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An article entitled, "Living Free" in which the assertion was made that we
are "born with sinful tendencies" appeared in the Sept. 28, 2001 edition of
the Elk City (Okla.) Daily News. This article was made available to the
community by the 2nd and Adams Church of Christ, and because it was
publicly taught, the article's error will be publicly refuted.
The beginning of the article told of an 8-year-old boy who was confined most of the time in the home of his grandmother in a small box (6 ft. by 3 ft. by 2 ft.). He was only released from the box to "relieve himself" and "to attend church." Upon being rescued, he was "overwhelmed to discover that not all little boys spend their lives cooped up in boxes." This is the gist of the very touching and emotional story that comprised the first part of the article. The disturbing part of the article is found in the erroneous spiritual application the author makes. In making that application, he boldly states, "Because we are born with 'sinful tendencies,' Satan uses that information to convince us that we are hopelessly soul-damaged." The assertion that one is born with "sinful tendencies" is cause for great alarm. There is no doubt about which version (perversion) of the Bible this comes from. The fatally flawed New International Version (NIV) falsely states, "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." (Psalms 51:5). Every reputable translation of the Bible makes it abundantly clear that the mother is the one guilty of sin, not the child that is born. Neither sin, nor "sinful tendencies" are inherited. The corrupted NIV translates the Greek word "sarx" as "sinful nature" 23 times—instead of "flesh" which is the proper rendering. Those 23 times are found from Romans 7:5 to 2 Peter 2:10. A newborn child is indeed "flesh," but that's a far cry from saying that he has a "sinful nature." It is easy to see why one who studies from the NIV would make the claim that "we are born with sinful tendencies." What an indictment against God it is to claim that one is born a sinner! Such a false doctrine does not come from the Bible, but from the teachings of John Calvin. The alarming truth is that more and more people are enamored with Calvinism and are using and promoting the NIV to teach and preach it. The first plank in Calvinism—hereditary total depravity—is clearly refuted by God's word. Ezekiel stated an eternal principle in saying, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him" (Ezek. 18:20). Jesus taught that the character of "little children" should characterize those in the kingdom. (Matt. 19:14). A small child has no "sinful tendencies" and thus commits no sin. The article continues to lead folks astray in saying of Satan, "He shuts us up in a box of sin, DEPRIVING US OF ANY MEANS OF LEARNING THE SAVING TRUTH OF CHRIST" (emphasis MLW). Really! Does the Bible teach that Satan has the power to DEPRIVE one of learning what to do to be saved? Absolutely not! "The devil made me do it" slogan is indeed popular, even among many who profess to be Christians, but the slogan is as false as can be. Satan cannot force one to remain in sin or coerce one to sin. James clearly reveals that, "each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin: and the sin, when it is fullgrown, bringeth forth death." (James 1:14-15). If Satan shuts one up in a box and deprives him of "learning the saving truth of Christ," this person will have to rely on other false planks of Calvinism—God's "unconditional election" and "irresistible grace." The truth of the matter is that one CAN "KNOW THE TRUTH" and be freed from the bondage of sin if he so desires. (John 8:32). The gospel is God's power unto salvation (Rom. 1:16) and anyone who so chooses can answer the gospel call. (2 Thess. 2:14). Can you believe that one who professes to be a member of the Lord's church would say of Satan, "Oh, he may let us out to go to church now and then, but only to prove that it doesn't help?" Get the picture firmly fixed in your mind! Satan places a person in a box of sin, and only lets him out once in a while to attend the worship of the church. You will notice that book, chapter and verse to substantiate such a theory is conspicuously missing. Whatever happened to the free moral agency of man? One thing is for sure—man's free moral agency cannot be annihilated with the careless stroke of a pen! The apostle Paul taught, "Know ye not that to whom ye present yourselves as servants unto obedience, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered." (Rom. 6:16-17). Joshua taught, "Now therefore fear Jehovah, and serve him in sincerity and in truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in Egypt; and serve ye Jehovah. And if it seem evil unto you to serve Jehovah, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Jehovah." (Josh. 24:14-15). Both the Old and New Testaments teach the free moral agency of man (Josh. 1:7; Rom. 11:22). "The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23) but only for the one who chooses to practice sin (1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21). Repentance is always an available option (Luke 13:3) and one does not have to wait to repent until Satan lets him out of a box of "sin and defeat." The admonition found in the book of Acts is most appropriate: "Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so." (Acts 17:11). Each person is encouraged to be like the noble Bereans and turn to the inspired Scriptures to see whether a teaching is false or true. As John said, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1). Do not allow a false teacher to lead you astray from God's truth and ensnare you in his box of false doctrine! But if such does occur, then get out—he cannot keep you there against your will! |