The Source Of Sin

"For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience [Adam] the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience [Jesus] the many will be made righteous." Romans 5:17-19 

My last post was about the consequence of sin. Not a "fun" topic but one that, as Christians, we need to understand. Both the reason and the result.  Today I wanted to touch on the source of sin.  You might be thinking, Ah Oh - here we go! Just hang with me for a moment.

We all know about the Garden - Adam - Eve - the Serpent. Everyone understands that we are all born with a sin nature because of it. Like Paul wrote in Romans 5. "one trespass led to condemnation for all men" but there is something else at work.  I am certain that you have heard the saying, "The apple does not fall far from the tree." Most often it is made about some positive attribute displayed in someone's life that is credited back to a parent. But it might well be something negative.

Dr. James Dobson, Focus on the Family, said the "Values are caught they are not taught". He went on to say by the age of 12 a child's values have been instilled. It is not what you say is right and wrong but what we do that children identify with. I remember sitting in the back porch with a bite of soap in my mouth (washing my mouth out with soap literally) because I had used foul language that I had heard my mother using. I remember my dad telling me that smoking was a bad habit, one which I should not start as he puffed on a Camel cigarette. My parents were divorced when I was 2. I remember my mom telling me when I was 9 or 10, "Stop doing that it reminds me of your father!" I assume it was not some good behavior. You get the idea. We can't blame everything on Adam. Very often we can be found guilty of contributing to the delinquency of a minor (our children). It might also be said for our influence on less mature Christians who are watching us to see what living as a Christian in a fallen world is supposed to look like.

So often we excuse the sins we accommodate in our own lives and are quick to condemn the sin we see in others. We don't want to think that we have contributed to the spiritual struggle our children or other Christians contend with - but we may well have. Cain asked the question "Am I my brother's keeper?" 

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6

It would be unfair to leave you with the thought that my mom was a Christian when she had me take a bite out of a bar of soap.  She was saved many years later and the transformation was unbelievable, especially to the four older children as we were not yet Christians. But the change was real and was a testimony to us and all who had known her "old-self". And since the day that I said yes to Jesus there has been no more soap for me!

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone