Original Sin and God's Glory

[D. Paul]

Although this topic fits several other threads, this specific had not been addressed:

I am working through Dr. Curt Daniel's series on Calvinism. In his message on Original Sin he works through the argument that God is not the "author" of sin. In short, he states that God, having ordained the existence of sin, uses the existence of sin in order to reveal yet more of His attributes i.e. grace and mercy. In other words, without ordaining that sin be part of our world, he could not show us that he is gracious and merciful toward sinners.

So, in light of Romans 6:1, I will not say I will glory in sin. However, God's grace and mercy are revealed to me. If it is as Dr. Daniel has said, would this not cause a person to say "Thank God for ordaining that sin should be!"

I don't mean to impugn Dr. Daniel nor am I making light. This was a serious Q I had while listening and can get no further. Thanks!

 

[The Lamb]

Originally posted by D. Paul
Although this topic fits several other threads, this specific had not been addressed:

I am working through Dr. Curt Daniel's series on Calvinism. In his message on Original Sin he works through the argument that God is not the "author" of sin. In short, he states that God, having ordained the existence of sin, uses the existence of sin in order to reveal yet more of His attributes i.e. grace and mercy. In other words, without ordaining that sin be part of our world, he could not show us that he is gracious and merciful toward sinners.

So, in light of Romans 6:1, I will not say I will glory in sin. However, God's grace and mercy are revealed to me. If it is as Dr. Daniel has said, would this not cause a person to say "Thank God for ordaining that sin should be!"

I don't mean to impugn Dr. Daniel nor am I making light. This was a serious Q I had while listening and can get no further. Thanks!

I have certain High Grace brethren who have made such comments as those. I happen to disgree with the idea of thanking God for sin. Where do you draw the line is my question. DO I thank Him for my personal sins so I can glorify Him?

THis idea of "Author of sin" is foreign to scripture. IT is used as a slam against us who hold to Absolute Sovereignty. And is a good arguement against those who lower the responsibility and duty of man.

The issue with some High GRacers is not that they elevate His Sovereignty, that cannot be elevated too much, it is their lowering of the duty of man.


Joseph

 

[Contra_Mundum]

We have to thank God for all, all, all his doings. They are all infinitely wise and well-done.

Perhaps what's missing from our idea of thankfulness is a trembling thanksgiving; a thanksgiving that confesses, with tears, that we cannot comprehend how it was good for us that we should have been allowed to sin, and fall so short of glorifying him, and to earn a well-deserved place in hell; how grateful we are to have been shown our sorry state, and been given faith to believe in God's miraculous mercy. We have to thank him for what we cannot understand, even as our children must thank us for the spankings they receive from us, for the dessert we withold from them, for the pleasures we deny them, all for reasons they may only glimpse or fail completely in grasping.

Again, we are talking about the grace of submission.

 

[Arch2k]

We should praise God for his decrees (in the compound sense), but should learn to hate sin as God does (in the divided sense). Through this, we can thank God for taking us through trials and tribulations, because we know that all these things work together for our good. We can also thank God for destroying his enemies. We can thank him for sending his Son to die (compound sense), but at the same time despise Judas for betraying him (divided sense). "The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him (compound-PRAISE GOD!); but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! (divided-HATE SIN!)" (Matt 26:24).

God is the first cause of everything, including sin, but this does not mean he is the author. The "first cause" simply means that he has predestined everything that comes to pass, just as he is the first cause of this post. However I am the AUTHOR of this post, or second cause, not God.

Honestly, I finished Curt Daniel's 75 lectures a month or two ago, and a good portion of his material is good overall, but is found wanting in many areas. For a more in-depth study of the existence the relation of God and Evil see Gordon Clark's "God and Evil "“ The Problem Solved."

It will also be helpful to keep in mind the definition of sin while studying this. WSC: What is sin? Sin is any want of conformity to, or transgression of the Law of God.