March Topic

Is God the Author of Sin?

What is Sin?

Can the objection be raised that if God has foreordained the entire course of events in this world, He must be the Author of Sin?

            Isaiah 45:6-7

            Amos 3:6

            I Kings 22:20-23.

            II Sam. 12:11

            Ps.105:23-25

            Is. 63:17

            I Chr. 5:22

            Jer 44:2

Was the “Fall of Adam” included in the Divine Plan?

            Acts 2:23, I Peter 1:19-21, Luke 22:20-22, Eph 3:11, Acts 3:18

Are the forces of evil under God’s perfect control?

            Job 1:6, 16,21, Compare II Sam. 24:1, 10 and I Chr. 21:1

Do sinful acts occur only by Divine Permission?

Augustine – “God wills with a good will that which Satan wills with an evil will, — as was the case in the crucifixion of Christ, which was over-ruled for the redemption of the world.”

God wills righteously those things which men do wickedly.

Jacob’s deception of his old, blind father

The sale of Joseph into Egypt by his brothers -        Gen. 45:5, 8   50:20.

Pharaoh and the Egyptians wrong the Israelites - Ex. 4:21; 9:12

Satan and the evil spirits are made to carry out the divine purpose – I Kings 22:20-23

The calamities which befell Job

But Why?

God’s Grace is more deeply appreciated after a person has been a victim of sin and seeks forgiveness.

Sometimes the person, like the prodigal son, will not appreciate the Father’s home nor respect His authority until he has experienced the ravaging effects of sin and the pangs of hunger, sorrow and disgrace

The creature cannot adequately appreciate God’s mercy until he has been rescued from a state of misery. After the lame beggar had been healed by Peter and John at the door of the temple, he appreciated his health as never before, and “entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.”

Proposition
Sin allows for the Attributes of God to be clearly displayed

-     Many but not all of the God’s attributes were displayed through the creation and upholding of the world (General Revelation).

-     The attribute of justice could be shown only to creatures deserving punishment.

-     The attribute of mercy or grace could be shown only to creatures in misery.

-     Until man’s fall into sin, and redemption from it, these attributes, so far as we know, were unknown to any but God Himself (Rom 11:32) (Rom 9:22)

-     Had sin not been allowed to enter creation these attributes would have remained unrevealed.

-     Sin, then, is permitted in order that the mercy of God may be shown in its forgiveness, and that His justice may be shown in its punishment.

-     Its entrance is the result of a completed plan which God formed in eternity, and through which He purposed to reveal Himself to His creatures as complete and perfect.

Something to make you go Hmmmm.

            Who were the Ten Commandments written for?

Do the Ten Commandments not apply to God?

           He cannot have any other god’s before Himself.

            He cannot worship another god because there is none.

            He cannot honor His mother and father because He has none.

            He cannot murder because all life is His to do with as He        pleases.

            He cannot covet or steal because everything already belongs to Him.

He cannot be called to account to a more “ultimate” lawgiver because there is none.

My (Mike Doban's) Conclusion
While God permits sin, His connection with it is purely negative and it is the abominable thing which he hates with perfect hatred. (Prov 6:16-19, Psalm 45:7)