What are the Basic problems occasioned by the sin of Adam?
“Not sure. Trouble in the world?”
Sure is a problem—but, “basic?”
“I guess not.”
There are two; interested in knowing what they are?
“Somewhat.”
Well, ready or not here they come:
- GUILT
- CORRUPTION
“Are you going to explain them?”
Somewhat.
‘Well, OK. Go ahead.”
Adam represented all mankind in his sinful act, so all became guilty before God. The wages of sin is death. If children were not judicially held guilty, they couldn’t die in birth or infancy. Obviously, we are, as Jesus told us in John 3, still under God’s wrath until we believe.
“I can see that. What about corruption?”
Man is born totally depraved.
“You mean as bad as he could be?”
No. no. no. What that phrase means is that every part of man has been corrupted. There is nothing about him that hasn’t been affected adversely by sin. There is nothing in man that can reach out to God; God must take the initiative. Men are born “dead in trespasses and sin.” And dead people don’t respond. So, even when God reaches out, man won’t respond until He also enables him to do so by giving him spiritual life.
“Hmmmm . . . What about the corruption?”
That’s what it’s all about—man’s total inability to do anything to save himself or to please God. Consider Romans 8: 8 sometime. Well, God has a way to deal with each of these two problems.
“Tell me.”
He dealt with guilt by the death of Christ Who bore the penalty for the sin of those who would believe. That takes care of the first basic problem. It’s called “JUSTIFICATION.” When God justifies, it means that he considers the believer as righteous and holy as if he had never sinned. And looks on him as perfect. As to the second basic problem, God deals with that (or, rather, is dealing with that) by means of SANCTIFICATION (separating us from sin to righteousness). God is gradually making us what He already legally considers us to be in Christ. As believers, He is in the process of actually making us more and more like Christ.
“Got it! Neat. God has covered all the bases—and basics!. Have you given me the whole picture?”
I could say a lot more about each issue, but that’s enough for now.
“Do I have all that I need?”
Somewhat, anyway.