We Are Our Own Worst Enemy

 By Pastor Benjamin Glaser - Posted at Thoughts from Parson Farms:

Dealing With the Truth of Man's Depravity

Good Morning!

In some ways of all the doctrines of the Christian faith sin is the easiest one to define and verify. No one who is a rational creature doubts the fact that men do bad stuff. The (question comes as to why people choose to be jerks and selfish. In today’s walk through these three inquiries from the Westminster Larger Catechism we’ll hear an answer to that and talk a little bit about how pervasive man’s depravity is. In addition time will be spent noting why it is so dangerous to downplay the wickedness of the human heart, and falsely treat people as “basically good”. Let your eyes be your guide and may the Holy Spirit-inspired Scriptures help us to see the truth for what it is so that like good physicians we can comprehend the way forward to do something about the fallenness of humanity for the blessing and betterment of whole race.

Here are the four Q/A’s for our consideration:

Q. 24. What is sin?
A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, any law of God, given as a rule to the reasonable creature.

Q. 25. Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?
A. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin, the want of that righteousness wherein he was created, and the corruption of his nature, whereby he is utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite unto all that is spiritually good, and wholly inclined to all evil, and that continually; which is commonly called Original Sin, and from which do proceed all actual transgressions.

Q. 26. How is original sin conveyed from our first parents unto their posterity?
A. Original sin is conveyed from our first parents unto their posterity by natural generation, so as all that proceed from them in that way are conceived and born in sin.

Q. 27. What misery did the fall bring upon mankind?
A. The fall brought upon mankind the loss of communion with God, his displeasure and curse; so as we are by nature children of wrath, bond slaves to Satan, and justly liable to all punishments in this world, and that which is to come.

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