“…ALL HAVE SINNED and fall short of the glory of God…” (Rom. 3:23) Patrick Henry spoke the immortal words in defense of freedom and the American Revolution: “Give me liberty or give me death!” For Henry, it was LIBERTY OR DEATH. For Jesus Christ, it was LIBERTY BY DEATH. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ set us free. Yet, as all Americans know, freedom is not free. This is never truer than of the freedom we have IN JESUS. The Good News of the gospel is that Jesus died and rose again so we would be FREE FROM SIN. Sin is a power that enslaves. From the beginning, the sin of Adam and Eve became the sin of all, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, BECAUSE ALL SINNED—” (Rom. 5:12) Consequently, being born in Adam is being born in BONDAGE TO SIN.
This is known as the concept of “inherited guilt,” that we all sinned “in Adam”: when Adam “voted” for sin, he acted as our representative. His sin was thus imputed or credited to the entire human race—we were all declared “guilty” for Adam’s one sin.
“The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have ALL turned aside, They have TOGETHER become corrupt; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, NO, NOT ONE.” (Psa. 14:2-3) God has always had a plan, “Paul, to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— in THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE, which God, who does not lie, PROMISED BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF TIME…” (Titus 1:1-2) I believe the Lord desired for us to know the filthiness of sin and the importance of our obedience to God, by allowing us to go through this all AMY, so we would know what is important to God, what He loves and what He hates!
THE LORD DETESTS THE WAY OF THE WICKED, BUT HE LOVES THOSE WHO PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS…(Prov. 15:9)
-Bill Stockham