THE ORIGINAL SIN

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on April 27, 2014 at 9:24am

I would take a different approach and actually preached on this a couple of weeks ago. The fall of man was part of the plan before God created anything. The reality of Jesus going to the cross was part of the plan from the beginning. Man was not created with a design flaw that enabled Him to fall, but was created exactly as God intended (otherwise God created a flawed being and thus in turn would mean the designer is flawed as well). God gave man certain freedoms I like to call liberties. Man exercised that liberty and incurred the judgment of God. We need to remember that Adam knew the penalty for failure and God knew that Adam would fail. Both being true it still required man actually acting out His rebellion in real time. In the end we find that man acted in accordance with the design of God without a flaw. Man moved from an age of innocence to a state of falleness only to reveal the grace, mercy and love of God who already had the redemptive plan in place, but would not be realized for about another 4000 years when Jesus went to the cross and shed His blood.

One of the hardest things for us IMO to wrap our minds around is that God sees the beginning and the end fully realized and as actual events that are sure. To make a point I will make a ridiculous comment: Could you imagine God's shock if Adam did not fall? What would God do about the Lamb slain before the foundations of the earth? The fall was so sure before He created that He had as part of the creative plan the redemption of man. This is not an addition to the plan, but part of the original plan.

Food for thought.

Lord Bless,

LT

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Permalink Reply by RoyW on May 8, 2014 at 7:40am

LT,

I agree with you completely on this. I have used the illustration that we are still on Plan "A" and have not moved on to Plan "B" which is reality there is no such thing. All this was part of His plan. Scripture teaches very strongly that God moves according to His plan and purpose. 

Some would wonder why there is so much suffering in our world. Even though His ways are much higher than ours and we could not begin to understand them, I have considered alternatives to this system. None work. I see no other way that would keep man humbled enough to realize his need for God. In this world, we are very dependent on Him. This seems to be part of His purpose. He does want mankind to come to Him. If all things were as man would want in his present condition, I doubt there would be any mention of God left in this world. 

I have some in my family suffering right now. I pray that God will remove all suffering from all those I love. Yet, more than that, I want us all to be with Him throughout all eternity. This world forces some of us to come to God. Some realize their desperate need for Him and His love. It does seem this is part of His plan. He does love His children very much. 

Thank you for these words. He does know fully the beginning and the end. We need to learn to trust fully in Him and not lean on our own way of thinking. Ours doesn't work. His does.

Great comment.

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Permalink Reply by Mysty on May 9, 2014 at 11:14pm

Roy, Great insight.  Your comment "I want us all to be with Him throughout all eternity." Tells me what an amazing heart you have. You sound like a very loving, caring, kind man. Thanks for your comment.

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Permalink Reply by Richard L. Broch, Sr. on May 8, 2014 at 10:40pm

Greetings Brothers,

I committed an error by posting this thread in the manner I did.

The thought was to maybe start a discussion on man's first sin....of an uncountable number to follow in the world.

Obviously, it was all part of what God knew what was going to happen. The shadow of the cross was there in the Garden of Eden.

God even let Satan have free access to this paradisiacal place.

I do believe this was mankind's first opportunity to exercise free choice with his life.......and God knew what that would be.

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