Sound Biblical Doctrine vs. Man-Made Doctrine: Part 1 (the “S” word)

Before we begin this study, doctrine is a principle or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief;  that is taught or advocated.  We are studying Biblical vs man-made doctrines strictly within the confines of 21st century (post-modern) Christianity.  The purpose of this study is to aid Christians in awareness of what they’re being taught.  In this age, we need spiritual discernment more than ever.  As I wrote initially 1 John 4 to “test the spirits”  Acts 17:11 tells us “… they examined the Scriptures daily…”  I suggest you put everything you’re learning or being taught through the “tester of God’s Word”.  Even in my study here, I suggest you look at them in their context.  This portion of the study will look at points 1-3 from my post “the TRUTH be known:introduction https://learning2bestill.com/2013/08/31/the-truth-be-known-introduction/  

1.  Sinfulness of man  (total depravity of man)

2.  What does sin to our relationship with God?  (separation)

3.  What are the results of sin?  (wages of sin–eternal death)

The “S” word: SIN

According to the Word of God, the Holy Bible, the LORD God gives us the truth regarding sin and man’s inborn nature to commit sin. This Christian doctrine ” total depravity of man”.  It all began in the Garden of Eden.  In this perfect garden, the Creator God gave man and woman everything they needed… even the majesty of His physical presence.  All of creation was done for man.  The LORD God made one exception ” And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”  (Genesis 2:16-17)  Man knew only good and in his perfected state, he had no need to for anything more; especially evil!  However, we know even that one restriction was too much.  Genesis 3:4-8  “But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.  Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”  They hid from God– separated themselves from Him. The remainder of Genesis 3 tells us the consequences of sin— complete imperfection, sadness, distress and more significantly the removal from the presence of the Holy Creator. 

From that day until today, every human being born into this world has the sin DNA gene! ( Romans 3:23) There is nothing we, as humans, can do to please God!  SIN=DISOBEDIENCE to our LORD God’s Word.  Everyone does it!  “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?”  Jeremiah 17:9   Read the full chapter of Jeremiah 17 for yourself.

When God instructed man not to eat of that tree, He also said “in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die”. That death didn’t mean immediate bodily death— it is spiritual death!  And spiritual death is eternal.  Romans 6:23 says “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

1 John 1:10 “If we say that we have not sinned , we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us”

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Post-Modern Christianity: Man is basically good

What—man is basically good?  Who, as a Christian would even think of such heresy.  The Bible doesn’t teach us that.  Well, here’s some news for you— there are more and more “Christians” following these teachings.  You won’t hear the pastors/teachers/authors calling it ‘new-age Christianity’, but it is.  Ever hear of Christian yoga?  Oxymoron to say the least— pure heresy and a teaching that will lead right to the broad path of destruction.  There is also danger in reading ‘christian fiction’. when your focus must be The Bible. The “Da Vinci Code” or ‘The Shack’– may be fiction, but filled with lies and false doctrine regarding sin, the Trinity, etc.

‘The purpose driven church model‘ has their Daniel Plan— a health plan for Christians, however, much of it (if not all) comes from Eastern medicine, founded in Hinduism and Buddhism.  (FYI: before I became ill (in 1994)– I studied to be a naturopathic doctor–I know!)  Then we have what’s called the ‘seeker friendly‘ christian churches.  Bring people in, lure them in with promises of ‘fluffy puffy happy stuff’.  No mention of that “s” word!  Just happy, happy, happy!

As one teacher Creflo Dollar says ” we are gods”.  Well if we are gods– then we’re not sinners. 

You take the sinfulness of man out of the Gospel message and there is no Gospel message!!!  

The last words I will leave you with in this portion of our study is this.  “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”  Colossians 2:8

Where you spend eternity is important to me.  I do not desire for anyone to be ‘led astray’ by the false teachings of the day.  Honestly, it saddens me when I watch so many Christians be unwittingly diverted from the Truth of the glorious Gospel of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.  Please study the Word, test the spirits.  Blessings ♥ Streim

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Sound Christian websites that teach the True Gospel and have much more information for you:

http://standupforthetruth.com/  

http://www.ericbarger.com/

http://www.olivetreeviews.org/

http://www.testthespirit.com/

                                             Great blogs with sound doctrine:

www.pastormikesays.wordpress.com

www.meetingintheclouds.wordpress.com

www.mtsweat.com

www.settledinheaven.wordpress.com