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The Truth About Ephesians 2:1-3: What Made Us “Children of Wrath”?

children of wrath
via Gemini

Of the proof-texts used to support the doctrine of Total Hereditary Depravity, few are cited with more confidence than Ephesians 2:1-3. To the proponent of inherited sin, Paul’s description of humanity as being “by nature children of wrath” is the definitive smoking gun. It is argued that if we are under God’s wrath by nature, then that nature – and its attendant guilt – must be something we possess from the moment of conception.

B.H. Carroll, the founder of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, articulated this position clearly in his Interpretation of the English Bible:

This passage knocks the bottom out of the thought that sin consists in the willful transgression of a known commandment. The apostle here refers to original sin – the nature with which we are born. 1

If Carroll is correct, then the Bible teaches that infants are born under the judicial condemnation of God. However, if we examine the context, the grammar, and the historical understanding of the Greek language, we find that Paul is not describing an inherited nature, but a spiritual condition manufactured by personal choice.

The Truth About Psalm 51:5: Are We Really Born Sinners?

Psalm51
via Gemini

When David sat down to pen Psalm 51, he wasn’t writing a systematic theology on the origin of sin. He was a man crushed by the weight of his sin. What may have begun as a lazy season in a stalwart monarch’s life quickly deteriorated into a sin spiral. A lustful stare led to adultery with his neighbour’s wife. That moment of infidelity resulted in an impending birth. Fear of exposure drove David to deceive and intoxicate his friend Uriah, trying to cover his deed. When that failed, he sent Uriah back to the battlefield, carrying his own death sentence sealed by the king. In this Psalm, David wasn’t seeking an excuse or explanation; he was seeking a way back to God.

The Truth About Romans 5: Are We Born Guilty in Adam?

Romans 5
via Roger Casco | Pixabay.com

Calvinists love the book of Romans, believing it strongly supports their doctrine of Total Hereditary Depravity, particularly chapter 5. I suggest their reading of Romans 5 fails to grasp the true teaching of the apostle Paul (and the rest of Scripture). Advocates of the depravity doctrine often cite several verses in this chapter:

  • Romans 5:12, “…through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned…”
  • Romans 5:15, “…by the one man’s offense many died…”
  • Romans 5:18, “…through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation…”
  • Romans 5:19, “…by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners…”

Without careful study, one might conclude we died “in Adam” – that his specific sin brought spiritual death to every infant born thereafter. But there is a phrase at the end of verse 12 that serves as the master key to the entire context. Paul’s point is not that we inherited a sinful nature from Adam (as Arminius suggested) or the legal guilt of his sin (as Calvin taught). While death indeed entered the world through Adam’s transgression, the apostle explicitly stated that it spread to all men, not because of Adam’s sin, but “because all sinned.”

Elijah: A Man With A Nature Like Ours

Elijah
via Amanda Kline | FreeImages.com

Elijah is the most memorable of the prophets during the early days of the divided kingdom. There were others before him, but they came and went quickly and with little fanfare. However, we have substantial detail about portions of Elijah’s work beginning in 1 Kings 17 and ending in 2 Kings 2. Additionally, he is referenced thirty times in the New Testament, which is more than any other Old Testament prophet (except Moses).

Found Faithful: Living a Life Devoted to God

found faithful
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Faithfulness to God is not merely a feeling or a confession—it is a devotion to God which will shape how we think, how we worship, and how we serve. True faithfulness will affect every part of our lives. Below, we’ll discuss the mechanics of faithful living, though I think most of us are already aware of these things. The true struggle is one of consistency – having the day-after-day volition to put God first in all things. We need to take up the cross daily (Luke 9:23), search the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:11), and exhort one another to faithful service daily (Hebrews 3:13).

Speaking the Truth in Love – and Under Scrutiny

truth bill c-9

Laws that threaten religious freedom rarely begin by banning sermons. They begin with the redefinition of words — especially words like harm, hate, safety, truth, tolerance, and inclusion. Over time, those redefinitions reshape what a society considers acceptable speech, and eventually, what it is willing to tolerate from people of faith.

Will We Recognize One Another in Heaven?

recognize
via Mohamed Hassan | Pixabay

One of the last Bible discussions I had with my dear friend, Sean Cavender, addressed this question. As the children of God, we have the wonderful hope of an eternal home in the presence of God, where the pain and sorrow of this life are no more, where we are joint heirs with our blessed Saviour, and where the victory of immortality is won (John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Romans 8:15-23; 1 Corinthians 15:50-57; Revelation 21:1-7). These are wonderful things which the faithful anticipate, but understandably, the question of recognition and remembrance of our loved ones is frequently pondered in the minds of the elect. Will we know one another in heaven?

The Important Question: What Must I Do To Be Saved?

Bible

Folks will ask many important questions in life, but none is more important than this: What must I do to be saved? It was the question on the hearts of the people in Jerusalem at Pentecost when they realized they had killed the Saviour (Acts 2:37). Saul of Tarsus, stopped on the road to Damascus asked this of the Lord Jesus (Acts 9:6). And the jailer in Philippi asked the same of Paul and Silas, who were prisoners in his jail (Acts 16:30). There is no more important question to ask, and we want to be sure the answer we get is biblical and complete.

The Other Lord’s Prayer (John 17) – Praying Like Jesus

Prayer
via Tep Ro | Pixabay.com

Our last article focused on what is typically referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer.” Therein, Jesus gave an example of prayer for His disciples (Matthew 6:9-13). Now we turn our attention to John 17, which is a more extensive prayer from our Lord. The prayer breaks down into three sections:

  • V 1-5, His prayer regarding Himself, seeking for God to be glorified in Him;
  • V 6-19, His prayer for the apostles, and the mission which was ahead of them;
  • V 20-26, His prayer for the unity of all believers, including you and me.

Helpful Insights from “The Lord’s Prayer” – Praying Like Jesus

Prayer
via Tep Ro | Pixabay.com

Matthew 6:9-13 contains a section of text which has been dubbed, “The Lord’s Prayer.” The thought is certainly not that it was a rarity for Jesus to pray, for as we’ve discussed previously, Jesus was constant in prayer. Nor is the idea that Jesus desired for His disciples or any other to use His words as a periodical recital. In fact, He cautioned His disciples about vain repetitions shortly before wording this prayer (v 7). This is an example of how to pray. It is given to model or display prayer to His followers – a short and simple prayer which would serve as a starting place for those who seek to learn to pray.

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