Hamartiology

 

1A.  Introduction.

 

Dr. Holloman has written:

 

The problem of sin is of such a magnitude that it requires separate and special attention. Apart from a careful biblical study of the doctrine of sin, the nature and destiny of man cannot be properly understood, and the need for divine salvation cannot be truly appreciated.[1]

 

Dr. Evans states:

 

Light and erroneous views of the atonement come from light and erroneous views of sin. If sin is regarded as merely an offence against man, a weakness of human nature, a mere disease, rather than as rebellion, transgression, and enmity against God, and therefore something condemning and punishable, we shall not, of course, see any necessity for the atonement. We must see sin as the Bible depicts it, as something which brings wrath, condemnation, and eternal ruin in its train. We must see it as guilt that needs expiation. We must see sin as God sees it before we can denounce it as God denounces it.[2]

 

2A.  THE FALL OF MAN.[3]

 

1B.  The Origin of Sin.  Determine from the following Scriptures who originated sin.

 

1 Timothy 2:14—And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being quite deceived, fell into transgression.

 

1 John 3:8—the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

 

John 8:44—"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies."

 

Ephesians 6:12—For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

 

It originated with Satan, through Adam.

 

2B.  The Probation of Man.

 

1C.  What is the meaning of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?

 

Genesis 2:17—"but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die."

 

Genesis 3:22—Then the Lord God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"—

(See also Deuteronomy 1:39; Isaiah 7:15-16; 2 Samuel 14:17; 19:36).

 

There is nothing inherent in the fruit.  It is ETHICAL MATURITY.  Man knows the difference and can chose.

1D.  View #1: It is an experiential knowledge of good and evil. Man possibly was meant to have a cognitive knowledge, but not the experience. It was the way in which man got this knowledge, not that God didn't want him to have it. Man got it the wrong way when he could have gotten it the right way by refusing the fruit.

 

2D.  View #2: The origin of determining good and evil. Man has established himself as the origin of determination of good and evil. Man determines what is good and evil. When he ate the fruit, he established himself as an authority on what is good and evil. Before, only God determined that, and man just obeyed. But now man is the judge and he doesn't pay any attention to God.

 

2C.  What was the purpose of the test of probation?

 

James 1:12—Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

 

1 Peter 1:6-7—(6) In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, (7) that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

 

Hebrew 12:11—All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

 

To test man's obedience and to produce in him a holy character.

 

3B.  The Temptation of Man.

 

1C.  Who or what was the serpent?  Why was the serpent used?

 

Genesis 3:1—Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"

 

Genesis 3:14—And the Lord God said to the serpent,

"Because you have done this,

Cursed are you more than all cattle,

And more than every beast of the field;

On your belly shall you go,

And dust shall you eat

All the days of your life;

 

Revelation 12:9—And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

 

A real serpent indwelt by Satan. It was a natural being in the garden, not a spiritual being they were unused to.

 

2C.  Why did the serpent approach Eve rather than Adam?

 

Maybe to attack God's order. He tried to attack contrary to God's order. God had set up an order and Satan tried to contradict it.

 

3C.  The temptation. From a study of the account, state the steps used in the temptation process. Are these the same steps involved in all temptations?

 

Genesis 3:1-7—(Please look it up).

 

1 John 2:16—For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

 

1D.  Doubt at to the goodness of God.  Vs. 1—It implies God is holding something back.  Delaying with temptation implies a desire for the object.

2D.  Denial of the Word of God. Vs. 4.

 

3D.  The appeal of the temptation to us. Vs. 6—The positive advantages.

 

3B.  The Fall.

 

1C.  What is the nature of the sin involved?

 

Assuming Godhood for yourself. Rebelling against God, setting yourself up as God.

 

2C.  What was the responsibility of the man and woman? Who was most responsible?

 

2 Corinthians 11:3—But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

 

1 Timothy 2:14—And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being quite deceived, fell into transgression.

 

The woman was deceived—she did not believe she was doing bad, she was totally blinded, a loss of perspective. Adam was not deceived. He chose with greater knowledge against God.

 

 

3C.  How do you explain the real nature of the fall of man? How could a "good" being fall?

 

James 1:13-15—(13) Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. (14) But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. (15) Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

 

1D.  Incorrect explanations:

 

1F.  Sin is due to God's providence.

2F.  Sin is due to the withdrawal of God's grace from man. Man was helpless. (Note: God withdrew from man after man sinned).

3F.  Sin is due to man's finiteness. (Note: This absolves man from any blame).

 

2D.  Correct explanation: Sin originated from a free act of man against the will of God. There was nothing behind it. Nothing which caused man to do it. If something did move Adam, then Adam is free—it wasn't his fault. The uncontrolled desires (James 1:13-15) carried Adam away. Sin is fundamentally irrational and unexplainable. (See Phil. 1:23; 1 Thess. 2:17; Gen. 3:6).

 

4B.  The Effects of the Fall.

 

1C.  What was the fundamental effect of the fall?

 

Genesis 2:17—but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die."

 

Genesis 3:7—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 loin coverings.

 

Genesis 3:12—And the man said, "The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate."

Romans 5:12—Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—

 

1D.  He is cut off from God.

2D.  Physical death.

3D.  Guilt and shame feelings.

4D.  Adam was totally other conscious, and therefore not self-conscious. But alienation from God meant alienation from others.

 

2C.  What was the effect of the fall upon the serpent?

 

Genesis 3:14—And the Lord God said to the serpent,

  "Because you have done this,

  Cursed are you more than all cattle,

  And more than every beast of the field;

  On your belly shall you go,

  And dust shall you eat

  All the days of your life;

 

Psalm 72:9—Let the nomads of the desert bow before him;

  And his enemies lick the dust.

 

Micah 7:17—"They will lick the dust like a serpent,

  Like reptiles of the earth.

  They will come trembling out of their fortresses;

  To the Lord our God they will come in dread,

  And they will be afraid before Thee".

 

He was cursed and humbled. Eat dust=humbling. It's a symbol to man.

 

3C.  What was the effect of the fall upon Satan?

 

Genesis 3:15—"And I will put enmity

  Between you and the woman,

  And between your seed and her seed;

  He shall bruise you on the head,

  And you shall bruise him on the heel."

 

1D.  The enmity between the seed of the woman and Satan, and between the woman and Satan. Satan is against all men. Because some men go over to his side, they become enemies also of true humanity.

2D.  The crushing of the head of Satan by man. Christ is that instrument. (Kittel has a good article on the Serpent).

 

4C.  What was the effect of the fall upon the woman?

 

Genesis 3:16—To the woman He said,

  "I will greatly multiply

  Your pain in childbirth,

  In pain you shall bring forth children;

  Yet your desire shall be for your husband,

  And he shall rule over you."

 

1D.  Multiple suffering, and in particular during childbirth. Pain=toiling—same word.

2D.  A natural attraction for her husband—even in light of the pain of childbirth.

3D.  He shall rule over you. This is something on top of the natural order, because man is before woman due to creation. This is more a feeling of friction due to sin. Man will rule imperfectly, woman will chafe under it and want to get out from under man, even though she shouldn't be totally autonomous. Salvation over turns this, not the natural order as that is based on creation.

 

5C.  What was the effect of the fall upon the man?

 

Genesis 3:17-19—(17) Then to Adam He said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it';  Cursed is the ground because of you;

  In toil you shall eat of it

  All the days of your life.

  (18) "Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you;

  And you shall eat the plants of the field;

  (19) By the sweat of your face

  You shall eat bread,

  Till you return to the ground,

  Because from it you were taken;

  For you are dust,

  And to dust you shall return."

 

1D.  The cursing of nature.

2D.  Hard Labor for his living. (The two go together).

 

6C.  Why do you think God judged the man and woman in the areas that He did?

 

1D.  These judgments touch the fundamental roles and duties of men and women.

2D.  Man=the breadwinner. Woman=the nurturer of children.

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