Category Archives: sin

Sin And Salvation

The whole world lieth in wickedness (I John 5:19). For by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (Romans 5:12). As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes (Romans 3:10-18). For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law (I John 3:4). But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them (Galatians 3:11-12). 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 (Galatians 3:19,20).

For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins (Hebrews 10:1-4).

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 7:24). There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Romans 8:1-4).

And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:15). For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved (John 3:16-17).

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth (Romans 10:4). For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed (Romans 10:10-11). He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned (Mark 16:16).

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead (Acts 17:30-31).

The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (I Peter 3:21). For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Galatians 3:27). Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-4).

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him (Colossians 3:1-10).

Eric L. Padgett

CAIN AND ABEL

Notwithstanding their closeness to the Creation and their proximity to the Creator, there is nothing we read in the Sacred Account of Adam and Eve and their sons that suggest to us anything but that they were susceptible to the same temptations we ourselves now face daily (I John 2:15-17). We have seen the Fall of Adam and Eve from their fellowship with Jehovah. Now we read of the tragic incidents surrounding their children, Cain and Abel. This first family tells us much about us.

Cain was firstborn. His interests lay in the field. His brother Abel was a keeper of sheep. Both men brought an offering to the Lord, but only Abel’s was accepted. Multiple theories have been put forward as to why God rejected Cain’s offering and most of the time it centers on Cain’s attitude. And while Cain’s attitude certainly left a lot to be desired, this most certainly was not the sole reason, or even the main reason, the Lord rejected his offering.

No less than Jesus tells us that Abel was righteous (Matt. 23:35). Righteousness comes from keeping the commandments of God, for “all Thy commandments are righteousness” (Psalm 119:172). Paul tells us that now, today, it is in the gospel that the righteousness of God is revealed (Rom. 1:17). If Abel was righteous, then it was because he kept the commandments of the Lord. Indeed, the Lord tells Cain, “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted” (Gen. 4:7). Clearly, the Bible reveals that Cain’s transgression was that he was not righteous, he did not do well, he did not obey.

Additionally, Paul declares that “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Paul also declares that Abel presented his offering by faith (Heb. 11:4). Now, if faith comes by the word of God, and Abel presented his offering by faith, then Abel presented his offering according to the word of God. That is, he did well in obeying God’s commands.

This also explains why Cain was condemned. It was not an arbitrary, gratuitous dislike of Cain or his offering that led to God’s disapprobation, but a legal condemnation based on Cain’s disobedience of God’s revealed law. When has it ever been otherwise? Anyone today who similarly alters God’s commands, or who adds to or takes therefrom, shall likewise partake of God’s judgments (Rev. 22:18,19). The wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience (Eph. 5:6; Col. 3:6).

If there are no other lessons to be taken from this historical account, this would be quite enough, for it is vitally important. It is a lesson that is taught over and over again throughout scripture. But Cain’s transgression of God’s commands led to other sins, as well. The man who cares not if he obeys God’s commands in worship, will care little about God’s commands in general. Cain is a case in point.

When the Lord condemned Cain for his disobedience in worship, instead of being contrite and humble, he became jealous, hateful and angry. God’s instruction to Cain was not to go seek to manage his anger, but to do well! God’s remedy for anger is to be obedient to Him! The way to acceptance with God is not through self-will, but humble obedience. Nevertheless, he took out his hatred on his righteous brother Abel. How very sad it is that the first account that we have of murder is meted out by a brother upon a brother.

Abel was the first martyr. He suffered for himself because he did well and the voice of his blood cried out from the ground as a witness (Gen. 4:10). The blood of Abel and of all the righteous prophets was required of that people which persecuted and killed them and then crucified the Saviour (Matt. 23:34-38). Jesus suffered for all because He did well. Today, the blood of Jesus speaks of better things than that of Abel’s (Heb. 12:24; I Pet. 1:18-20).
Eric L. Padgett

A Murder Mystery

How were the members of this group murdered? That was the question detective Spoudadzo, affectionately known as Spouda, had to solve immediately. The members’ dead bodies lay strewn about the room. Each of them showed signs of having been slain with an extremely sharp, double-edged blade. That was all that could be known at this time, except that there was no doubt that it was a precision instrument wielded with great skill. But what precisely was that instrument and who was responsible? Who were the members of this group and what was the motive for these deaths? These were the questions that needed answers fast.

Right away, detective Spouda knew who these victims were. He knew them well. He had run across them before in his past research and they all had well documented criminal pasts. The first victim was a Mrs. Porneia. She was well known around town for her lewdness and was often seen in the most undesirable places. Her picture was seen in many magazines and she was constantly advertising on television and the movies. Many people had been seen with her but she was especially known to keep company with a Mr. Aka Tharsia, who had a reputation for being involved in every unclean activity you could imagine. He could at times put up a good front, but his dealings were as dirty as the ground you walk on.

The third victim was a Mr. Pathos. He was an ugly, overwieght man with an insatiable appetite, an appetite that he was sure to satisfy no matter what the cost. He usually was known to work with two underworld associates. The first was the evil Epi Thumia. Like his mentor, Pathos, he wanted what he couldn’t have. He had been known to choke his vitims to death to get what he wanted. His second associate and the last victim was Pleo Nexia. He was a greedy man and involved in many shady deals, which he made by misleading others. His nickname was “The Idol.” All of these were bad characters and no decent person would miss them now that they were gone.

The lab work came back quickly and it was determined that the fatal wounds had been caused by a double-edged sword. That was an unusual instrument and was easy to trace. Spouda remembered another case similar to this when a double-edged sword was used to dispense with some other pretty unsavory characters, all members of the same outlaw gang. Their names were Orgay, who was always angry, Thumos who acted out his anger on others, and Kakia who was an extremely malicious individual. They hung around the final two victims, Aschro Logia, who was as foul-mouthed as anyone could be and his girlfriend, Blasphemia. They were always involved in various terrible crimes.

This last group had been put to death in the very same way as the first, with a sharp, two-edged sword. The person responsible was found innocent in the Court of Law. That person’s name was Christian. The Jury had determined Orgay and his gang were terrorizing Christian and Christian acted on grounds of self-defense. Spouda wanted to have a talk with him. Maybe he could provide a lead on the current case. He was known to frequent the church of Christ and that’s were Spouda headed.

When Spouda found him, Christian was reading his Bible. Christian was a devout man who attended worship and Bible study regularly. He helped those around him who were in need and he always stood up for the truth. His neighbors said he was a decent man who could be trusted to do the right thing.

Spouda confronted Christian. “Do you know anything about the death of Mrs. Porneia and her associates?”

“I do,” said Christian. “In fact, I am responsible.”

“But why Christian, why would you do such a thing?” Spouda said.

“Detective Spoudadzo,” Christian said, “Mrs. Porneia, Epi Thumia and all the others were choking the life out of me. I acted in defense of my own life. If I had not acted, I would be dead, spiritually dead. But now I am alive. Too many who profess to be followers of God get involved with the wrong crowd and are led into a life of sin. I walked with this crowd at one time, but no more. I will not be influenced by them anymore. Here, detective, read Col. 3:1-10. This will explain.”

“I’ll read it, but your case will have to be tried,” Spouda said.

Years later Christian stood before the Judge of all the earth. The Judge spoke with a thunderous voice, “Well done, My good and faithful servant, enter into the joys of thy Lord.”

Case closed.

Cast of Characters
Detective Spoudadzo – spoudadzo; to make effort, be prompt or earnest :- do (give) diligence, be diligent (forward), endeavour, labour, study. – II Tim. 2:15 – “Study”
Double edged blade – Sword of the Spirit, the word of God – Heb. 4:12; Eph. 6:17
Mrs. Porneia – fornication
Aka Tharsia – akatharsia – impurity (the quality), physical or moral :- uncleanness. Fornication and uncleanness are almost always grouped together in scripture.
Mr. Pathos – pathos – lust
Epi Thumia – epithumia – a longing (especially for what is forbidden); concupiscence, desire, lust (after). Jesus said the lusts (epithumia) of this world choke the word (Mark4:19).
Pleo Nexia – pleonexia – avarice, i.e. (by implication) fraudulency, extortion; covetousness, greediness. Covetousness is idolatry (Col. 3:5).
Orgay – anger
Thumos – wrath
Kakia – badness, depravity, or (active) malignity, or (passive) trouble; evil, malice (-iousness), naughtiness, wickedness.
Aischro Logia – aischrologia – Vile, filthy communication.
Basphemia – Blasphemy
Christian – Represents the faithful child of God
Judge of all the earth – Christ

Summary: This fictional story is an allegory based on Colossians 3:1-10. Faithful Christians will remove from their life all those things that cause them to sin. The word of God is the instrument to use to bring about that end. As we follow the teachings of Christ, we must actively kill all the evil influences in our lives. When we stand in judgement before the Lord, He will welcome us in if we have remained faithful.
Eric L. Padgett

Thou Art The Man

It is a terrible thing to be accused of something bad, especially when the accusation is false. The resulting damage to one’s reputation and life can be devastating. As Raymond Donovan, former U. S. Secretary of Labor, once asked after being falsely charged with a crime, “Which office do I go to to get my reputation back?” How many people’s lives have been ruined because someone carelessly or, even worse, maliciously, spread a lie about someone else. But there is something even worse than this–when the charge is true and it comes from God!

David was the recipient of just such a charge. Nathan the prophet came to him and described an incident in which a man, who had many flocks and herds, took the only, precious lamb which another man possessed to serve it up to a stranger that had come his way. David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man who would do such an evil and selfish thing as this. But what David did not realize was that Nathan was describing David’s actions in other terms. When David pronounced punishment on the person he believed Nathan was describing, Nathan told him plainly: “Thou art the man.”

Sometimes we fail to see the wrong we do when, in principle, it is the same as what we condemn in others. The apostle Paul, for instance, sated, “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things” (Rom. 2:1). The Jews, who had condemned the Gentiles as being evil, did many of the same things as they did, all the while professing to be following God. It was not that the Gentiles were not evil, its just that the Jews were also sinners (Rom. 3:23).

When Ahab, the evil king of Israel, charged Elijah with troubling Israel, Elijah responded by saying “I have not troubled Israel; but thou and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim” (I Kings 18:18). Elijah was telling Ahab, “Thou art the man.” There are those in the Lord’s church today who likewise accuse those who contend earnestly for the faith of troubling the church by being “church police” when in reality it is they who trouble Israel, the Lord’s church, by not zealously following God’s will.

Many in the religious world are confident that they are doing the will of God and boast of their good works. But Jesus said many will make this claim on the day of judgement saying “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (Matt. 7:22). Then He will say to them, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt. 7:23). Jesus will, in effect, say to so many, “Thou art the man.”

We tend to think of others as the ones committing sin, as the ones who speak unkindly, as the ones who lie, as the ones who accommodate doctrinal error, as the ones who cheat, as the ones who harbor ill will, as the ones who slander, and so on, when, in fact and/or in principle, we are equally guilty. Let us examine ourselves (I Cor. 11:28), prove our own selves (II Cor. 13:5) and take heed lest we, thinking we stand, fall (I Cor. 10:12).

David committed a series of horrible trespasses against the Lord and his fellow man, but he had the right attitude when he was confronted with his sin. He said “I have sinned against the Lord.” (II Sam. 12:13). He acknowledged his sin and was resigned to the punishment that was meted out to him by God. May it never be the case that the Lord can say to us, “Thou art the man.” But if He does, may we have the heart of David and acknowledge our sin and repent.

Eric L. Padgett

Should We Obey God Or Woman?

In a recent speech given at the Women of the World summit, Hillary Clinton, Democrat candidate for President, stated that “Far too many women are denied access to reproductive health care and safe childbirth…And deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed.” While you might think that she was referring to some far away, oppressed, backward country, she wasn’t. She went on to clarify that what she referred to was “not just in far away countries but right here in the United States.”

In many ways this is simply a strange statement. The expression “reproductive health care” is just a nuanced way of saying “abortion.” The Planned Parenthood website, for instance, while they offer other token services (very few of which seem to be related to parenting) clearly seeks to promote and advance abortion. It is nearly all they talk about. And yet, apparently, Hillary Clinton thinks there are not enough abortions even in the United States where there have been 57,852,000 since 1973. Already, this year alone, there were 360,187 abortions. Think of this! These are innocent lives being snuffed out just because they were inconvenient to someone else. And Hillary Clinton thinks women are denied this “right”?

Furthermore, she blames religious beliefs for stifling abortion. Whatever else she may be referring to when she says this, she has in mind the Biblical teaching that abortion is murder. She would have Christians to change their “deep-seated religious beliefs” in order to bring about her goal of increased access to abortion. This clearly demonstrates not only a lack of humanity but also a lack of understanding on her part of the nature of truth, the origin of the Bible and the basis of Christianity.

Christians do not arbitrarily decide what they believe. We believe the things we believe because they come from God, not from any man (or any woman). All scripture is given by inspiration of God (II Tim. 3:16,17). Faithful Christians would never, could never, change their view about the sanctity of life. Those who would presume to alter the teaching of God’s word are warned:

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book (Rev. 22:18-19).

Christians, those who follow and adhere to the teaching of Jesus Christ, know that to add to or to take from the word of God is sinful. Christians would never seek to alter or have others alter their deep-seated views that come from God. Indeed, we ought to obey God rather than men or woman (Acts 5:29). While many will form their worldview based on something other than the Bible, faithful Christians, will have a “Thus saith the Lord” for their deep-seated beliefs.

This country does not now need, nor does it ever need, leaders who tempt its citizens to dismiss the will of God or have disdain for the sanctity of human life, which is made in the image of God. It needs leaders who will lead based upon the word of God. At the very lest, we need moral leaders who uphold the traditional Judea-Christian values that formed the basis of the founding of this country.

May God help us in the upcoming elections to choose men and women who uphold the traditional values upon which this country was founded, who will uphold the sanctity of life, and who will listen to God’s word as they govern.

Eric L. Padgett

Do We Inherit Sin?

Many in the religious world suggest we are guilty of someone elses sin. They say we are guilty of Adam’s sin or, as they put it, “original sin.” There are many reasons why this is just not so, but we want to consider only three.

First, if we inherit sins from our parents, then Jesus would have been born in sin. But this is not the case. Paul wrote, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus was born in the flesh. He was born of a woman (Gal. 4:4). But He had no sins! Some have tried to get around this by saying that May was born without sin, the doctrine of the “Immaculate Conception.” But if Mary could be born without sin, then why cannot we?

Second, consider Jesus’ view of little children. “And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them” (Mark 10:13-16). Would Jesus bless a person, even a little child, and hold them up as an example to be followed, who was stained with sin? Again, in Matthew 18:3, Jesus said, “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). Jesus blessed the little children as He held them in His arms. Would Jesus describe entering the kingdom of Heaven, into which no sin may enter, as becoming as little children if they were already guilty of sin? How could entering into the kingdom of Heaven justly be described as being stained with “original sin?”

Finally, a passage which clearly ends the matter is found in the eighteenth chapter of the book of Ezekiel, verse twenty. It reads, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him” (Ezekiel 18:20). If I cannot inherit my father’s sin, how can I inherit Adam’s sin? I cannot.

If I stand guilty before God because of sin at all, it is going to be because of my own sin. If I am forgiven of those sins, it will be because I have obeyed the Saviour (Heb. 5:8).

Eric L. Padgett