July 21, 2017

On Original Sin in Vol I of the Works - Edwards - VI - Chapter 2 of Part II

Required reading
The great Christian doctrine of original sin defended in Volume I of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 2 of Part II.

My summary.
Today Edwards examines other parts of Old Testament Scripture that prove the doctrine of original sin.

We see that wickedness is often spoken of in Scripture:
(i) as a thing belonging to the race of mankind (i.e. the world);
(ii) as being man's own in contradistinction from holiness ;
(iii) as belonging to man in his childhood.

What grabbed me
I liked Edwards' closing paragraph about the importance of accepting truth from God's mouth: 'It is fit we all should know, that it does not become us to tell the Most High, how often he shall particularly explain and give the reason of any doctrine which he teaches, in order to our believing what he says. If he has at all given us evidence that it is a doctrine agreeable to his mind, it becomes us to receive it with full credit and submission; and not sullenly to reject it, because our notions and humours are not suited in the manner, and number of times, of his particularly explaining it. How often is pardon of sins promised in the Old Testament to repenting and returning sinners! How many hundred times is God's special favour there promised to the sincerely righteous, without any express mention of these benefits being through Christ! Would it therefore become us to say, that inasmuch as our dependence on Christ for these benefits is a doctrine, which, if true, is of such importance, God ought expressly to have mentioned Christ's merits as the reason and ground of the benefits, if he knew they were the ground of them; and should have plainly declared it sooner, and more frequently, if ever he expected we should believe him, when he did tell us of it? How oft is vengeance and misery threatened in the Old Testament to the wicked, without any clear and express signification of any such thing intended, as that everlasting fire, where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth, in another world, which Christ so often speaks of as the punishment appointed for all the wicked! Would it now become a Christian, to object and say, that if God really meant any such thing, he ought in reason and truth to have declared it plainly and fully; and not to have been so silent about a matter of such vast importance to all mankind, for four thousand years together?'

It is not our place to tell God how he should teach us.  Our place is to receive the truth and believe it.

Next week's reading
Read Chapter 3 of Part II.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.














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