THE CONDITION THAT MANKIND IS IN TODAY
HOW CAN SMART PEOPLE STILL BELIEVE IN GOD? A GOOD WAY TO SPEND SUNDAY MORNING
Charles e. Whisnant Romans 3:9-18 July 11, 2010
What is the particular state or ability of mankind to function in life? What is the state of physical fitness or general health of mankind today?
How good does man believe he is?
- "The very worst that can be said for them is that they are all demonstrably invalid and incapable of compelling rational belief in the existence of god. And if the worst that can be said is true, then that seems to suggest that belief in god is a form of unreason." http://theblog.philosophytalk.org/2006/10/how_can_smart_p.html
Mankind is not capable of understanding God. Mankind believes he is good; and therefore, there is no need to believe in the "sin" principle which is spoken in the Bible.
- "But here's the thing. I don't think the real basis of most believers' belief even purports to be anything like reasoned argument. I mean I don't think I've ever met a single person who's been talked out of belief by the failure of any of the traditional philosophical arguments or who's been talked into belief by the success of those arguments. Does that mean that most believers are unreasoning? Well, some surely are. But I'm not prepared to say that most or all are."
- "There are some who take every word, comma and period in some sacred text -- like the Bible or the Koran -- to be the sole and authoritative truth about just about everything."
Can you believe that there are some people who really believe every word, comma, and period of the Bible? And some people believe that the Bible is literally the words of God who really does exist?
- The truth of the matter is this: Man inwardly has trouble of really convincing himself of his real worth and goodness and significances.
- The reason for this is "GUILT" The awareness of having done wrong or committed a crime (sin), accompanied by shame and regret.
- The reason for this is "GUILT" The awareness of having done wrong or committed a crime (sin), accompanied by shame and regret.
Some believe the most pain filled, self damaging and time consuming exercises in the human experience is GUILT. As a matter of fact guilt can ruin your day, your week, and even your life. And some believe we need to get rid of this pollution. It can pass on a disease to our lives and kill us. Really.
I wonder why the man who kidnapped that little four year old Alisa girl in Missouri last week, and then later killed himself?
Just maybe "guilt"?
SO THE QUESTION SHOULD BE THIS: HOW DO WE GET RID OF THIS DEADLY POLLUTION OF GUILT?
Well, mankind doesn't have an answer to this question.
As a result of believing he is good, and always doing wrong things, and feeling guilty, this drives him to become an alcoholic, to be a drug addict, and even drives them to kill themselves.
MAN FEELS GUILTY BECAUSE HE IS GUILTY.
All the physiology mind games can't release the feeling of guilt in the mind. Why? Because there is REAL guilt. Why because there is real SIN. And real Sin has the effect of sin.
Here is the whole point of the GOSPEL.
Guilt and sin of men is the first great element of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know some do not believe this, but the pastors/teachers of Jesus Christ are to tell the world men are sinful, and are really guilty, and need the pollution of sin cleansed by Jesus Christ
The first statement with Gospel is a statement about SIN.
Sin
(266) (hamatia)
- originally from the idea of missing the mark as when hunting with a bow and arrow and then missing or falling short of any goal, standard, or purpose.
- Thus, when we commit sins we are missing the true ultimate purpose God has for us.
- In this verse
sin signifies the moral principle or force which is an integral part of every man's nature and which is evil in character and causes man to commit specific unrighteous acts or sins.
Paul said in Romans 1:8-3:19 Man is under the condemnation of God, and is damned and lost. And Paul sums it up in Romans 3:19, "All men are accountable to God."
- Preachers of the Gospel are not to tell people they are OK and all right, and they should not waste time on feeling guilty. We are here to tell people they need God's Son Jesus Christ.
"You feel guilty because you are guilty, and that guilt is put there by SIN, which says, you are responsible for committing an offense against a holy God."
MEN ARE INCLINED TO REJECT THE IDEA OF THEIR SINFULNESS, SO PAUL GIVES HIS POINT OF VIEW:
From Creation. From History. From Reason. From Logic. From Conscience. From Scripture.
We have the authentication of the WORD OF GOD which gives us this condition of man and his predicament and his cure.
Romans 3:9-18 Paul is going to bring mankind into God's court and prove them guilty before Him.
These texts show that all human beings share the common burden of sin. They are linked together by mention of organs of the body: throat, tongue, lips, mouth, feet, eyes.
9.
What then? are we better than they?
No, in no wise:
for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles,
that they are all under sin.
"Are we in worse case than they? The Gentiles, or Greeks. "Are we not preferred?"
"Not at all" I Corinthians 5:10.
"We have already laid down our case: Romans 1:18-23 the Greeks and 2:1-29 the Jews.
"All are under the curse of SIN." Galatians 3:22 and Romans 7:14.
Now the Apostle had summoned all mankind universally before the court of God, that he might include all under the same condemnation: and it is to no purpose for anyone to object, and say that the Apostle here not only brings a charge, but more especially proves it; for a charge is not true except it depends on solid and strong evidences. who, in a certain place, distinguishes between a charge and a slander.
We must add, that to be under sin means that we are justly condemned as sinners before God, or that we are held under the curse which is due to sin; for as righteousness brings with it absolution, so sin is followed by condemnation.
10.
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: A general statement of the condition of mankind.
Then Paul spells out the details of the effects or fruits of mankind unrighteousness.
As in Psalms 14:1-3 and Isaiah 53:1-3. These statements were indeed suggested by particular manifestations of human immorality occurring under his own eyes; but as this only showed what man, when unrestrained, is in his present condition, they were quite pertinent to the apostle's purpose.
