____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER ____________________________________________________ "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ January 7, 2007 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) Four Facts Fatal to Original Sin (Larry Ray Hafley) 2) Wondrous Works (Johnny Ramsey) 3) News & Notes ____________________________________________________ -1- Four Facts Fatal to Original Sin by Larry Ray Hafley The doctrine of original or Adamic sin states that every person is born in sin. Because of Adam's sin, all men are corrupt and guilty of sin at birth. Note the testimony of the Philadelphia Confession of Faith: "By this sin (eating of the forbidden fruit -- LRH) they (Adam and Eve -- LRH) fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of the soul and body. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed and the same death in sin and corrupted nature conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation. From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions" (Chapter 6). Contrary to New Testament Concepts This doctrine is contrary to at least four New Testament concepts; namely, sin, forgiveness, the death of Christ, and the judgment. (1) The Concept of Sin. John said that "sin is the transgression of the law." When one commits sin, he transgresses (goes against, crosses) the law (1 Jn. 3:4). "All unrighteousness is sin" (1 Jn. 5:17). Anything that violates God's righteousness is sin. One who works apart from or against God's will and word is guilty of sin. He performs iniquity; he acts without divine authority (Mt. 7:21-23). Sin is the child of lust (Jas. 1:15). When one is drawn away of his own lust and enticed, lust conceives her offspring, sin, and gives it birth. We are separated and alienated from God "by wicked works" (Col. 1:21). It is our sins which are produced by the fulfilling of the desires of the flesh and of the mind (Eph. 2:1-3; Col. 2:13). This is the New Testament's concept of how one becomes guilty of sin. There is no Scripture which teaches that sin is inherited. (2) The Concept of Forgiveness. The word of God does not describe the forgiveness of inherited sin. It does not mention forgiveness of the "guilt" of original sin. The New Testament speaks of "your sins" and of "thy sins" (Acts 3:19; 22:16). One is forgiven of his own acts of transgression, iniquity and disobedience. "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb. 8:12). "The body of the sins of the flesh" are put off, cut away, when God forgives (Col. 2:11-13). As the sins are those one commits, the forgiveness applies to those sins. If as the doctrine of original sin avers, all men are born guilty of Adam's sin, why is the Bible devoid of any reference to the forgiveness of it? (3) The Concept of the Death of Christ. Christ "was delivered for our offences" (Rom. 4:25). "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body" (1 Pet. 2:24). It was "in the body of his flesh through death" that Jesus reconciled us to God (Col. 1:21,22). "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). Each individual can consider that Christ died "for me" (Gal. 2:20). Why is that? Because our sins, our guilt, is of our own doing; because forgiveness is of our sins and iniquities (Heb. 8:12; Isa. 59:1,2); the death of Christ was for my sin, my guilt, my salvation; hence, "for me." The death of Christ and the shedding of His blood is never said to be for the purpose of removing inherited, original sin. However, if original, Adamic sin is universally pervasive, as the creeds of men allow and allege, should we not expect to find a reference that decrees and declares that the death of Christ removes that sin? (4) The Concept of Judgment. New Testament judgment scenes vary in many respects, but in this one item they are all constant and consistent -- man is judged by how he has lived, by what he has done. Contemplate and consider the judgment pictures of Matthew (chapters 5-7, 13 and 25). See the awe and dread of Revelation 20:10-15. Hear the admonition and warning of Galatians 6:7-9, Matthew 16:27 and Revelation 3:23. What is the single fact of all these passages? Individuals are judged by their own works. They are rewarded "according to their works." Is there a judgment view of one being condemned on account of what Adam did? Is anyone ever renounced for not ridding himself of the depravity he is supposed to have inherited from Adam? No, but if original sin exists to the extent that men claim, is it not strange that not a single, solitary judgment scene features some creatures lost because of it? Conclusion Of These Concepts The doctrine of original sin, if true, would be an innate, inherent part of the nature of sin, forgiveness, Christ's death and the judgment. Yet, the Bible, in discussing these four themes, never once links it to them. There absolutely could not be such an omission if the doctrine of original, Adamic sin were true. Therefore, these four fundamental facts are fatal to the theory. -- Via Guardian of Truth XXVIII: 23, pp. 713, 716, December 6, 1984 ____________________________________________________ -2- Wondrous Works by Johnny Ramsey The 75th Psalm is a classic reminder of the gracious and awesome power of the Almighty One. In the middle of the praise and adoration of a book devoted to exalting Jehovah, we find this little section of only ten verses. But the brevity of the passage does not militate against its portent message. "We give thanks unto thee, O God; we give thanks, for thy name is near: men tell of thy wondrous works. When I shall find the set time, I will judge uprightly. The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I have set up the pillars of it. Selah. I said unto the arrogant, deal not arrogantly; and to the wicked, lift not up the horn: lift not up your horn on high; Speak not with a stiff neck. For neither from the east, nor from the west, nor yet from the south, cometh lifting up. But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and lifteth up another. For in the hand of Jehovah there is a cup, and the wine foameth; it is full of mixture, and he poureth out of the same: surely the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall drain them, and drink them, but I will declare forever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up" (Psalm 75:1-10). Notice these outstanding points to be taken from this rich and valuable stanza. [1] We give thanks, [2] God's name is near, [3] God's wondrous works, [4] Proper judgment, [5] Wicked men are weak, [6] Cup of God's fury, [7] Singing praises to the Lord. These seven challenging thoughts demand our attention and will reward those who pursue a life of godliness and devotion. The first point and the last point blend together into what should come as natural to mankind as breathing -- worshiping the Creator from the depths of our souls. Another passage, found in I Chronicles 29:10-13 evinces this expression: "Wherefore David blessed Jehovah before all the assembly; and David said, Blessed be thou, O Jehovah, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Thine, O Jehovah, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Jehovah, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou rulest over all; and in thy hand is power and might; and in thy hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name." If men spent more time adoring God properly, we would have a much better world (John 4:24). We are urged to "Praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men" (Psalm 107:21). We are blessed beyond measure, and wisdom demands that we acknowledge this fact. Notice: "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy" (Psalm 107:2), and, "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name" (Psalm 103:1). When we behold the wonders of heaven's creative genius, we should stand in awe of God! "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork" (Psalm 19:1). Again the psalmist says, "When I consider thy heavens, the works of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained: what is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visited him" (Psalm 8:3-4). The order, design and purpose of all that makes our daily sojourn here on earth so precious should cause us to exclaim before deity: "How great thou art!" We also learn from Psalm 75 the balanced view on judging. Jesus demands that we "judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24). Valid judgment must be based on the Scriptures, as Jesus declared in John 12:48, "He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him; the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." We can surely count on one thing, as Genesis 18:25 enunciates clearly: "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" When the cup of God's fury (Isa. 51:17) is finally poured out, the wicked will realize their power was shallow and temporary in comparison with the genuine power from Heaven. "Our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:29). To stand on the wrong side on Judgment Day will be but a reflection of a life misspent and choices foolishly made. In view of the rich contents of Psalm 75, let us determine to sing praises (James 5:13) and count our blessings before the beautiful throne of God. Let us rise above the petty nature of murmuring and complaining and truly be saints of God: "Do all things without murmurings and questionings: that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world" (Phil. 2:14-15). So shall my walk be close with God, Calm and serene my frame So purer light shall mark the road That leads me to the Lamb. -- Via The Bulletin of the Church of Christ at New Georgia, October 29, 2006 ____________________________________________________ -3- News & Notes Chuck Bartlett, who preaches in Toronto, has requested prayer for his wife Deb, who will be undergoing surgery this Wednesday for a thyroid removal. He points out that they both realize that this type of surgery is routine and that all should go well; but, even so, he would still like prayer for his wife. She will probably be home by Friday. ____________________________________________________ MYRTLE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST 1022 Myrtle Street Denham Springs, LA 70726 (225) 664-8208 Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 PM evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520 e-mail: tedwards@onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go ____________________________________________________