Understanding Original Sin and God's Redemption Plan

 

Summary

In our exploration of the doctrine of original sin, we delve into the profound consequences of Adam's transgression, which not only affected him but also the entire human race. This doctrine is divided into two main aspects: original guilt and original pollution. Original guilt refers to the imputation of Adam's sin to all humanity, making us all guilty before God. Original pollution, on the other hand, describes the inherent sinful condition that we inherit from Adam, characterized by the absence of original righteousness and the presence of positive evil within us.

This pollution is not merely a disease but a sinful and guilty condition that affects every part of our being. It manifests in what is known as total depravity and total inability. Total depravity does not mean that every person is as evil as they can be, but rather that sin affects every part of our nature, leaving no spiritual good in us. It means that we are naturally at enmity with God and misuse our faculties, leading to a life that is self-centered and egocentric.

Total inability refers to our incapacity to do anything that meets God's approval or to change our sinful nature. We are incapable of understanding or appreciating spiritual truth, as our natural mind is at enmity with God. This condition leaves us utterly helpless, unable to save ourselves or even desire the things of God.

Yet, in this bleak picture, there is hope. God, in His infinite love and mercy, provided a promise of deliverance through the seed of the woman, who would bruise the serpent's head. This promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who bore our sins and offers us salvation. Through Him, we are not only restored but elevated to a state of grace beyond what Adam lost. As we reflect on this, we are reminded of the depth of our depravity and the height of God's love, which compels us to worship and adore Him.

Key Takeaways:

- Original Sin's Dual Aspects: Original sin comprises original guilt and original pollution. Original guilt is the imputation of Adam's sin to all humanity, while original pollution refers to the inherent sinful condition we inherit, marked by the absence of original righteousness and the presence of positive evil. This duality highlights the depth of our fallen state and our need for redemption. [01:01]

- Total Depravity Explained: Total depravity does not imply that every person is as evil as possible but that sin affects every part of our being. It means that we are naturally at enmity with God, and our faculties are misused, leading to a self-centered life. Understanding this helps us grasp the extent of our need for God's grace. [06:44]

- Total Inability's Implications: Total inability signifies our incapacity to perform any act that meets God's approval or to change our sinful nature. We are spiritually blind and dead in sin, unable to appreciate or understand spiritual truths. This underscores our utter dependence on God's intervention for salvation. [31:16]

- The Hope of Redemption: Despite the grim reality of our sinful state, God provided a promise of deliverance through Jesus Christ. This promise, given immediately after the fall, reveals God's incredible love and mercy, offering us not just restoration but elevation to a state of grace beyond what was lost. [40:01]

- The Measure of God's Love: To truly appreciate God's love, we must first understand the depth of our depravity. The greater our awareness of our sinfulness, the more we can marvel at the height of God's love, which is most vividly displayed in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our redemption. [15:06]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:13] - Introduction to Original Sin
- [00:30] - Consequences of Adam's Sin
- [01:01] - Original Guilt and Pollution
- [02:19] - Understanding Original Pollution
- [03:11] - The Nature of Sinful Pollution
- [05:06] - Sin: Positive Presence of Evil
- [06:08] - Manifestation in Total Depravity
- [07:09] - Misconceptions of Total Depravity
- [10:04] - Total Depravity Defined
- [11:11] - Biblical Evidence of Depravity
- [15:06] - Understanding Our Sinful State
- [21:12] - The Flesh and Its Implications
- [27:37] - Self-Centeredness and Its Effects
- [31:16] - Total Inability Explained
- [38:18] - The Hope of Redemption
- [40:01] - God's Promise of Deliverance
- [43:16] - Closing Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

1. Genesis 3:15 - "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
2. Romans 5:12 - "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned."
3. Ephesians 2:1-3 - "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath."

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Observation Questions:

1. What are the two main aspects of original sin as discussed in the sermon? How do they affect humanity? [01:01]

2. How does the sermon describe the concept of total depravity? What does it mean for our nature? [06:44]

3. According to the sermon, what is meant by total inability, and how does it impact our spiritual understanding? [31:16]

4. What promise of hope is given in Genesis 3:15, and how is it fulfilled according to the sermon? [40:01]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of original guilt and original pollution help us understand our need for redemption? [01:01]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that total depravity affects our relationship with God and others? [10:52]

3. How does the sermon explain the role of Jesus Christ in overcoming the consequences of original sin? [40:01]

4. What does the sermon imply about the importance of recognizing our sinful state to fully appreciate God's love? [15:06]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your understanding of original sin. How does this awareness affect your daily walk with God? [01:01]

2. In what areas of your life do you see the effects of total depravity, and how can you seek God's grace to overcome them? [10:52]

3. Considering the concept of total inability, how can you rely more on God's strength rather than your own efforts in your spiritual journey? [31:16]

4. How can the promise of redemption through Jesus Christ inspire you to live a life of gratitude and worship? [40:01]

5. Think of a time when you felt distant from God. How can the understanding of God's love and mercy, as discussed in the sermon, bring you closer to Him? [15:06]

6. Identify one specific way you can demonstrate God's love to others this week, acknowledging the depth of your own depravity and the height of His grace. [15:06]

7. How can you share the hope of redemption with someone who may not understand the concept of original sin and its consequences? [40:01]

Devotional

Day 1: The Dual Nature of Original Sin
Original sin is a foundational doctrine that explains the human condition in two aspects: original guilt and original pollution. Original guilt refers to the imputation of Adam's sin to all humanity, making every person guilty before God. This guilt is not based on individual actions but on the shared human nature that stems from Adam. Original pollution, on the other hand, describes the inherent sinful condition we inherit from Adam. It is characterized by the absence of original righteousness and the presence of positive evil within us. This duality highlights the depth of our fallen state and underscores our profound need for redemption. Understanding these aspects helps us recognize the pervasive impact of sin on our lives and our desperate need for God's grace. [01:01]

Romans 5:12 (ESV): "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned."

Reflection: In what ways do you see the effects of original sin in your own life and the world around you? How does this awareness shape your understanding of your need for redemption?


Day 2: The Reality of Total Depravity
Total depravity is a concept that describes the extent to which sin affects every part of our being. It does not mean that every person is as evil as they can be, but rather that sin has tainted every aspect of our nature. This condition leaves us naturally at enmity with God, leading to a life that is self-centered and egocentric. Our faculties are misused, and we are unable to produce any spiritual good on our own. Recognizing the reality of total depravity helps us grasp the depth of our need for God's grace and the transformative power of His love. [06:44]

Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV): "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?"

Reflection: How does acknowledging the reality of total depravity change the way you view your relationship with God and others? What steps can you take to rely more on God's grace in your daily life?


Day 3: The Implications of Total Inability
Total inability refers to our incapacity to perform any act that meets God's approval or to change our sinful nature. We are spiritually blind and dead in sin, unable to appreciate or understand spiritual truths. This condition underscores our utter dependence on God's intervention for salvation. Without God's grace, we are incapable of seeking Him or desiring the things of God. Understanding total inability reminds us of our need for divine intervention and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. [31:16]

1 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV): "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you feel spiritually blind or unable to change? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to work in those areas today?


Day 4: The Promise of Redemption
Despite the grim reality of our sinful state, God provided a promise of deliverance through Jesus Christ. This promise, given immediately after the fall, reveals God's incredible love and mercy. Through Jesus, we are not only restored but elevated to a state of grace beyond what was lost. This hope of redemption is a testament to God's unwavering commitment to His creation and His desire to reconcile us to Himself. Reflecting on this promise encourages us to live in gratitude and worship, acknowledging the depth of God's love and the gift of salvation. [40:01]

Genesis 3:15 (ESV): "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

Reflection: How does the promise of redemption through Jesus Christ impact your daily life and decisions? In what ways can you live out this hope in your interactions with others?


Day 5: The Measure of God's Love
To truly appreciate God's love, we must first understand the depth of our depravity. The greater our awareness of our sinfulness, the more we can marvel at the height of God's love, which is most vividly displayed in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our redemption. This understanding compels us to worship and adore Him, recognizing that His love is not based on our merit but on His grace. As we reflect on the measure of God's love, we are encouraged to respond with gratitude and a desire to share this love with others. [15:06]

Ephesians 2:4-5 (ESV): "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved."

Reflection: How does understanding the depth of your depravity enhance your appreciation for God's love? What are some practical ways you can express gratitude for His love in your daily life?

Quotes



we resume this evening our consideration of the biblical doctrine of original sin we began our consideration of this uh Doctrine last Friday evening but it's such a great and theast subject we were only able to deal with a portion of it we're considering in general the consequences of Adam's sin Adam's original sin and transgression which led to his thought and in him and through him to the fall of the entire human race [00:00:13]

now we come to consider the second aspect of this doctrine of original sin and that is what is known as original pollution because you remember the moment Adam sinned two things happened at once one was that he became guilty the second was that a change took place in him he was not the same as he was before changes took place in him which we have considered now the doctrine of original sin says that both those consequences that happen to Adam devolve upon us also [00:01:30]

this pollution from which we all suffer as the result of Adam's sin is not merely a disease it is a sinful and therefore a guilty condition it is merely that we are suffering from a disease but we are guilty because we are polluted it is something which must be regarded therefore partly in that legal manner another thing we must be careful to observe about it is this we must not say that it mean that it means that there has been a change in the substance of the Soul [00:03:14]

the Bible says that sin is positive it isn't the absence of goodness it is the positive presence of evil and of Badness man not only is not what he ought to be he is what he ought not to be and that is something which we must emphasize because it's emphasized constantly as I'm going to show you in a few minutes in the scriptures themselves [00:05:28]

what do we mean by total depravity now here again is a term that's often attacked and indeed aless there are Christians who dislike the term almost invariably because they don't know the meaning of the term they attach a false meaning to the term and they say they can't abide this idea of total gravity if you ask them what they mean by it you will see that it's one or the other of these false definitions which I'm now about to give you [00:06:41]

positively it means this that Fallen men or man in his Fallen condition has an inherently corrupt nature which extends to every part of his being every faculty of his soul and body it means that men as the result of the sin of Adam and of the Fall has this corrupt condition which applies to every faculty of his soul and of his body another thing it means is this that there is no observe the adjective there is no spiritual good in it [00:09:40]

men in a state of total depravity every unregenerate men is at enmity against God that's a great characteristic always of total depravity he is naturally at eny against God and God's holy law and another way you can put it perhaps is that all his powers are misused and perverted Genesis 6:5 listen and God saw that the wickedness of men was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually [00:10:48]

no man can have a true or adequate understanding of the scriptural doctrine of salvation or no person can appreciate his or her own salvation truly unless such a person realizes the nature of the disease the condition out which we are to be saved by the gospel in other words we must understand the truth about ourselves in sin we can never really know the love of God until we realize this the way to measure the height of God's love is to first of all measure the depth of our own depravity [00:14:46]

man is a victim of himself you yourself and I myself are our greatest enemies the curse of life is that we're all self-centered we live for self instead of for God and thus we are selfish we are self-centered we are jealous and we are envious as Paul puts it we are hateful and hating one another why well because we're all out for ourselves instead of all living to God and in worship of God and to the glory of God [00:28:11]

the Bible teaches that man is totally incapable I'm emphasizing both terms man is as the result of sin totally incapable what do I mean by that well again I don't mean that he cannot perform any natural good of course he can it's obvious it doesn't mean that he's incapable of civil or Civic good and righteousness of course he is his history proves that even though it doesn't even mean that he's not capable of an external kind of religion he is capable of that [00:31:28]

he cannot do any act which fundamentally meets God's approval he cannot do anything which fundamentally meets the demands of God's law there is none righteous know not one all have sinned and come short of the glory of God you read the third chapter of the epistle to the Romans and there you'll find it stated very clearly all the goodness of the world is as filthy RS all the goodness is as dung and refu and loss ultimately it has no Val because it cannot satisfy God's ultimate approval or his law [00:32:53]

thank God we all know the answer there is into that awful condition there came a promise and the thing I think that will Fascinate us and charm us throughout eternity is this is that the promise came from the very God against whom men Rebel and still more amazing and remarkable is that it came almost immediately after man had rebelled for the promise was given to men even before he was Thrust out of Paradise [00:39:39]

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Transcript
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