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Chapter 7. Understanding the problem
'And his disciples asked him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered neither this man or his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.’' (John 9:2,3)
To help us in our understanding of how to care effectively for those who come to us for counsel, we need to know something of why we find ourselves needing help.
Man is made up of three parts: body, soul and spirit. ‘Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (1 Thess. 5:23) ‘For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.’ (Heb. 4:12) The body is the outward flesh which contains the soul, that is, the emotions, feelings, desires and thoughts, and the spirit which is eternal.
Man receives his body/soul life at birth when he breathes: ‘And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.’ (Gen. 2:7) and his spiritual life with God at new birth: ‘And you he made alive,, who were dead in trespasses and sins.' (Eph. 2:1) Adam missed eternal life because he did not partake of the tree of life in the midst of the garden. ‘And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.’ (Gen. 2:9)
Mans Original State
Man was created by God and was made in the likeness of Himself. ‘Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”’ (Gen. 1:26)
Woman also was made in His image. ‘And the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found an helper comparable to him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man he made into a woman, and he brought her to the man. And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.’ (Gen. 2:18-25)
Man's likeness was in intellectual and moral nature - not in actual form, although God has a form in which He manifests Himself. ‘In the year that king Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of his robe filled the temple.’ (Isa. 6:1) Stephen said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God!” (Acts 7:56) It is impossible to say how much of this visible likeness was lost in the fall but there shall come a day when God will change our vile bodies. ‘Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to his glorious body, according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to himself.’ (Phil. 3:21)
Man was made of the dust of the ground and given an immortal soul. Man is different from the rest of God’s creation, he has self-consciousness, moral freedom, is capable of abstract thought, religion and worship.
Lord of Creation
Man was made lord of creation. ‘Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth, and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." ' (Gen. 1:28) As the first man, all men and women have come from him. ‘And so it is written, The first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterwards the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second man is the Lord from heaven.’ (1 Cor. 15:45-47)
Man as the Image of God
Even though man has fallen into sin, certain qualities remain from the original image. Like God, man’s spirit is invisible and will not die. Man was created with splendid intellectual powers, will, and self-consciousness.
‘Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name.’ (Gen. 2:19) He has a conscience to discern between good and evil: ‘because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man - and birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonour their bodies among themselves, who changed the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.’ (Rom. 1:19-25)
He was created as head over all God’s creation. ‘For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.’ (1 Cor. 11:7)
What was Man’s Life like before Sin
He was connected with the earth, but also with God. He was intelligent, for example, he named the animals. He was happy and did not have to toil. His relationship to God was one of total dependence, and fearless communion. He was spiritually upright. ‘Truly, this only I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.’ (Ecc. 7:29) There was no conflict between the higher and lower elements. He was sinless. The fall was therefore not a necessity. ‘Adam had no inward urge to sin, his act of sin was disobedience by choice. Conscience is the proof of all this. Adam was not in a state of perfect holiness and true righteousness. He was on trial. He was like an acorn - perfect in embryo, but not developed. He was free to act in accordance with the divine will or against it. He was capable of being tempted, but under no compulsion to sin.’ (Dr. Martin-Lloyd Jones)
The fall - Man in Sin
The Fall is literal history. ‘Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat from every tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” And the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.’ (Gen. 3:1-6) ‘But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.’ (2 Cor. 11:3) ‘For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.’ (1 Tim. 2:13-14)
Sin and temptation came from outside man, from Satan. There was nothing in him to produce sin. He had a free will and could decide for or against any action. Man fell because he listened to slander against God and doubted God’s word. He looked at what God had forbidden and lusted after what God had prohibited: ‘For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world.’ (1 John 2:16) and ultimately disobeyed God: ‘For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.’ (Rom. 5:19) ‘And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.’ (1 Tim. 2:14)
The Steps of the Fall
Satan attacked the woman and she listened, doubted and acted and Adam followed her example. They had a desire for a short cut to divine knowledge but God’s way is of a gradual development. They doubted God’s love and departed from God in their thinking. The devil had already sought to lift up himself in pride and sought to implant the same in man with great success. Man then resented God’s control in his life and put Him on one side.
The Results of the Fall
Adam became immediately conscious of his flesh, he was ashamed of his nakedness. ‘Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.’ (Gen. 3:7) He became conscious of a sense of guilt within himself. ‘Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.’ (Rom. 3:19) He was afraid of God, so he said: “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” (Gen. 3:10) He lost fellowship with God. ‘Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever." ' (Gen. 3:22)
He suffered the agony of spiritual death and was put out of the garden of paradise. ‘So he drove out the man; and he placed Cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way of the tree of life.’ (Gen. 3:24) He discovered life became hard. He had to tame nature around him. 'Then to Adam he said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, you shall not eat from it: cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat from it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return." '(Gen. 3:17-19) and his nature within but this battle he soon lost.
The woman, God said, was to have difficulties in childbirth and her desire would be to her husband. ‘To the woman he said, “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you”’ (Gen. 3:16)
The Consequences of the Fall on all Mankind
All were made sinners: ‘for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.’ (Rom. 3:23) All are unrighteous before God: ‘What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one”’ (Rom. 3:9-10) and remain under a curse. ‘He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for his seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practise righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.’ (1 John 3:8-10)
It is also important to note that the natural man cannot believe the things of God. ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?’ (Jer. 17:9) and the entire moral and intellectual nature of unredeemed man is corrupted by sin. 'For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practise; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practise. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the person who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.’ (Rom. 7:15-24)
Man is a slave of sin. Our conclusion to all we have considered is that the present standing or condition of man outside of Christ is pictured in the Bible as dark and hopeless. One word expresses it, ‘lost’, utterly ‘lost’.
What is Sin
Sin is moral evil, and may be described as, missing the mark: ‘Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.’ (James 4:17) revolt against authority: ‘For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he also has rejected you from being king.’ (1 Sam. 15:23) a transgression of the law: ‘Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.’ (1 John 3:4) or guilt, unfaithfulness, treason, vanity, perversion, and a twist in nature. ‘For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practise such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practise them.’ (Rom. 1:26-32)
Sin is in man’s heart. It is universal. The whole of human nature was in Adam, when Adam fell, all fell. Sin is a condition from which the acts of sin come. ‘But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ (1 John 1:7-9) It is directly related to God and His law and is a lack of conformity to it: 'For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law’ (Rom. 5:13) bringing a sense of guilt and failure.
What about Man Today
Original sin is inherent in human nature from birth and is the inward root of all the sins we commit. Therefore we are all born under the penalty of Adam’s sin and are guilty of Adam’s transgression. ‘Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned - (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offence. For if by the one man’s offence many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of one man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offence resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offences resulted in justification. For if by one man’s offence death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man’s offence judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.’ (Rom. 5:12-19) As Adam’s sin and death are passed on, so Jesus’ grace and life from death is given to all who believe.
When God reveals Himself to us we become aware of our uncleanness. ‘Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am undone! because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." ' (Isa. 6:5) Also a pressure within of evil and to do wrong. It is said, therefore, that man is totally depraved. This does not mean he cannot get worse but that he has no hope of getting better. He will enjoy every aspect of sin even if the outworkings of guilt and uncleanness continue. Man has an inherently corrupt nature which is against God and His law. ‘Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in himself one new man from the two thus making peace.’ (Eph. 2:15)
All man’s powers are misused and perverted: ‘Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.’ (Psa. 51:5) The Bible uses terms to describe this state of corruption, the flesh: ‘For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.’ (Rom. 8:13) the old man: ‘Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.’ (Rom. 6:6) the law in our members: ‘For when we were in the flesh, the passions of sins which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death’ (Rom. 7:5) and the carnal mind: ‘Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can it be’ (Rom. 8:7).
The flesh is that principle in fallen nature which resists the Holy Spirit: ‘For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.’ (Gal. 5:17) Man is controlled by the lust of the flesh (food, drink, sex), and of the mind (pride, envy, anger, jealousy). ‘For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world.’ (1 John 2:16) He becomes the tool of Satan and sin sears his conscience: ‘speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their own conscience seared with a hot iron. (1 Tim. 4:2)
Man can become outwardly religious: ‘These people draw near to me with their mouth, and honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.’ (Matt. 15:8) and capable of natural good, but his motives are wrong. He is not prompted by the word of God. He cannot change his own nature: ‘But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become the children of God, even to those who believe in his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.’ (John 1:12-13) and does not understand spiritual truth: ‘But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.’ (1 Cor. 2:14)
His future destiny outside of Christ is that he will die in his sins. ‘Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.’ (John 5:28-29) ‘Then he will also say to those on the left hand, "Depart from me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave me no food; I was thirsty and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take me in, naked, and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me." Then they also will answer him, saying, "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?" Then he will answer them, saying, " Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." ' (Matt. 25:41-46)
He shall be eternally in the lake of fire. ‘Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’ (Matt. 7:19) In a place of conscious and unending torment. ‘And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot; nor can those from there pass to us.’ (Luke 16:26) The destinies of eternity are settled in the life that now is.
Redemption
Redemption means deliverance from some evil by payment of a price. It is more than simple deliverance. Redemption is entirely of God, and all of Grace. 'Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he has made us accepted in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace which he made to abound towards us in all wisdom and prudence.’ (Eph. 1:5-8) It is God’s activity and not man’s.
Redemption was planned before the foundation of the world and we were chosen before creation. Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world: 'that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.’ (Eph. 1:4) Redemption engages the attention of all three persons of the Trinity. The Father originates, the Son executes and the Spirit applies. The Father and the Son made a covenant together before time to buy back men and women from sin. The plan of redemption is perfect. God has timed everything - the flood - the sending of the Son, he knows the number of the elect: ‘Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”’ (2 Tim. 2:19) The plan of redemption will certainly be consummated. It is certain that Satan will be destroyed and all things in heaven and earth will come together again: ‘that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth - even in him.’ (Eph. 1:10)
The plan of redemption centres in the Lord Jesus Christ and is recorded in the Old and New Testaments as the only way of salvation.
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