Let's define original sin. I don't have any intention, however, of discussing all the definitions that different writers have adopted. I'm only going to talk about the one which I think is closest to the truth. Original sin, then, is the hereditary corruption and depravity of our nature. It extends to all parts of the…
How Do We Actually Change? (Thomas Chalmers Expulsive Power of a New Affection)
Christians have long wrestled with the question of how people actually change; how do Christians exhibit Christ-like character in the world? Scottish pastor Thomas Chalmers (1780-1847) is one example of a believer who contemplated such questions. He presented his answer in a sermon entitled "The Expulsive Power of a New Affection." Chalmers understands the heart,…
Blogging the Institutes | 2.1.7 | Parents Pass On their Corruption to Their Children
We don't need to get involved in discussions of whether children receive their souls from their parents to understand the transmission of sin. Adam received all the good things that God wanted to pass on to humanity. Unfortunately, when Adam lost what he received from God, he lost it not only for himself but for…
Blogging the Institutes | 2.1.6 | All People Without Exception are Originally Depraved
The sin of parents is transmitted to their children. All people without exception are originally depraved. The beginning of this depravity will not be located until we acknowledge that Adam was the "head," or begin ning, of all people. Adam did not merely begin the human race by propagation. He was, in a sense, the…
Blogging the Institutes | 2.1.5 | Adam’s Sin Corrupts Everyone
Since Adam derived his spiritual life from his union with God, his separation from the Lord meant death. Moreover, since Adam destroyed the natural order with his sin, it shouldn't surprise us that his sin would also deteriorate the whole human race. "The whole creation groans," says the apostle Paul, "being subject to futility, but…
Blogging the Institutes | 2.1.4 | The Nature of Adam’s Sin
When God punished Adam for his sin, it wasn't over some trivial fault but a heinous crime. So we're going to look into the nature of Adam's sin and why God inflicted such a dreadful punishment upon all humanity. Some theologians believe Adam's sin was merely giving into bodily urges. Such a view seems lackluster…
Blogging the Institutes | 2.1.3 | Non-Christians Denigrate Sin and Elevate Reason
Some non-Christian writers will admit the limits of human reason due to their own experiences. They might have at one time failed to resist the lure of temptation, or have been duped by some false religion, or have been controlled by their emotions instead of rational thoughts. For this reason, Cicero says that the sparks…
The Hidden Cause of Burnout
Burnout—the state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion—is a hot topic these days (sorry for the fire-related puns). There's even been a whole book written on how Millennials (my generation) has become the "burnout generation." Writers often blame a wide-variety of things that cause burnout. Explanations have ranged from the pressures placed on kids from…
Blogging the Institutes | 1.18.4 | Is God the Author of Evil?
Some people raise another objection to God's complete sovereignty over all things. They argue that if God not only uses the wicked's actions to accomplish his purpose, but actually governs their thoughts and affections, then God must be the author of all their sins. And, therefore, when people are merely executing what God has decreed,…
Blogging the Institutes | 1.18.3 | Objections to the Fact that God Wills All Things
I have written about what Scripture unambiguously teaches. Those who disagree with what I have written need to realize the kind of rebuke they deserve. What greater arrogance could there be than to disagree with the authority of God? For instance, to say "I think about things differently" or "This topic should have be broached."…
Raising Lazarus 