Why Are We Held Responsible for Adam's Sin?

Why are we held responsible for Adam's sin. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity will hi, I'm Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez. We pray that you had a wonderful weekend. This is a radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. Our phone lines are open right now and you can call us for the next 25 minutes or so. Here's the phone number 8833 the core that's 833-843-2673. I can also post your question on one of our social media sites and of course you can always email us your question at questions at core, Christianity.com. Some people don't realize we have a YouTube channel and you can watch a drill live in the studio every day on YouTube starting at 11:30 AM Pacific time.

And here's a YouTube question from one of our viewers, and his name is Walter. He says does every believer in Jesus Christ go through sanctification and what is the meaning of sanctification. Excellent question Walter so that we want to begin by may be answering the second partier question. What is the meaning of sanctification. Segregation is the work of God's Holy Spirit in our lives conforming us more and more into the image of Jesus Christ that happens is as by the grace of this is the spirit were mortifying, that is putting to death the sinful deeds of the body, growing more and more in holiness after the image of Christ and in honoring the Lord and so is you know God chipping away at the rough eight edges if you will, and every believer, I would say does go through sanctification but were all kind of, and in different stages. It's helpful to distinguish between justification and sanctification. Justification is a definitive act. It is an act of God in our lives through faith in Jesus Christ were justified. That is, that the righteousness of Jesus has been given to us imputed to us. That's the that's the technical term that we use imputed to us solely by faith and our sins are forgiven.

That means that that not only do we have the positive righteousness of Jesus that we can stand before God justified. What about all our sins have been washed away through the blood of Christ. What he did for us on the cross and as the justified of the Holy Spirit of God lives in us. And day by day were being molded more and more into the image of Christ. As I said, I love the way the apostle Paul put it in in second Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 13 we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, beloved by the Lord, because God shows you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth and truth is something that that all believers experience but again it were wearing the asserted different stages if you will of of our walk with the Lord, you know, some of us are are further along more mature in the in the Christian faith. But that doesn't mean that that people were less far along aren't aren't being sanctified.

God promises to work in us and and that's something that we can all rest assured, and is that the Lord, you know, through faith in crisis isn't gonna leave us thinking for sicknesses and continue to work in us molding us more and more into the image of Christ. Walter God bless just a follow-up question for you a girl what is our part in sanctification seems like we need to cooperate with God's Holy Spirit in order for sanctification to really take place.

What were getting into some deep theology here really just like justification, sanctification is an act of God, an act of the Holy Spirit you know it in us and it is the spirit of God is working in us that we do respond to to the grace of God into you know that the movement of the Spirit in our lives so that we do follow the Lord and obey the Lord and Ben believe the promises that are that are put before us. I love the way the apostle Paul put it, and I think this is really really helpful early on and in the book of Philippians. He talks about, you know that he gives is this the stern expectation you is work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. This is Philippians chapter 2 verse 12 then he says verse 13. It is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. And so even are even are you know obedience RR following after crisis is rooted in the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and so you were responding to the grace of God into the work of the spirit and and it's it's as beautiful beautiful thing in and as you know Walter was asking as I submit all of us experience as Christians, and the answer is yes, we all experience that as Christians and so we give thanks to God for that.

I meant this core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez.

Our phone lines are open if you'd like to ask you a question about the Bible, the Christian life doctrine or theology. Maybe you have doubts about Christianity maybe are struggling in some area of your life or how your Christian walk intersects with what's happening in the world around us were open to your questions right now at 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 Brandon from St. Louis, Missouri Brandon what your question for Pastor Israel.

My question is how do I find my purpose in life are aware Bible can I read about on what God wants me to do my life. My purpose list will specifically Brenneman is a very specific question, where can I find God's will for my life in one sense read the entire Bible, God's revelation to us helps us to understand God's God's will for our lives. This is God's revealed will for us it's it's they are in God's law. Ultimately, you know, to love God, to love our our neighbor and in this is what God calls us to.

And we need to know God's word in order to to be able to I think wisely make those decisions in our lives that they have to do with Nina where we work the person that were with that that this is really practical, everyday decision, but there is a Bible verse. It says here's you know exactly what you need to do in this situation.

This is why we need wisdom. And so what I would encourage you to do is is one to really be rooted in the Scriptures to know God's word to study the Bible, knowing Christ through the Scriptures and then pray for wisdom and pray that the word of God would take a deep root in your heart and in its it's as that happens in our lives in us that if the root word of God takes root in our heart and were filled with the spirit that we have wisdom for those everyday decision now course, there are certain things that God prohibits in his word that go against his revealed will for us.

And so it in those situations, yet is very clear if if were were being called to something that's sinful or were being asked to do something that's contrary to God's level we know what God is set already there but in terms of the specific everyday decisions you know and sometimes in of these are big decisions. You know what I go to college or what job do I take you know we we we use biblical wisdom and prayer, and often times Brandon I'll just say this God needle providentially will put people in your life who can encourage you in one way or another. Open doors closed doors and that's one of the ways that we can determine, I think God's God specific will for us to just sink me to what what what opportunities are there. How how through the wisdom of the counselors that God is put in my life how my being led. Is this in line with God's word is this decision can help me grow more as a Christian or a second to make it more difficult for me in my walk with the Lord. These are all things that you need to consider as you think about making making decisions. But Brennan I would just again say the entire Bible.

I know that's kind of a lot a lot to do, throw at you if you will, but all of it is there for us to help shape us, and in making those important life decisions and so we need to be studying the Scriptures daily and growing in our understanding of God's word.

Thanks, Brendan and Brenda, thanks so much for your call. Thanks for being a regular listener to core Christianity really do appreciate you.

By the way we want to tell you about a new book that we are offering today. This is something we think will be a tremendous help to you, especially if you're going through a difficult time right now your offering a book by author Chris Moore.

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That's 833 the core. You can also leave a voicemail at that number 24 hours a day if you got a question for us and here's a voicemail from one of our listeners named Michael Michael and you're not responsible for your father's lot and restarted though and why Christians believe that there is a light why do Christians believe in the doctrine of original sin, I will first just justifying them so original sin is is the reality that movie you think of what happened the guard to be there in the early chapters of Genesis, Adam fell into sin, but we don't think that his sin just affected him. He was the representative head of humanity there in the garden and there are number of passages that make this absolutely clear it wasn't just it wasn't just him that was affected was Adam but it was all all humanity in original sin is is is the idea that that the reality that in Adam's sin.

All of us fell. We sinned in Adam we we we lost or inherit if you will, from from Adam. The guilt of Adam's first sin, the with we lack the original righteousness that that he had. There's this there's this corruption of our whole nature as human beings. As a result of Adam's sin and and then there's all the actual sins that proceed from our lives the things that we do out of this corrupt nature and this is something that the Bible makes very clear by rat bite my nature were the children of wrath, the New Testament says this is a heavy topic and a difficult one for many people to understand.

I think especially when were coming at it from the sort of very individualistic perspective which many of us have in in our world today.

So, that is, you know it, your decisions don't affect me. My decisions are are all that affect me, but the reality is Adam's sin does affect all of us and so into in terms of why we we believe this image is what that what the Scriptures teach Paul in Romans chapter 5 verse 12 he says.

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 for Cindy was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted.

Where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. There's been a lot of debate in the history of the church about these verses. But what I think was St. Augustine specifically who brought out the point right there in verse 12. Therefore, justice sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so dead. Death spread to all men because all sinned.

There's this link between Adam's sin and the rest of humanity and all of us send in him. Another reason this is so important is because in the same way that Adam was the representative head of of humanity, leading to death, leading to sin. Jesus Christ came is who he came as the second Adam, we have justification, salvation, freedom from sin in Christ and that's exactly what the apostle Paul is going to go on to say there. And in Romans chapter 5 in verse 15 but the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.

So is this really strikes me.

This is why these doctrines, a doctrine of sin, the doctrine of original sin, even in Adam is this representative of mankind white white when we are having these discussions were really beginning to touch on even our understanding of salvation because of Adam was not the representative head of humanity will then can Jesus be the representative head of the new humanity will that the answer is no and so we have to realize that there's this parallel here then and so it's something that is very clearly taught in the Scriptures and someone were looking at other passages you brought up Ezekiel 18 and and you know, not that the children not being condemned for the sins of their parents, we have to understand those texts in their context and what those passages say, does not in anyway did deny or undermine the doctrine of original sin, because it's very clear that all of us have been affected by Adamson and some people joke about this right like it if you want to. If you want evidence for original sin. Just need to have children because you realize that there very early on the gate of that if there's the issue of sin, there's the issue of fighting and rebelling and you know biting your sister and so on and so forth and so this is this is just the reality that we experience, but we have the hope of the gospel in Jesus, the second Adam, and the forgiveness of sins that we find in him. I never bit my sister just to let you know this one. Clarify that so yeah Bill, I'm glad to hear that you had when you certainly have your own problems that we all know Bill so that the merger of business core Christianity with Pastor Israel Sanchez and yes, those of us who are parents have certainly seen Original Sin starting about age 2 or three let's go back to the phones. If you have a question for a drill about the Bible or the Christian life.

Here's the number it's 833-843-2673. That's 833.

The core Wallace is on the line from Nashville, Tennessee.

Wallace what your question for a drill have been all is on Holy Spirit to all the stool of Joel Williams friend of mine live in my neighborhood and want to know because you knew about Neil. Jesus Christ is the son of God. Why is it that he had to pray to the father) and the sage on the subject chapter believe he is so excessively and I would like to be about the question effectively and can you give prescription and burst to do so. Wallace man. God bless you sharing the gospel with with a friend of yours who is a Jehovah's Witness, I pray, let me ask this. Pray for you right now and pray for this friend of the Lord would give you wisdom and ultimately open the heart of this individual father pray for Wallace, God, thank you for his his desire, his willingness to share the gospel with people who need and I pray that you would bless his conversations with this friend of his was a Jehovah's Witness. I pray that his friend Lord, that you would open his eyes and God that you would deliver him from this organization that that denies so many truths of your word core truths of your word, and so I pray for Wallace that he would be would help them to be effective in communicating the truth to this friend and we pray that you would open the heart of this individual and draw this individual to your son Jesus by faith. Father we ask these things in Jesus name, amen. Wallace is the question man. That is, and I've I've said this before with Jehovah's Witnesses.

Animals have a script and they will ask that question specifically if Jesus did tell me Jesus is God, how is he praying to the father throughout the Gospels when he praying to himself. I mean, if he is God and this is just a basic misunderstanding of the doctrine of the Trinity. We we we do believe in one God, right Deuteronomy 6 for hero Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. But this one God's is three persons, father, son and Holy Spirit and these persons are distinct on their not divided is not three gods but there is one God three persons, one in essence, power, glory three distinct persons, father, son and Holy Spirit so that the, the son praise to the father.

What were thinking specifically hear about that. The state of Christ in his humiliation.

If you will coming to earth, the son of God coming to earth assuming humanity for us on being dependent in one sense on the Holy Spirit performing these miracles trusting in the father who sent him to earth for for our sins to the to to die on the cross for us, and praying to the father visited none of that. None of that calls into question the deity of Christ, and in fact, Jesus himself, and this is where I would go with the Jehovah's Witnesses you were talking about. John 17, where Jesus prays the high priestly prayer to the father but throughout the gospel of John. Specifically, it's very clear that Jesus is one with the father.

In fact, he says that in chapter 10.

Not the same person again but one in essence, equal in power and glory. In John chapter 8 verse 58 when the religious leaders are cursing who you think you are, you make yourself out to be Jesus's responses before Abraham was, I am what what's he referring to there's referring to Exodus 3, the burning bush passage where God revealed himself to Moses as the as the great I am so for Jesus to to invoke those those categories are different.

Take those categories are not on himself very clear from the Scriptures that Jesus is God Princess is not a doctrine that we can just say it's not that big of a deal right but to reject the deity of Christ is to miss understand that the very doctrine of God who God is and it's to compromise the doctrine of salvation because if Jesus was just a mere man. He couldn't tone for the sins of the entire world that is not not how it works maybe could've the good of a tone for his own sins.

If you will, having lived a perfect life but but again there's there's no one perfect. We've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And so God took it upon himself. He sent his son into the world to live a life of perfect obedience and as the God man. The word who took on flesh dying on the cross for our sins as as the Lord of all creation. He provided this perfect atonement for our justification for our salvation is or to reject the deity of Christ is to misunderstand who God is. But it's also to to do not grasp but the need that we have as creatures, we can't save ourselves, we can just be saved by another creature. We needed God himself to reach down and listen. Lift us up out of the muck in the mire. And that's precisely what he did. So I would I would focus on one just the specific answer is your misunderstanding the doctrine of the Trinity, God is three persons, and so that the sun in the incarnation, you know, as as these come 30s praying to the father. There's no contradiction there, but the same passages the same books that describe Jesus praying to the father also make it very clear that Jesus is one with the father that he is Lord that he is God that he is the great I am in this is what Jehovah's Witnesses miss and so we pray that the Lord would open their hearts to see the truth of God's word and to embrace it by faith. And may God be with you all… As you have these conversations and may he be at work in your friend's life in Memphis is core Christianity with pastor Adm. Sanchez.

Just a reminder that we have this wonderful new resource for you. It's called why does God let bad things happen. This is actually a book specifically for kids for parents or grandparents to read to their kids to help them understand why that bad things happen in this world you can get a copy by going to core Christianity.com for a donation of any amount again that's core Christianity.com/offers. We do have a YouTube channel and I want to mention one YouTube question that came in recently from one of our YouTube viewers name sure read she says. At what point in time did God give up sinners to their passions as he says in Romans chapter 1 yesterday.

If that's that's up a hard one for us to be able to answer because Romans chapter 1. Rightist is talking about that section of of the book of Romans is emphasizing the universal sinfulness of humanity.

Both Gentiles and and Hebrews and and and and Jews villages that the Gentile world had rejected God, but even those who had the law on this is something that Paul makes very clear. This is why we need the forgiveness of Christ, the free justification that we have in the gospel but in chapter 1 of the book of Romans. He makes it also clear that what we do we know God reveals himself through the creation we suppress the knowledge of God in our unrighteousness and we continue to live in ways that are totally contrary to God's law and going down this path of immorality and idolatry. And that's the picture that he paints in Romans one and at some point bosses look that there comes a point with with individuals were just rejecting the truth, who deny it who hate it will fight against it where God gives them over to their own sinful passions to their own sinful desires and that's a terrifying thing.

God forbid that that would ever happen to any of us that we would ever just rejected God's word and trample upon it and and leave it behind, and ending God say, okay, fine, have it your way. The question though your question is will Windows that have had. We know that that's happened. We we don't know for another person.

We don't want ever just assume that and so we should pray for those who are rebelling against God.

No matter how how bad it is how bad it seems you think of what God is done in the lives of so many people, even those who hated him for persecuting his people. The spirit of God is able to redeem and to save so we hold out hope and we pray that he would. Thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers in the menu or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together