiveness etc), there is a disconnect between us and God who is our source of divine life. It is the continuous flow of divine life that keeps the nature of sin in morbid state. If you get too busy to a point where you start shacking your duties of keeping these spiritual laws, you will find yourself failing in the moral laws. The cut in the flow of divine life leads to diminishing and the corruption of the life of God which is in you, just like it did in Lucifer. The punishment, if sustained for too long is eternal separation from God (Hell fire). That is what God has been avoiding by all the laws in the old testament and the laws (spiritual and moral) plus grace in the new testament.

Deal with the nature of Sin, using the Blood (of Jesus Christ), The Word of God, and the Spirit.

Last words: Grace is avaiable for all those who are in Christ. But you can increase grace in your life (increased ability to overcome the sin nature and put under for Good like our Lord Jesus Christ) by HUMILITY.
"1Pe 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."

Shalom.
 
We are not free moral and spiritual laws. You are not allowed to covet, murder, fornicate or commit adultery. neither are you permitted to serve another god apart from the Almighty God. However, the difference between us (now) and the old testament (then) is that we have the grace of God made available through the Jesus Christ. Our atonement is through him, no longer through the blood of bullocks or beasts. That is what the blood of Jesus Christ is primarily for. So when we fail in any of moral laws (which are often sins of commission) or spiritual laws (which are most times sins of omission), God readily forgives if we confess, forsake and plead the blood immediately.
However, God frowns at abusing this privilege, for "shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?"

So grace does 2 things:
1. Provides us with the divine ability to keep the moral and spiritual laws which are still very functional
2. Provides access for forgiveness and atonement when we err.

On the argument on whether sin is a substance or not, well I will say that if you don't understand sin, you will never be able to overcome it. Brethren, sin is not just disobedience. Sin is a substance that was first found in Lucifer as a result of his separation from God. When we fail to keep spiritual laws (praying, studying, forgiveness etc), there is a disconnect between us and God who is our source of divine life. It is the continuous flow of divine life that keeps the nature of sin in morbid state. If you get too busy to a point where you start shacking your duties of keeping these spiritual laws, you will find yourself failing in the moral laws. The cut in the flow of divine life leads to diminishing and the corruption of the life of God which is in you, just like it did in Lucifer. The punishment, if sustained for too long is eternal separation from God (Hell fire). That is what God has been avoiding by all the laws in the old testament and the laws (spiritual and moral) plus grace in the new testament.

Deal with the nature of Sin, using the Blood (of Jesus Christ), The Word of God, and the Spirit.

Last words: Grace is avaiable for all those who are in Christ. But you can increase grace in your life (increased ability to overcome the sin nature and put under for Good like our Lord Jesus Christ) by HUMILITY.
"1Pe 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."

Shalom.

I am not sure where you are getting your terminoly but I have to disagree with it and you.

Sin IS NOT A SUBSTANCE!

The sin found in Lucifer was PRIDE.

I do agree that HUMILITY is one of the keys to living a life for Christ.
 
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