So you do believe that sin is something that happens to you, something no one chooses, but has foisted on them by the nature they were born with.
What do you think sin is? If someone "cannot choose to do good," they have not sinned. Sin, the Bible clearly teaches, is "transgression of the law" (I John 3:4) which means one must know what the law is and choose to disobey it. If one is unable to make a choice, there is no possiblity of sin.
This whole inability teaching is satanic. God demands sobedience to the extent of our ability, no more and no less. (2 Cor. 8:22) For if there first be a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, not according to that he hath not.
In the first place the Bible clearly teaches we have the ability to obey. (I posted the following earlier on another thread, but it is the exact answer to the "inability" nonsense.)
Just one question, (not mine, but Paul's).
1 Cor. 4:7 ...what hast thou that thou didst not receive?...
And what is it you have recieved, if you are a believer?
2 Cor 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
If you have any ability at all, you recieved it from God. God's gifts are not limited. What exactly does God not supply that you need to do all He demands. If you say anything, you are calling God liar. He said, "my grace is sufficient for thee." Now it is or it isn't, but I believe God.
There is no excuse for sin, which is whatever you are doing when not doing God's will.
1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Please don't tell me you are unable when God says you are able.
So have it your way, which you didn't learn from the Bible, but from a bunch of theologians following the teachings of Augustine (by way of Luther, Calvin, Wesley, etc.). But know, God demands obedience, and Salvation restores one to the state of an obedient child. Obedience does not save, it is the result of salvation. Where obedience is not the result, whatever you got, it was not salvation.
2 Thess. 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Notice, those that "obey not the Gospel" are those that, "know not God." Knowing God is life eternal.
John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. But those who say they know Him, and do not obey Him, are liars, according to the Bible, (not some theologian). 1 John 2:3&4 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
That's what the Bible says. Now, what do you say.
Ethan: Good exegesis requires requires the norma norms of Scripture, a comprehensive exegetical method. Transgression of the law is certainly a very important aspect of sin, but it goes beyond the transgression of the written law, as "law" in Scripture has many contexts, from the Law of God given through Moses (the Old Covenant), to the "law of Christ" of the New Testament.
In regard to sin being the "transgression of the law," this is true--but there was certainly sin in the world before the giving of the law (the context of 1 John 3:4):
"For before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law" (Romans 5:13, emphasis mine).
Men are not sinners because they sin, they sin because they are sinful--the reality of our fallen nature causes us to sin, not that we sin upon an autonomous free will and then become sinners.
Mr. Kerchief is offering the ancient heresy of Pelagianism.
The Law was added because of our sin nature, to make sin increase and therefore make our sinful state apparent to us, impressing our need of the Savior and the Cross, and to make God's grace abound even more than sin:
"The Law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 5:20-21).
Hank Kerchief: "This whole inability teaching is satanic."
Ethan: "Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God" (Romans 8:8); "When you were slaves to sin you were free from the control of righteousness" (Romans 7:20).
Hank Kerchief: "God demands sobedience to the extent of our ability, no more and no less. (2 Cor. 8:22)"
Ethan: "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it" (James 2:10).
Moreover, 2 Cor. 8:22 reads, "In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you."
It doesn't say a single thing about the demands of the Law, or the sinful nature we all were born with due to the sin of the federal head of the human race, Adam (Romans 5:19ff).
Hank Kerchief: "For if there first be a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, not according to that he hath not.
Hank Kerchief: "In the first place the Bible clearly teaches we have the ability to obey."
Ethan: "Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God" (Romans 8:8).