Sinfulness of sin by Ralph Venning (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example).
Creation witnesses against sin by:
(i) the fact that sin has injured creation;
(ii) teaching man about his sin;
(iii) punishing sinners.
The law witnesses against sin both before sin is committed and after it is committed.
The gospel witnesses against sin through its doctrinal, mandatory, promising, menacing, exemplary and experimental parts.
Because of sin dumb animals are more industrious than man who has been granted greater wisdom. We must do everything we can to redeem time from sin's clutches!
(Did I find a typo today in one of Venning's headings? Venning says '2. The law takes occasion by the commandment to deceive us. The Apostle says that it did so to him (Romans 7.11).' But Paul says sin deceived him and the rest of the headings in the section begin with a 'Sin...'. Is it a typo or can the law deceive us?)
Next week's reading
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
2 comments:
Surely, he must have meant that sin deceives us into thinking that the commandments mean something entirely other than they do, just as Satan tempted Eve (which is the illustration he uses).
My understanding is that the law is holy and perfect, and that only our own defectiveness in sin misinterprets it.
By the way, thank you so much for your work on the reading schedules and reading choices. I've been most edified with reading these great works, and appreciate very much your succinct and insightful comments.
Thanks for your encouragements whoever you may be.
I agree with what you say about the law. I was just a bit surprised that if it is a typo it hasn't been corrected or at least questioned with a footnote from the publisher as Banner of Truth sometimes does. Surely we're not the first to notice it in 300 years...
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