Sermon Tone Analysis

! Introduction:

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!! A.            Original sin

!!! 1.

Some Definitions.

!!!! a)                  Theologians have used several labels to describe this concept.

!!!!! (1)               *Inherited sin — *This emphasizes the truth that all people inherit this sinful state from their parents, and their parents from their parents, all the way back to Adam and Eve. 

!!!!! (2)               *The Sin Nature *— This focuses on the fact that sin has corrupted our entire nature.

The term “sin nature” provides a clear contrast between that root nature *(1 John 1:8-10) *and its fruits (which are particular acts of sin).

!!!!! (3)               *Original Sin — *may be defined as “the sinful state and condtion in which men are born.”

It is so designated because:

!!!!!! (a)                 It is derived from the original root of the human race (Adam).

!!!!!! (b)                 It is present in the life of every individual from the time of conception.

!!!!!! (c)                 It is the inward root of all the actual sins that defile the life of man.”

Simply stated it refers to “the corruption of our whole nature.”

!!! 2.            Results Of Original Sin

!!!! a)            Man Is Totally Depraved.

!!!!! (1)           “Total depravity does not mean that everyone is as thoroughly depraved in his actions as he could possibly be, nor that everyone will indulge in every form of sin, nor that a person cannot appreciate and even do acts of goodness; but it does mean that the corruption of sin extends to all men and to all parts of all men so that there is nothing within the natural man that can give him merit in God’s sight.”

!!!! b)            Man Has An Innate Sin Nature.

“The sin nature is the capacity to do all those things (good or bad) that can in no way commend us to God.”  

!!!!! (1)           All Men Born Sinful.

§   Genesis 8:21 – man’s heart is evil from his youth

§   Job 14:4 – we are born from unclean, therefore, you are not going to come out clean

§   Psalm 51:5 – right from birth we are sinners

§   Psalm 58:3 – every man is a liar - Romans 3:4

§   Proverbs 22:15 – this is a natural inclination

§   Romans 5:8-10 – we were at enmity toward God, enemies of the Creator!

!!!!! (2)           All Aspects Of Man’s Being Are Corrupt:

!!!!!! §   “By nature” we are children of wrath—that is, objects of wrath (Eph.2:3)

§   “In sin my mother conceived me” the Psalmist said indicating that it is something we have from conception, not something acquired by actions during our lifetimes (Psalm 51:5).

!!!!! (3)           Every Part Of Man Is Affected:

§   intellect is blinded (2 Cor.

4:4)

§   understanding is darkened, separated from the life of God (Eph.4:18

§   conscience (1 Tim.

4:2)

§   will (Rom.

1:28) is enslaved to sin and stands in opposition to God (Rom.6:20;

7:20).

§   heart (Eph.

4:18)

§   the total being (Rom.

1:18–3:20).



 

!!!! c)            Self-Esteem Theology— Robert Schuller.

!!!!! (1)           This says, “We must tell people everywhere that God wants them to feel good about themselves!”

Does God really want all people to feel good about themselves?

!!!!! (2)           Self-esteem theology is forced to redefine sin in a way that minimizes the offense to God:   

!!!!! /“The core of sin is a negative self-image.”

In other words, sin—according to the self-esteem gospel—is not necessarily an offense against God or His law.

/

!!!!!  

!!!!! (3)           Robert Schuller goes so far as to deny that fallen human nature is truly evil:

“By nature we are fearful, not bad.…

Label it a ‘negative self-image,’ but do not say that the central core of the human soul is wickedness.

If this were so, then truly, the human being is totally depraved.

!!!!! (4)           Robert Schuller redefined */total depravity/*, because total depravity means sinners have no ability to do spiritual good or work for their own salvation from sin.

They are so completely disinclined to love righteousness, so thoroughly dead in sin, that they are not able to save themselves or even to fit themselves for God’s salvation.

!!!!! (5)           Too often they do this at the expense of their own consciences.

!!!! d)            The Great Saints Of The Bible Seemed To Recognize Their Own Sinfulness

§   Peter, seeing Jesus for who he was, said, /"Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"/ (Luke 5:8).

§   Paul wrote, /“This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” /(1 Timothy 1:15 cf.

Eph.3:8).

§   Job whom God identified Himself as a righteous man (Job 1:1, 8) said after seeing, /Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes."/

(Job 42:6 NKJV)

§   Isaiah, seeing God, grasped, /"Woe is me, for I am undone!

Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts."/

(Isaiah 6:5 NKJV)

§   Daniel 9:14-19 /Daniel realized his own sin & exercised (2 Chronicles 7:14).

/

/ /

!!!! e)            Jesus Himself Taught That Human Beings Are:

§   evil (Matt.12:34)

§   capable of great wickedness (Mark 7:20-23)

§   utterly lost (Luke 19:10)

§   are sinners (Luke 15:10)

§   are in need of repentance before a holy God (Mark 1:15)

§   need to be born again (John 3:3, 5, 7)

/ /

!!!! f)             Jesus Often Spoke Of Sin In Metaphors that Illustrate the Havoc Sin Can Wreak in one’s life

§   blindness (Matt.23:16-26)

§   sickness (Matt.9:21)

§   being enslaved to bondage (John 8:34)

§   living in darkness (John 8:12; 12:35-46)

§   Jesus also taught that sin is universal & that all people are guilty before God (Lk.7:37-48)

§   /Jesus also taught that both inner thoughts and external acts render a person guilt./

§   He taught that from within the heart come /evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness /(Mk.7:21-22)

§   He affirmed that God is fully aware of ever persons sins (Matt.22:18;

Lk.6:8; Jn.4:17-19)

 

 

 

!!! 3.            The Remedy For Inherited Sin.

!!!! a)            God’s Remedy Is Twofold:

!!!!! (1)           *A Judgment on the sin nature so that the believer is no longer bound to serve sin*:

"/And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness./"

(Romans 6:18)

"/There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit./"

(Romans 8:1, NKJV)

"/And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires./"

(Galatians 5:24, NKJV)

 

!!!!! (2)           *The Gift of the Holy Spirit, which empowers the believer to live free from the dominion of sin and the old life.

*

!!!!!! /(a)           /Holy Spirit gives us a new set of holy desires (Ezek.36:26), a hunger for righteousness (Matt.5:6)

and a desire for Him.  /“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

(Ezekiel 36:26)./

!!!!!! (b)           From that point on God uses everything to move us toward being like Christ (Rom.8:28-29).

!!!!!! (c)           We are clothed with a perfect righteousness (Isa.61:10;

Rom.4:5), giving us a right standing before God without any fear of condemnation (Rom.5:1;

8:1).

We have been made “complete in Christ” (Col.2:10), and have been granted all things that pertain to life & Godliness (2Pet.1:3).

!! B.            theories of creation of the soul

 

!!! 1.            Origin Of The Nonmaterial Part Of Man.

!!!! a)            Theory of preexistence.

!!!!! (1)           This view has its roots in non-Christian philosophy; it is taught in Hinduism and was also held by Plato, Philo, and Origen.

This theory teaches that in a previous existence men were angelic spirits, and as punishment and discipline for sin, they were sent to indwell human bodies.

!!!!! (2)               *There Are A Number Of Problems With This View*:

!!!!!! (a)                 There is no clear statement of Scripture to support this view (although the idea may have been presented in *John 9:2*)