Message for today 8-7-14 THE UNIVERSALITY OF SIN. The indisputable fact that all men are sinners is attested to by the following five sources: The testimony of history: it has been estimated that some forty billion human beings have lived (or are living) upon this earth since Adam. it would not be unreasonable to suggest that perhaps one third of these forty billion people lost their lives at the hand of another human being. Hundreds of millions of living flesh and blood creatures have been stabbed, stoned, strangled, shot, gassed, bombed, burned, buried alive, hung, and drowned by other living flesh and blood creatures. The testimony of conscience: How often has mans built-in (sin gauge) smote him to despair and even to suicide over his sinful actions. This club of conscience strikes all men, regardless of their brains, Brow, bloodstream, or banking powers. Thus, while the voice of conscience can be defiled, it cannot be denied.. The testimony of religions. Louis Berkhof writes the following: The history of religions and of philosophy testify to It. The history of religions testifies to the universality of sin. The question of Job, How shall a man be just with God? Is a question that was asked not merely in the realm of special revelation, but also outside of it in the gentile world. (Job.9:2) I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? The heathen religions testify to a universal consciousness of sin and of the need of reconciliation with a supreme being. There is a general feeling that the gods are offended and must be propitiated in some way. There is a universal voice of conscience, testifying to the fact that man falls short of the ideal and stands condemned in the sight of some higher power. Altars reeking with the blood of sacrifices, often the sacrifices, of dear children, repeated confessions of wrong-doing, and prayers for deliverances from evil- all point to the consciousness of sin. Missionaries find this wherever they go. The history of philosophy is indicative of the same fact. Early Greek philosophers were already wrestling with the problem of moral evil, and since their day no philosopher of name was able to ignore it, and that in spite of the fact they were not able to explain the phenomenon. There was, it is true, a superficial optimism in the eighteenth century, which dreamt of the inherent goodness of man, but in its stupidity flew in the face of the facts and was sharply rebuked by Kant. Many liberal theologians were induced to believe and to preach this inherent goodness of man as gospel truth, but today many of them qualify it as one of the most pernicious errors or the past. Surely the facts of life do not warrant such optimism. The testimony of the scriptures: General statements concerning the sinfulness of man. (1Kings 8:48) For there is no man that sinneth not. (Prov.20:9) Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? (JER.17:9) The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. (Ecc.7:20) For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. (Isa.64:6) But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Rom.3:23) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (GAL.3:22) But the scripture hath concluded all under sin. (James.3:2) for in many things we offend all. (1Jn.1:10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. PERSONAL STATEMENTS CONCERNING THE SINFULNESS OF MEN. On at least eight separate occasions in the bible an individual is forced to utter those three tragic but true words, (I have sinned) PHARAOH: (Exodus.9:27) BALAAM: (Num.22:34) ACHAN: (Joshua.7:20) SAUL: (1Sam.26:21) DAVID: (2Sam.12:13) DAVID: (2Sam.24:10) JOB: (7:20) THE PRODIGAL SON: (Luke.15:21) JUDAS: (Matt.27:4) A double tragedy is seen here, for out of these eight confessions, it would seem only three really were sincere and experienced the forgiveness of a gracious God. The testimony of our children. The good must be taught to our children. The bad they know already. Sharing is not natural, but selfishness is. GOD BLESS HOPE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY HAVE A GOOD DAY. I almost forgot, Do you know which three were sincere and experienced forgiveness?
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 04:08:47 +0000
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