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Sorry, just getting this guy going right now. Well It is a blessing to see everyone tonight. I'll start us off with a word of prayer and then I'll head on up there for us. Let's pray and we'll we'll just be praying for those that aren't able to make it tonight Lord.
God I do thank you so much just for this evening to be able to open up your word Lord. God may we just rejoice at the availability. It is in our hands Lord and just soak up every word that Is in it tonight Lord.
God we ask that all those that are not able to be here with us tonight Lord. That you would just look over them help them recover from whatever Illness that they may be having right now with the being under the weather Lord.
Just help raise them Lord.
God.
Again reveal to us tonight in your word What is? Going to build up your bride this this evening Lord. So God we thank you and we say this in your name. Amen.
Our.
Jump up here.
Well.
Again, it's a blessing to see everybody. What we'll go ahead and do is we'll just start off with reminding ourselves of kind of what we talked about last week. What was the chapter that we went over last week?
Divine providence. Yes, sir. What was some things that? We took notice of anything peculiar. Something that we we we were like, man that really stuck out to us last week. Chapter 5 of divine providence.
Anything that we can recall.
Yeah.
Yep. Yeah, we we looked over that Genesis 50 verse 20 text again Right where the the brothers meant it for evil that their actions their intentions were sinful. But those same actions God meant it for good so there was something in the background that was happening that was bringing about a very peculiar purpose that God had designed right and so This is again where we can say Mankind is responsible for what he does.
He does exactly what he wants to do. He chooses to do what he wants to do all those kind of things yet. God is still sovereign and that's happening according to God's predestined plan, right. It's that great high mystery that we've talked about now for several weeks.
And so I think last week was really the the top of the Mount Everest in that sense of coming to that Theological conclusion in chapter 5 of divine providence and we also looked at I think Romans 8 28 a little bit more last week I know we talked about how the the language that's used in chapter 5 is the first cause because In order for something to exist It had to be brought into existence and the initiator of that bringing about in existence is God.
And so God is the first cause of all things. Yet in proximity all things happen according to secondary causes or ordinary means that it's uses in that chapter some Really wonderful language. I think helps us rationalize some of these things.
Can we still reconcile exactly how this works?
I think so.
Incomprehensible, but Nonetheless, it's true because the Bible says so, right? So tonight Anything else anybody else want to say anything out on that chapter? Okay. So tonight we are going to now I think in The previous chapters what we've kind of seen is in chapter 1 with the Holy Scripture we kind of got the baseline of of Why we come to the conclusions that we do it's because we view this book as inspired, right?
So we can have definite stances on things in Chapter 2 we understand about who God is. Chapter 3 was God's decree. Of course chapter 4 was of creation which that kind of narrowed more into a little bit more Bible verse doctrines, but tonight in chapter 6 it's going to be on the fall of mankind and Sin and its punishments and so it should be now more localized to scripture in that that sense and maybe Some other just a different avenue of theological thinking than what we've already discussed.
And so I'm I'm really excited about this. One thing I did want to make mention of this is where one one important disclaimer that I think is important for us to remember is that This confession is very closely written with the Savoy Declaration and the Westminster Confession and so it marries more closely to the Savoy Declaration.
However in this chapter in chapter 6 we start to see some greater divides in language some some greater Emphasis here and there some removal of doctrine here and there and so if you had I don't think any of us have a West Minister in our hands tonight.
But if we did you would see that there's some differences that these individuals are starting to write it up into in here up until this.
Point.
There hasn't been that much. It's not only a little phrases here a little sentences here. Nothing too dramatic of any kind. So I'm I'm personally pulling up right now on my my cell phones though. I can make reference to it some of the stuff that is talked about in these other confessions and potentially why The founders of the 1689 would come to these language differences that we would see here.
Paragraph one is almost all Written a little bit differently than the Westminster and the Savoy and so let's go ahead and read that now would anybody like to Volunteer to read paragraph one of chapter six.
Did you oh, please Carl? Thank you. Thank you very much, I appreciate you on that. So Genesis chapter 2 verse 16, let me read this you don't you can turn there if you'd like. It's just a short little verse here, though.
It says. And Yahweh God or the Lord God commanded the man saying from any tree of the garden you may surely.
I.
Know that we talked in reference to these verses in weeks past about why this would constitute the language of that of a covenant.
Of works, right.
Covenant in the Old Testament often even in the New Testament is Something that God imposes upon somebody without them saying and signing the contract and negotiation. That doesn't happen any of God's covenants.
He says it's this and if you do it you live and if it's not you die, right? There's there's no if ands or buts about it. And so I think we talked about that two weeks ago in regarding The death that's Adam suffered there in the garden and I think we'll probably discuss some more of that tonight but this what we look at in here is a Covenant that is given to Adam here in the garden and it is be obedient and live stay in communion with me stay in life with me or you will die and you won't have communion with me and all these kind of Rewards reckoning of what is due if you break this specific law right.
And we also talked about a little bit difference how this is a little bit different than the law that was written On his heart at the beginning too because he had to be told not to eat of the tree, right?
It wasn't something innate to somebody to say I Can't eat of a tree right. That had to be clarified to Adam from God to not do such a thing and so that's where this covenant language comes into and the reason I Wanted to start off with talking about this is that Myself who loves the conversation of covenants.
Especially in regard to the covenant of grace because that's the covenant that we are saved under. I love talking about covenants. It's strange when you open up the West Minister in the Savoy and it makes reference to the covenant of works.
And then you open up the 1689 that actually talks a lot about covenants and other chapters. But in this chapter, it's removed that language altogether and so there's a lot of different speculation on why the 1689 and chapter 6 does not make mention of a covenant of works and The speculation that I would probably lean on.
Since none of us have a time machine and can go back and ask these guys that wrote this paragraph paragraph one. That is majority of it is unique in language compared to these other confessions. Why did you write it like this?
Why did you not insert the word covenant of works? Why did you not do these things? The the idea of it is is that because the next chapter look at this next chapter with me. This next chapter or chapter is of God's covenant, right?
That's chapter 7 and so the thinking is is that the West Minister and the Savoy Declaration what they teach in those chapters. Is that each one of the covenants is just a readministration of the same covenant?
And so there was almost like a little bit of a knee-jerking reaction in chapter 6 for the 1689 guys to not want to Make it sound like in any way that the covenant of grace that we're in is Anything like the covenants of works that that is regarded that is talked about by those Presbyterians and congregationalists of the West Minister and the Savoy.
So that's just some of the the background noise that you that I think it helped Helps us understand if you ever open up those things and you would see those differences there. But but as Carl just read for us God created humanity upright and perfect so.
In.
Creating Adam what what are some ways that we can look at right now that differentiates us from Adam? Is there anything that you guys can see about yourself that is different than how Adam is? Described in the Bible and Adam that is described even in this 1689.
Okay, okay, that's that's a physical difference right there. I love it. That's a good one, that's really good one. Anything else that we could see that that would be different before and this is prior to the fall.
This is pre-fall that we're talking about right now Adam pre-fall. What what ways are we different than Adam pre-fall?
Okay, he had a choice. Okay.
Sin nature. Yeah, that that's a great that's a great point. So follow me to Ephesians chapter 2 real fast. So Ephesians chapter 2.
Think is is very important for understanding our nature and maybe even more our ability.
Comparison to Adams ability. So if God created Adam with the Capability to tend the garden he created him with the ability to not eat of that tree. Right it he had ability to live in life is what that we would see there in the garden.
He had the ability to do such. Ephesians chapter 2 verses 1. We'll go all the way to verse 5 but Ephesians chapter 2 verse 1 through 5 and.
You.
Were dead so I pause here and just let us let us think real fast. This is Paul speaking to this church speaking to other Christians. And you were dead in your transgressions and sins in which you formally walked according to the course of this world.
According to the ruler of the power of the air the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among whom we also formally conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh Doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature children of wrath even as the rest.
But God being rich in mercy because of his great love which he has loved us. Even when we were dead in our transgressions made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved and. So what I would encourage you to take notice of is there in the garden Adam had the ability to have life.
What is our ability spoken of in this text guys? Death right it's children of wrath.
It's it's.
What's remarkable in here is the way that I would describe what I would encourage us to when we think of this text is. Is that the death that it is talking about in here is the permanent? Cessation of ability to please God.
There is no way because it says even though we were dead it describes in our death we're doing sin. So we're actively moving right? It's not like we're dead on the floor right now unable to do anything.
We do things but what are those things that we do? They're bad. They can't please God. So it's this permanent state this this place of not being able to please God In any way that Ephesians chapter 2 talks about it as and so the difference I would argue right off the gate when we look think about Adam and Ourselves is Adam in the in the garden.
Like you said Jonathan had the choice. He he could have pleased God by not eating that fruit. But as soon as he ate that fruit death took place. Right, so when we talk about him dying Death he now was unable to please God after he displeased him once and so What does he immediately do try to cover himself and try to hide?
Doesn't please God in any way, right? That which pleased God was actually him making a sacrifice there in the garden and covering him. Foreshadowing and prefiguring what Christ would do for us as our priest and sacrifice.
So it says that God created humanity upright and perfect he gave them a righteous law. So again, this is where the language comes about. That's trying to differentiate that of the covenant of works With the covenant of grace without saying the covenant of works in here, right?
Because they're just they don't want to confuse you and making you think covenant in this chapter covenant in the next chapter. They're the same covenant is kind of the argument that's going on in here.
The righteous law Would have led to life If they had kept it, but it threatened what kind of death not only physical death because yes, we suffer physical death. That's the wage of sin according to Romans 6 23.
But also the death that I would say is a described here in Ephesians chapter 2. Adam was not able to please God any longer. There was an inability to ever do such from Adam. If Adam just lived just as Adam there would be no way he could ever please God again.
Yeah, yep. Exactly. So I think this is where it goes back to there's there's this has always been plan a right? This is always even the mini Bible and I may mention of it. The the covenant of redemption that you brought up from that RC Sproul gentleman.
Is that it's always been the plan of God that the father was going to predestined believers. That the son would redeem those believers and the Holy Spirit would apply that redemption to believers. That's always been the plan.
That's always been plan a right? And so yes, it did please God in the sense that it brought about the plan a but it displeased him in the same way because it was a Commandment that he gave to him and God deserves perfect obedience all the time.
Right, and so again very hard to reconcile those things in our minds together. That's just what scripture has for us though, right? I I would argue I appreciate you pointing that out though, because that that's that is what this even says is God was pleased.
It was a holy and wise will permit this act to take place. How much of a heretic would you be if I said yes, or would you accuse me of being if I said yes. It's a it's challenging language, right? I I my mind immediately takes me back when I was LDS and this is when I think.
Because they they say that the fall was good right where if you asked me is the fall good. I would say no the fall isn't good. But was the fall according to God's plan his good plan. Yes, right, but they say the fall was good that that sin was actually a fall forward.
It was Adam could never please God if he hadn't have fallen is what they say, right because. Then that's where they say that they couldn't have Sexual relationships. Adam and Eve could not procreate unless Adam had Broken the law right and so immediately that brings up, right?
So what you're saying LDS individual is that the sin did please God. Because it was needed for God, right? It's just it's this almost backward view of what sin is.
Yep.
Yep. Yep.
We we talked about the same question just a couple weeks ago, it's very remarkable. Rick Rick Rick Rick put something for that. I was like that's really interesting because if. This is all speculation, right?
Because this would be the plan B because plan a was always that they were gonna fall right? So plan B wise maybe.
It.
Rick said something that. Well, how could they be free? So if they were fruitful and filled the whole earth. Would there have just been a time when God would have taken that commandment away from them?
So they couldn't fill the whole earth anymore because the whole earth was full or would they have been translated like Elijah and been in the presence of God in heaven while Earth was continuing. I don't know.
It's very. It's very interesting to be thinking about. However, I could say What's that? That wasn't the plan? That wasn't the plan and even I would say that our plan that we're a part of is even more glorious than even that.
Kind of thinking right? In several ways, but Anyway, I it's a great question. It's a really great question.
A.
Lot of exercising of our. What would what would our world look like if that had been the case? That's been another thing like.
Right.
Would would we. Would we? Right. What would we. Because you would have individuals that were tending the garden. Would you have death in any way of like eating animals or would we just all be vegetarian like?
Well, very interesting stuff to think about but yeah. Yep, oh, I don't like where this is going.
Oh.
Yeah, yep.
Absolutely. Yeah, so in Hebrew and I can't so I'm I don't know I hardly know English let alone a little bit of Greek let alone none of Hebrew. But there's several words for that. We translate as kill in English from Hebrew.
And so the one that's being used in that particular place is talking about unjust killing of another life. So like it would not in my very clear opinion of this is like if somebody broke into your house tonight.
Shoot him in the face.
You are okay with doing that and it's not breaking that commandment. In those ways now if you were the one breaking into somebody's house and you murdered somebody. That is breaking that commandment. Don't do that Jonathan.
So.
Yes.
Yes, you're welcome.
You're welcome. I.
Don't I don't want you to tell Kelby later. Yeah, I was gonna say he's gonna tell Kelby. Braden said that I could do something and yeah, no.
So, I love it.
So when we think about this. Maybe looking back at Ephesians chapter 2 in in regard to Satan. Influencing even this very peculiar way that we see there in the garden. How does Satan influence us today?
That's where another question I was gonna ask because it's talking about Satan. Satan used the craftiness of the serpent to seduce Eve and then seduce Adam. And so Ephesians 2 we just read. How are we?
How are we influenced by the devil today?
Technology, okay.
Okay. Yeah temptation. Yeah.
There's a lot of things in this that God or that I would say not God Satan Uses to to lead us but look at verse 2 in which you formally walked. So so we don't practice. We don't walk in the same life, right?
We have a newness of our life that we walk in doesn't mean that we won't occasionally sin or fall into a bitch Habit forming sins that we need to kill and seek to destroy in our lives. It doesn't say that a Christian is absent of sinning anymore.
We would see Paul Fighting with his flesh warring with his flesh in this way in Romans chapter 5 and 7 to 5 of 7.
But it says.
According so Formally walked according to the course of this world according to the ruler of the power of air the spirit That is now working in the sons of disobedience Among whom we also formally conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind.
And we're by.
Nature.
Children of wrath even as the rest look here at verse 3 and Notice doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, right? Where is the law of God written in New Covenant right that arts. And there's one other place that Hebrews 8 says it is Our minds.
Yeah, right. And so we see a connection right here and what when this text of New Covenant believers Has a renewing of those things that where the Satan has been able to lead us by even Even when we look in here The spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
There's something Spiritual that takes place in our lives prior to regeneration that is demonic, right? We're led by evil spirits. What spirit now leads us? The Holy Spirit right. And so it's this this beautiful language that Paul is using in here.
I think that he uses other places that really help us understand the significance of what regeneration means for us. So look again at verse 5 Even when we were dead in our transgressions which that includes all the stuff that was previously stated that were led by The spirit of evil that we do the desires of our flesh and our mind even when we are dead in our transgressions Made us alive together.
With.
Christ by grace you have been saved.
Remarkable absolutely remarkable.
One other place I want to look at it was the second Corinthians chapter 11 verse 3. I'm just discussing This second Corinthians chapter 11 verse 3. Second Corinthians. We'll just look at. Let's look at just verse.
Yeah, just let's look at verse 3 it says. But I fear that as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness Your minds will be corrupted from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. So Paul is saying this in the very first century to a church.
That that has a lot of obvious sin within it. The Corinthian Church was not in a good place in their Christian walk by any means. But Paul is fearful that the serpent is Deceiving the church just as he deceived Eve.
And so what what what ways did Satan deceive Eve when we think about that at that event that takes place in the garden. What what is his words to Eve? What is his? Persuasion to Eve there in the garden we can we can turn back to Genesis to look that.
Right, so it's a.
Planting of the seed of doubt of God's truth his word his promise his Commandments all those kind of things right? So that's that's definitely something that we would see in there, right? How do we fight against that Jonathan how would you fight against that in your life right now.
Somebody came up and said Did God really say that and what's gonna be your response? Pointing down at the Bible. Yes. I guess he really did say that.
66 books, right.
And then one of my favorite quotes from Dan Peterson is then smack him in the face with you smack him in the face with.
The Bible.
And.
Maybe maybe do that in the analogy kind of way, but don't do that the physical way. So, let's just look here real fast here and just verse 1 of Genesis 3 if you're there and if you want to follow along Genesis 3, I know we're we're jumping several places right now.
But now the serpent was more crafty Than any beast of the field which Yahweh God had made and he said to the woman indeed God said you shall not eat of from any tree of the garden and The woman said to the serpent from the fruit of the tree the trees of the garden We may eat but from the fruit of the tree, which is the midst of garden God said you shall not eat from it and you shall not touch it.
Lest you die.
The serpent said to the woman surely you will not die. For God knows that in the day you eat from it. Your eyes will be open and you will be like God knowing good. And There's some speculation on on verse Verse Three.
And What does Eve mean when when she says you shall not eat from it and you shall not touch from it because God never said That in the previous chapter, so some people would say this is Eve. Adding to the commandments of God which that carries on in all life that people continue to add requirements that God has.
There's there's something to be said there. I wouldn't encourage you to go. Right, there's there's all those kind of implications that happen in there, right. Ultimately even in that the the commandment the the the reason that mankind fell wasn't because Eve had had sinned right.
Because Adam had sinned like that's what Romans 5 says that that death spread because of Adam. So. Yes, maybe maybe maybe that was her sitting right there. Maybe. There's speculation on this verse, right.
It's somewhat challenging to discuss and it's all of its implications and being super dogmatic on that.
But.
You shall surely not die as the words of the serpent right. So a doubting of God's Word and.
A teaching.
You can live on your own right you don't need you. You can do this without it. What did we just see in Ephesians chapter 2? The cessation of all ability to ever please God is what came about because Adam fell there in the garden.
Now We are unable to do that. And so did Satan lie in this text? Very very much. So right very very much. So We can feel those effects today. We can look outside in the world and see those effects today from that lie of Satan and It just penetrating the hearts of Eve and then the heart of Adam.
Pretty pretty terrible stuff.
So let's go ahead and read paragraph 2. Now here and.
Yeah, please do. Yeah. Yeah.
Wouldn't think that the other cattle The I wouldn't think that the other animals have the ability to speak and the reason I I would say that is that it.
What's that?
No, I I think one of the one of the reasons I would say that I don't think animals were talking was because I think Language is one of the ways we are able to not only That it just shows more image-bearing of God that here He was able to commune with us in the garden in this very language specific way.
That I would think if we said all animals could talk Then all people all animals have the ability then to have that same level of communion with God and in language and so maybe I don't have Justification from Scripture to say such a thing, right?
I that and maybe that's a presupposition I have in regard to the image of God. I think that that's one part of what the image of God is is the ability to communicate in a very personal Relationship. Lee done way, which is also restored in Christ, right?
Because then before we were saved we looked at this book and we said this is folly. But now that we are saved and we have a new heart we look at this and we say this is the Word of God Spoken to people and myself included right?
So it's almost a restoration of that communion there in the garden. But anyway that that's gone down a rabbit trail that I I'm taking us even further down a rabbit trail now. I know I am.
Yep, you're right huskies. Yeah.
What.
We need to get Josh on this right now. Crow inside the okay. Was mimicking. Then then even the question has to come up with which I think that this is an interesting one like So God curses the serpent to be on his belly for the rest of its days, right?
And so there's almost. What does that mean. Did the say did snakes prior to the fall have arms and legs? Right, it was a snake but but was a snake in that in that text before we knew it had legs and arms.
I don't know.
Or or was it just a theological thing because what what is it that he's told that he's going to eat for the rest of.
His life.
Dust what where did we come from the dust of the earth? Where do we go back to that? He promises Adam dust. So is it maybe teaching a theological thing rather than a physical thing. Without spiritualizing the text too much.
I maybe it's a both I don't know. Don't bring a big I Do think Joe for that we went or Joe five that we read two weeks ago. I think that that's Bigfoot that talked to Elias this there. I didn't want to mention that in Sunday service, but.
Anyway, that's a sermon for another day. And let's let's let's look at paragraph two it yeah, it's another podcast. Did you watch that one on Bigfoot, okay. We talked about it it it was very interesting anyway, I.
We did go that down that rabbit trail. I don't think you got any answers Carl. Or any maybe even thought-provoking things. But anyway paragraph two will read paragraph two now. By this sin our first parents fell from their original righteousness and communion with God.
We fell in them and through this death came upon all all became dead in sin and completely defiled in all capabilities and parts of soul and body. Very interesting text in here.
This.
Teaching that this is putting forth for us is one that I I make mention too often. This is the teaching of federal headship. You could even say that this is the teaching of original sin. I would say that Original sin is a biblical concept when understood how the Bible teaches original sin and that's not a bad thing to say.
The.
Reason that I love the doctrine of federal headship is because we died in Adam who Makes us alive together with him Cry right Christ we're in Christ. So so in the same way that I've fallen in Adam and I'm dead And I participate in death and the transgressions I commit who made me alive Christ.
I'm now in Christ and I live and now I participate in communion with God, right? So it's if somebody says I hate Original sin and the doctrine of federal headship. I was once at a diner and I even started talking to three individuals about this.
It was a weird conversation. However, their biggest gripe was that doctrine and I just was marveling at that and I said look how How can you be upset about this? Because Christ has brought something that I'm undeserving of through the same exact means that he Accomplished that law and has now imputed me with his righteousness.
I I fell in Adam and now I live in Christ and I Love this doctrine very much of federal headship. There's nothing Nothing especially if the God's Word teaches such and we should hold to it, right? And so let's look at Romans 5 just to see this spelt out for us.
I think in Scripture Very very clearly I will have minimal Commentary on these verses but Romans 5 verse 12 and on a lot of theologians say that this is the chapter in each one of our books or each one of our Bibles that should be Marked up the most.
I I would tend to agree with this. Romans 5 12 it says therefore just as through one man sin entered into the world and Death through sin and so death spread to all men because all sin. For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the trespass of the trespass of Adam who is a type of Him who was to come.
But the gracious gift is not like the transgression for if by the transgression of one many died much more to the grace of God and the gift of the grace of the one man Jesus Christ abound to the many and The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned.
For on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation. But on the other hand the gracious gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. For if by the transgression of the one death reigned through the one.
Much more those who received the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one Jesus Christ. So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men.
Even so through one righteous act or one one act of righteousness There resulted justification to all men for as through the one man's disobedience There were many appointed sitters and through so through the obedience of one many will be appointed.
Righteous.
Love this text. There's so much meat in here.
It is unbelievable.
Now In the topic of federal headship, especially in regard to Adam. How many men die. Do. What percentage of men die?
All of them, right?
Save it be for Elijah, right that that we can look at so that'd be like ninety nine point nine nine nine nine nine. All Men die right all men faceless death, right?
Efficacy the the effect of what Adam did didn't spread to just 50 of people not 80 of people. It was Permanent for all people, right? It was efficient. It was Effectual in this look. Look again at this though speaking of now Christ.
So so verse 18 so then as through one transgression the result of condemnation to all men all men die. Even so through one act of righteousness.
Their resulted.
Justification of life to all Men, this is this is a great text right here, right? Do we believe some people will be in heaven and some people will be in hell? Okay. Yeah. Amen, right? That's what Christ says that he's gonna separate the sheep from the goats.
That's we see that very clearly all throughout Jesus his own language and Paul's teaching. People will go to hell. So how could it say that here in verse 18 justification of life to all men?
Very.
Almost seems contradictive at first. First base value, right? This is this is where? Hermeneutically, we have to say all. Doesn't mean all all the time right. And this is. We see this in Greek. We see this in Greek.
So. So if Adam's sin was.
Was.
What was the word I just used a second ago. Efficient or effective to all people ethic ethic it. Yep. So it was it was to all people who is Christ's atonement in life towards? The believers it's all the believers that it's talking about in here all those that are dead and Adam is.
Including all those that Adam represents and then all those that Christ is it's representing as the sheep. It's the bride. It's those that have faith in him. So so it's a federal headship that this teaches in this text and Again, this this is a deep chapter to get into in its in its completeness.
But we we just see in here.
Death is the result of sin according to Romans 6 23 that sin was in the world before the law of Moses came. And so that's now why in Chapter 4 of God's creation when it talks about he created man and he put in him his law it means that there was a law before the law of Moses that was given the law that's written on his heart and.
So sin reigned and it and it kept on raining even after Moses. Because why people keep on dying. There's a law that even exists today. Why. Because people keep on dying and they're breaking that law. That law is the transcendent law of God and I would say it's the it's best Said in the Ten Commandments the two tables of that law.
It's something that each one of us knows and neatly what's right and wrong from.
But what what.
What is the urge? What is the desire of pre-regenerate man? I think looking at Genesis 3 What did Satan say to the woman you will surely become like? God right. So so now anybody that tries to have righteousness and obedience to a law Why are they doing it?
So I can make myself righteous I can become the God in this situation. I can be the one that that does it. I don't need anybody else, right? It's the self-righteous thing that we seek after and again.
We're able or not able to please God not able to please God. And so it's just this perpetual state of death that is taught in this. Is there anything that you guys want to say say about this text or from this paragraph paragraph 2 here that we have?
Where should we go to paragraph 3? That those just those script those scriptural references. Genesis 6 5 is saying that is the text where God looks over his creation and says That he was remorseful over Creation.
Jeremiah 17 9 is the the heart is desperately wicked. No man can trust it text. So we have It's just this Romans 3 10 through 19. Is that no one's righteous? No, not one for we all no one seeks after God.
No one.
It just goes into depth about how we are sinful before God but paragraph 3 says this by God's appointment they were the root and Representatives of the whole human race. Because of this the guilt of their sin was accounted and their corrupt nature passed on To all their offspring who descended from them by ordinary procreation.
Their descendants are now conceived in sin and are by nature children of wrath the servants of sin and partakers of death and all other miseries spiritual temporal Eternal unless the Lord Jesus sets them free and I would add to that.
They would be free indeed if they do. This is just going into more detail about the previous Paragraph that we read and especially in Romans 5 that we just read right is it not?
Would pause here and as we think about federal headship and all that that implies is that doctrine carries itself throughout the entire whole Testament in the book of Hebrews. It says that the Levitical priests paid tithe To Melchizedek through Abraham there Abraham was the father, right?
So so we so the Levites who weren't born yet They paid tithes to Melchizedek through a father through Abraham. So federal headship again, we see the father figure representing the whole that we see throughout the entirety of the God's Word.
And so. This is a very theological. I think this is why it's put in here. But listen to this again here in paragraph 3. Corrupt nature passed on to all their offspring who descended from them by ordinary procreation.
Who's the one human that's existed who existed outside of normal? procreation.
Jesus Christ. Yeah, so if if.
The federal head Adam Passes through his loins the sin nature that we all partake in. Through ordinary procreation. Who's the one human that did not have the sin nature when he was in the womb. Christ right.
I love the doctrine of federal headship. This is awesome. Awesome. Awesome stuff. Who is the father of Christ the Heavenly Father? He says I'm of my father in heaven. You are of your father. The devil's where he says the Pharisees.
This this it goes down a whole rabbit trail of stuff on this but This is the reason why Christ could be the perfect propitiation for us This is a reason why he could be the perfect lamb for us is the doctrine of federal headship is just knowing Some of these background things that are happening in the text.
It's it's remarkable. Anything on paragraph three that you want to take note of or mention we got ten minutes left and Hope to get through all these paragraphs tonight if we don't. No worries, but I hope to Paragraph four will look at all actual transgressions arise from the first corruption by it we are thoroughly biased against and disabled and Antagonistic towards all that is good and we are completely inclined towards all that is evil.
That's that's an interesting text. Is it not? I think in my life of before I was saved. I Obviously did good things, right?
Who this is I.
Helped old ladies cross the street. I I. Went and did my good daily deeds. I was an Eagle Scout, right? Now you can't be an Eagle Scout unless you're doing daily good deeds. Everybody knows this. So this this paragraph says though that all I did was was completely inclined toward all that is evil.
That's Quite a hefty thing to say why? Why do you think it would say that Jonathan? Do you have a reason that you could say that that says it like that?
Okay.
Hmm verse 9 too. So one of the reasons that it is through regeneration that we are saved and it's not of myself so that I can't get to heaven and say I Was saved because not only did I have faith in Christ and have faith in this this seemingly absurd Absurd thing of somebody dying for me and rising again.
But I also am saved because I helped Did ten daily good deeds for my whole life and I helped ten old ladies cross the street and look how great I am. Right, that's boasting right? It would be me building up a ladder so I can look down on everybody else.
Look how great I am. And then Jake would say I oh Brayden you did 10 you helped a 10 old ladies cross.
I I did I helped 12.
Right, and then Tyler would be saying well, I helped 15 and Carl would be saying that's just ridiculous. I drove 20 old ladies to those across the street all day long, right? It would just be this complete.
Look at how great I am. What what does the Bible teach though? However Romans 3 10. No one is righteous. No, not one Ephesians or Isaiah 64 6 all our righteous deeds are nothing but filthy rags in the eyes of the Lord.
Why are they filthy? Why are they wrong? I remind you when I was LDS. Why was I doing all my good works? So that I could become God one day. Why? Say ten Hail Marys and you're you're you're going to be good in the eyes of the Lord, right?
You have to do something in order to be made right. You are though you are the intermediary between yourself and God. You're the one making intercession instead of the high priest who is perfect and holy making it for you, right?
In the Old Testament. Who was the one that made the sacrifice? The priest did not the people that sinned the priest did. Who would did they make the sacrifice to? They made it to God not to the people.
They made it to God on behalf of the people. It's this complete consistency that we see throughout the entirety of the text and what it's teaching us that happens in Christ. That it's all through Christ's by grace.
You have been saved that not of works not of yourselves. It's a gift of God.
It's through faith.
Colossians 1 I was gonna read Colossians 1 just here shortly for us. Colossians 1 Colossians 1 21.
Says.
On although you were formerly alienated and enemies in mind and evil deeds, right? So so we were alienated from God. We hated him. We didn't seek after him. There's several texts that teach this. I there's a second second Corinthians 3 that says that our Our minds are hostile to them and they were unable to accept the things of God.
I think is what it says. I'm butchering the quote. But the point of it is that it's teaching us in in human human relationships. I can look and say Mario you you did help eight old ladies cross the street that.
That to me is a good thing that you did. However in the eyes of the Lord if you're doing that as a means of righteousness He's saying that is sinful and wrong because he didn't look at Jesus Christ.
Right, so.
These things all play into each other. So Again that's that there's a lot of great analogies and ways to think through that. But this this doctrine in this is that the backing of the doctrine that this is teaching Is the doctrine that is known as total depravity.
It's not teaching that we are all with. We're not always a hundred percent evil. We we could all we are not all many Hitler's in the sense of Carrying out our evil thoughts. But that same spirit of Hitler is inside of us that all our sinful actions are just like that in those ways.
It's a depraved mind unable to please God. That's what Ephesians chapter 2 said it. It's this inability to please God an inability to be in communion with them again. Paragraph 5 says during this life this corruption of nature remains in those who are regenerated.
That hurts right there. Even though it is pardoned and put to death through Christ yet both this corruption of nature and all actions arising from it are true and Actually sin anything that you guys see in there that you want to make mention of Don.
Yeah, Don, how long have you been a Christian for.
And and I look at Don and I look at him and I say this is a this is a man that has been far more Sanctified than myself. I I seek to be more like you Don and when I when I in next year I that will be my New Year's resolution be more like Don because Don's like Christ, right?
That'll be my New Year's resolution Don. Would you would it be fair to say that in your life? You still look back and you can see that there were times that there were sin in your life even in those last 60 years.
There are times when it consumes you. And yet they do yep human nature. I.
And it's something that even Paul himself Paul the Apostle, right I look at Don I say I want to be more like Don. If Paul was sitting next to you, Don, I'm sorry I probably look at Paul and say I want more like Paul in this in this conversation.
But in that same question that I just asked you if I asked Paul that same thing He would say I work with the flesh daily. Oh Lord released me from this bondage of death. That is on my back he himself would admit I I Wore with this every single day I I'm the chief of all sinners.
Yeah. Thank you, Carl. Like that's Paul saying that right? And so what?
Sorry, oh that was okay.
Good.
So what what is the only time. What what is our what is our our. Maybe maybe. Because it uses this language in paragraph 5 those that are regenerated. So those that are regenerated where the chief of sinners is how we view ourselves, right?
I realize this now I see this now I know this now God's Word has told me this now what what is the future hope that each one of the regenerate have just as I Added a little phrase there in paragraph 3 Unless the Lord sets them free and I added the phrase and they will be free indeed which comes from John chapter 8 That my word will set them free and they'll be free indeed, right?
When. When is our future hope. Where is our future hoping in Christ? Yeah. We we say Lord come quickly. We want to be in his presence. Why would we want to be in his presence thinking about Adam? Where was Adam at when he sinned?
He was in the presence of God. He was there in the garden. And so we long for the day where though Christ has renewed us back into a proper standing before God we long for the day when that you can almost think of it like If if Adam took that by the Apple what's being done?
Is it slowly those teeth marks are being? Changed they're being turned back to that Apple. I know it doesn't say Apple.
Maybe there's a fig tree.
The fig is slowly losing its bite marks and it's it's being made back to that state in which Christ God first made it right? That's the the. That's what I would argue. We see all throughout the book of Revelation is this this redemptive work bringing about This end thing which is we started in the book of Genesis with the garden.
What does Revelation paint for us in the end of the book? Garden this this kingdom people being in the presence of the King Christ. It's quite remarkable. So yes, our future. Hope is Christ. Our future.
Hope is a glorified body Resurrected completely absent of sin. That's what we're longing for. Amen. Okay, any final questions thoughts? Ideas did the serpent in the garden had have arms and legs.
On the.
Does it really. Yeah. Oh, I did not know that.
Interesting. See this is. I don't know science that. Well and that that's that just proved it right there. I gotta have dawn in this. Yeah, yeah. Oh a split tongue. My mind is blown right now.
That is science right there.
That's way better than Bill and I the science guy. I love it. Okay, what anybody like to volunteer to pray for us. Pray us out tonight, that's a that's an interesting thing right there. I well my mind immediately says that.
That's that's a very LDS thing of you to say. Call All. Right, anybody want to volunteer to pray us out. Patty would you do it since Carl prayed us in. Could you pray us out. Or no, I prayed us in. Sorry Carl.
Carl read the first paragraph. Finally, would you mind praying us out? Thank you.
Thank you very much, buddy.
God bless. I love doing Bible studies with you guys. It's good stuff. I'm pretty partial to the sex scene I don't know if you guys can tell or not. Did you just start your car from in here right now Mario?
Is that the did your pickup just start?
