On Original Sin, Part Two
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Brock
May 12, 2011, 9:36:33 PM5/12/11
to A Civil Religious Debate
from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK1XOZquSW0
On original sin[1], part two
Warning: This essay discusses intense language and themes.
These indications give an idea of the true moral picture of the fallen
human, and such would all of humankind appear in their own eyes, and
feel themselves to be if they saw themselves by the unflattering light
of God's most perfect law. As the statement says[2]: "Man, of his
own nature, is fleshly and carnal, corrupt and naught, sinful and
disobedient to God! without any spark of goodness in him, without any
virtuous or godly motion, only given to evil thoughts and wicked
deeds. As for the marks of the Spirit, the fruits of faith,
charitable and godly motions, if he have any at all in him, they
proceed only of the Holy Ghost, who is the only worker of our
sanctification, and maketh us new men in Christ Jesus."
As strong as this statement is, it does not paint a caricature: Not a
single feature of our natural corruption is exaggerated or over-
emphasized. Every single human individual alive today, or who shall
be born must plead guilty to the whole indictment of sin, confessing:
We are all as an unclean thing, and all our good and right ways, our
strongest and best characteristics, are filthy, like rags[3].
I have read of an English painter who, after only once meeting any
stranger in the streets, could go home and paint that person's picture
to a high likeness. Let us suppose that someone, painted in this
manner, should happen to unexpectedly see his own picture. He would
likely be startled: the exactness of shape, of air, and features, and
complexion would convince him that the representation was designed
for himself, even though the picture does not explicitly list his
name, and even though he knows that he never sat for the piece. In
the Scriptures of truth we have a striking picture of human depravity
through original sin. Though we have not personally sat before the
inspired painters, the likeness suits us all. When the Spirit of God
holds up the mirror and shows us to ourselves, we desperately see,
feel, and deplore our fallen form, and our inability to recover our
original right and proper image. Experience proves the horrid likeness
true; and we need no further arguments to convince us that in and of
ourselves we are spiritually wretched, miserable, poor, blind and
naked.
One may ask “How did humankind enter into a state so different from
our creation?”. Few questions are so important, and its a topic of
much inquiry. Different ideas have been advanced, and many volumes
have been written about it. That evil exists is undeniable. Both
moral and natural evils do actually abound all over the world, but
while their existence is not disputed, what causes them are.
Some philosophers from long ago supposed that the human spirit was
like a fallen angel, once of high rank, but imprisoned in a physical
human body for some previous offence. They considered life on this
earth a place of exile, and the human body a prison. By paying a
penalty and being in this physical body, they would be cleansed and
purified, and eventually restored to the happiness they fell from.
Plato, for example, chose to derive the greek word for body from the
word that means a tomb; he supposed that the body is to the soul what
the grave is to the body; that the soul leaves the body by death as a
bird flies from a broken cage, or as a prisoner escapes jail from a
shameful and painful sentence. Other philosophers went further, and
presupposed that not only humans, but also animals, insects and other
brutes are also animated by fallen spirits. They thought that the
lower the body that their spirit inhabited the proportionally worse
was the crime they committed, and that their spirits progressed in
stages by going (for example) from insects to birds, or from beasts to
human, until finally arriving back at their original high and grand
condition.
(essay continues ...)
====
[1] a modern paraphrase of "A Short Essay on Original Sin", by A.
Toplady,
http://homepage.mac.com/shanerosenthal/reformationink/atoriginalsin.htm
[2] http://www.churchsociety.org/issues_new/doctrine/homilies/iss_doctrine_homilies_28-1.asp
[3] Isaiah 64:6 http://bible.cc/isaiah/64-6.htm
On original sin[1], part two
Warning: This essay discusses intense language and themes.
These indications give an idea of the true moral picture of the fallen
human, and such would all of humankind appear in their own eyes, and
feel themselves to be if they saw themselves by the unflattering light
of God's most perfect law. As the statement says[2]: "Man, of his
own nature, is fleshly and carnal, corrupt and naught, sinful and
disobedient to God! without any spark of goodness in him, without any
virtuous or godly motion, only given to evil thoughts and wicked
deeds. As for the marks of the Spirit, the fruits of faith,
charitable and godly motions, if he have any at all in him, they
proceed only of the Holy Ghost, who is the only worker of our
sanctification, and maketh us new men in Christ Jesus."
As strong as this statement is, it does not paint a caricature: Not a
single feature of our natural corruption is exaggerated or over-
emphasized. Every single human individual alive today, or who shall
be born must plead guilty to the whole indictment of sin, confessing:
We are all as an unclean thing, and all our good and right ways, our
strongest and best characteristics, are filthy, like rags[3].
I have read of an English painter who, after only once meeting any
stranger in the streets, could go home and paint that person's picture
to a high likeness. Let us suppose that someone, painted in this
manner, should happen to unexpectedly see his own picture. He would
likely be startled: the exactness of shape, of air, and features, and
complexion would convince him that the representation was designed
for himself, even though the picture does not explicitly list his
name, and even though he knows that he never sat for the piece. In
the Scriptures of truth we have a striking picture of human depravity
through original sin. Though we have not personally sat before the
inspired painters, the likeness suits us all. When the Spirit of God
holds up the mirror and shows us to ourselves, we desperately see,
feel, and deplore our fallen form, and our inability to recover our
original right and proper image. Experience proves the horrid likeness
true; and we need no further arguments to convince us that in and of
ourselves we are spiritually wretched, miserable, poor, blind and
naked.
One may ask “How did humankind enter into a state so different from
our creation?”. Few questions are so important, and its a topic of
much inquiry. Different ideas have been advanced, and many volumes
have been written about it. That evil exists is undeniable. Both
moral and natural evils do actually abound all over the world, but
while their existence is not disputed, what causes them are.
Some philosophers from long ago supposed that the human spirit was
like a fallen angel, once of high rank, but imprisoned in a physical
human body for some previous offence. They considered life on this
earth a place of exile, and the human body a prison. By paying a
penalty and being in this physical body, they would be cleansed and
purified, and eventually restored to the happiness they fell from.
Plato, for example, chose to derive the greek word for body from the
word that means a tomb; he supposed that the body is to the soul what
the grave is to the body; that the soul leaves the body by death as a
bird flies from a broken cage, or as a prisoner escapes jail from a
shameful and painful sentence. Other philosophers went further, and
presupposed that not only humans, but also animals, insects and other
brutes are also animated by fallen spirits. They thought that the
lower the body that their spirit inhabited the proportionally worse
was the crime they committed, and that their spirits progressed in
stages by going (for example) from insects to birds, or from beasts to
human, until finally arriving back at their original high and grand
condition.
(essay continues ...)
====
[1] a modern paraphrase of "A Short Essay on Original Sin", by A.
Toplady,
http://homepage.mac.com/shanerosenthal/reformationink/atoriginalsin.htm
[2] http://www.churchsociety.org/issues_new/doctrine/homilies/iss_doctrine_homilies_28-1.asp
[3] Isaiah 64:6 http://bible.cc/isaiah/64-6.htm
Brock
May 12, 2011, 9:43:34 PM5/12/11
to A Civil Religious Debate
On May 12, 9:36 pm, Brock <brockor...@gmail.com> wrote:
> from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK1XOZquSW0
>
> On original sin[1], part two
> Warning: This essay discusses intense language and themes.
Regards,
Brock
e_space
May 13, 2011, 8:08:34 AM5/13/11
to A Civil Religious Debate
re: "Every single human individual alive today, or who shall be born
yuckie brock ... go take an acid bath quick! ... you sure have been
brainwa ... errr persuaded with the strongest of terms, havent you?
dont take this personally, but if you really believe that quote, i can
only say that it "sucks to be you" ...
> [2]http://www.churchsociety.org/issues_new/doctrine/homilies/iss_doctrin...
must plead guilty to the whole indictment of sin, confessing: We are
all as an unclean thing, and all our good and right ways, our
strongest and best characteristics, are filthy, like rags" ...
all as an unclean thing, and all our good and right ways, our
yuckie brock ... go take an acid bath quick! ... you sure have been
brainwa ... errr persuaded with the strongest of terms, havent you?
dont take this personally, but if you really believe that quote, i can
only say that it "sucks to be you" ...
ornamentalmind
May 13, 2011, 9:10:17 AM5/13/11
to A Civil Religious Debate
Brock Organ
May 13, 2011, 2:15:35 PM5/13/11
to a-civil-reli...@googlegroups.com
On Fri, May 13, 2011 at 9:10 AM, ornamentalmind
<ornament...@gmail.com> wrote:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1g8WCA7mJk
>
<ornament...@gmail.com> wrote:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1g8WCA7mJk
>
I consider the Confession:
"All those that are justified, God vouchsafeth, in and for his only
Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption: by which
they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges
of the children of God; have his name put upon them; receive the
Spirit of adoption; have access to the throne of grace with boldness;
are enabled to cry, Abba, Father; are pitied, protected, provided for,
and chastened by his as by a father; yet never cast off, but sealed to
the day of redemption, and inherit the promises, as heirs of
everlasting salvation. "
http://www.reformed.org/documents/wcf_with_proofs/ch_XII.html
Regards,
Brock
Brock Organ
May 13, 2011, 2:16:53 PM5/13/11
to a-civil-reli...@googlegroups.com
On Fri, May 13, 2011 at 8:08 AM, e_space <espac...@gmail.com> wrote:
> re: "Every single human individual alive today, or who shall be born
> must plead guilty to the whole indictment of sin, confessing: We are
> all as an unclean thing, and all our good and right ways, our
> strongest and best characteristics, are filthy, like rags" ...
>
> yuckie brock ... go take an acid bath quick!
> re: "Every single human individual alive today, or who shall be born
> must plead guilty to the whole indictment of sin, confessing: We are
> all as an unclean thing, and all our good and right ways, our
> strongest and best characteristics, are filthy, like rags" ...
>
> yuckie brock ... go take an acid bath quick!
No thanks. :)
> ... you sure have been
> brainwa ... errr persuaded with the strongest of terms, havent you?
I am persuaded of the truth of the gospel, though I disagree with your
pejorative assessment.
> dont take this personally, but if you really believe that quote, i can
> only say that it "sucks to be you" ...
Why?
Regards,
Brock
e_space
May 13, 2011, 5:01:22 PM5/13/11
to A Civil Religious Debate
because, according to your belief, you are such a filthy sinner? add
to that, you are "spiritually wretched, miserable, poor, blind and
naked" ... add to that you "desperately see, feel, and deplore (y)our
fallen form" ... add to that you see yourself in "the unflattering
light of God's most perfect law" ... add to that you are "fleshly and
only given to evil thoughts and wicked deeds" ... need i say more?
On May 13, 2:16 pm, Brock Organ <brockor...@gmail.com> wrote:
to that, you are "spiritually wretched, miserable, poor, blind and
naked" ... add to that you "desperately see, feel, and deplore (y)our
fallen form" ... add to that you see yourself in "the unflattering
light of God's most perfect law" ... add to that you are "fleshly and
carnal, corrupt and naught, sinful and disobedient to God! without any
spark of goodness in (yourself), without any virtuous or godly motion,
only given to evil thoughts and wicked deeds" ... need i say more?
On May 13, 2:16 pm, Brock Organ <brockor...@gmail.com> wrote:
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