GRACE QUIZ - 2/12 (A) Do God’s children struggle with sin because of their old self within? JSalum

2/12 - Do God’s children struggle with sin because of their old self within?  JSalum

A - There is sin and there are sins. 

"Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.” Romans 7:16-17 ESV

“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.” Romans 5:12-13 ESV

Disobedience was not the first sin of man. By the disobedience of one man many were made sinners. Sin came into the world through one man. Which sin is this? 

“For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.” Romans 5:19 ESV

When I read Gênesis 3 I am convinced this verse has a answer for this question: "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."” Genesis 3:5 ESV

Those words contain a double lie from the devil that many still believe today. First, man and woman were already like God. Second, God does not know good and evil.  

The verb "yodeah" means to experience, to cohabit, to acquaint, to be familiar with. God does not know evil and good. God is Light. It is impossible for Light to be aware of darkness. God is good. He doesn't know good.

“Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over... every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:26-27 ESV

Both man and woman were called Adam. Eve was named Eve by Adam only after they have lost their likeness of God. They were one, created in the image and likeness of God. 

“But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring." Malachi 2:15 NKJV

"This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.” Genesis 5:1-2 KJV

The eternal purpose of God for men and women is this: "“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:29 ESV

Adam, man and woman were like God. There was the Tree of Life. And the tree of good and evil. Men were tempted not to be like God, they were tempted to become God by a lie. 

God always wanted to be like man without ceasing to be God. That is why God became flesh, He became man, but continued to be God. 

Men wanted to be God and cease to be man. When Adam and the woman desired to eat the tree of good and evil they became evil, and sin came into the world. They wanted to be independent. Independence is not of the nature of God. 

Man and woman became a tree of good and evil, they became sin and now they bear fruits, sins, of all kinds. The tree (sin) produces fruits (sins). 

“And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:9, 16-17 KJV

The only way for men to be restored his image and likeness of God was Jesus who knew no sin became sin to make men the righteousness of God. 

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

We were trees of knowledge of good and evil, who experienced sin and evil, but in Jesus we become tree of life. 

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” Psalms 1:3 ESV

"that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.” Isaiah 61:3 ESV

“So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.”

Matthew 7:17-18 ESV

To be continued...