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II.
Sin; Its Origin, Results, and Remedy
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Chapter 8
:
The Fall and Redemption of Man
1. WHAT is sin declared to be?
"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the
law: for
sin is the
transgression of the law."
1 John
3:4.
2. What precedes the
manifestation of sin?
"Then when lust hath
conceived, it bringeth forth sin."
James 1:15.
3. What is the final
result or fruit of sin?
"And sin, when it is finished,
bringeth forth death." Same verse. "The wages of
sin is death." Rom. 6:23.
4. Upon how many of the
human race did death pass as the result of Adam's
transgression?
"By one man sin entered into
the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon
all men, for that all have sinned." Rom. 5:12. "In
Adam all die." 1 Cor. 15:22.
5. How was the earth
itself affected by Adam's sin?
"Cursed is the ground
for thy
sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy
life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth
to thee." Gen. 3:17,18.
6. What additional curse
came as the result of the first murder?
"And the Lord said unto Cain,
. . . And now art thou cursed from the earth,
which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's
blood from thy hand; when thou tillest the ground, it
shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength."
Gen. 4:9-12.
7. What terrible judgment
came in consequence of continued sin and transgression
against God?
"And
the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created
from the face of the earth. . . . The end of all flesh
is come before Me; for the earth is filled with
violence." "And Noah was six hundred years old when
the flood of waters was upon the earth. . . . The
same day were all the fountains of the great deep
broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened."
Gen. 6:7-13; 7:6-11.
8. After the flood, what
came in consequence of further apostasy from God?
"And the Lord came down to see
the city and the tower, which the children of men
builded. And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one,
and they have all one language; and this they begin to
do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which
they have imagined to do. Go to, let Us go down, and
there confound their language, that they may not
understand one another's speech. So the Lord
scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all
the earth: and they left off to build the city." Gen.
11:5-8.
9 Into what condition has
sin brought the entire creation?
"For we know that the whole
creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
together until now." Rom. 8:22.
10. What explains God's
apparent delay in dealing with sin?
"The Lord is not slack
concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but
is long-suffering to us ward, not willing that
any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance." 2 Peter 3:9.
11. What is God's
attitude toward the sinner?
"For I have no pleasure in
the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God;
wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." Eze. 18:32.
12. Can man free himself
from the dominion of sin?
"Can the Ethiopian change his
skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do
good, that are accustomed to do evil." Jer. 13:23.
13. What place has the
will in determining whether man shall have life?
"And the Spirit and the bride
say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let
him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him
take the water of life freely." Rev. 22:17.
14. To what extent has
Christ suffered for sinners?
"He was wounded for our
transgressions, He was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was
upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed."
Isa. 53:5.
15. For what purpose was
Christ manifested?
"And we know that He was
manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no
sin. . . . He that committeth sin is of the devil; for
the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose
the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy
the works of the devil." 1 John 3:5-8.
16. What was one direct
purpose of the incarnation of Christ?
"Forasmuch then as the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also
Himself likewise took part of the same; that through
death He might destroy him that had the power of death,
that is, the devil." Heb. 2:14.
17. What triumphant
chorus will mark the end of the reign
of sin?
"And every creature which is in heaven, and
on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in
the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying,
Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him
that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever
and ever." Rev. 5:13.
18. When and by what means will
the effects of sin be removed?
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief
in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away
with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are
therein shall be burned up." 2 Peter 3:10.
19. How will the curse of the
confusion of tongues be brought to an end?
"For then will I turn to the people a pure
language, that they may all call upon the name of
the Lord, to serve Him with one consent." Zeph. 3:9.
20. How thoroughly will the
effects of sin be removed?
"And God shall wipe away all tears
from their eyes; and there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any
more pain: for the former things are passed away."
Rev. 21:4. "And there shall be no more curse: but
the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it [the
holy city]; and His servants shall serve Him." Rev.
22:3.
21. Will sin and its evil results
ever appear again?
"What do ye imagine against the Lord? He will
make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the
second time." Nahum 1:9. "There shall be no more
death." "And there shall be no more curse."
Rev. 21:4; 22:3.
NOTE.-
That sin exists none can deny. Why it was permitted
has perplexed many minds. But He who can
bring light out of darkness (2 Cor. 4:6), make the
wrath of man to praise Him (Ps. 76:10), and turn a
curse into a blessing (Deut. 23:5), can bring good
out of evil, and turn mistakes and downfalls into
stepping-stones to higher ground. Heaven will be
happier for the sorrows of earth. "Sorrows
remembered sweeten present joy," says Robert
Pollock, in "The Course of Time," page 29. In the
final outcome it will be seen that all things have
worked together for good to them that love God. Rom.
8:28. Cowper, despondent and about to drown himself,
was carried the wrong way by his driver, and went
home to write the inspiring hymn below.
GOD moves
in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.
Deep in
unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill,
He treasures up His bright designs,
And works His sovereign will.
Ye fearful
saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings o'er your head.
Judge not
the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
Blind
unbelief is sure to err,
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.
WILLIAM COWPER.
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