Original Sin........is man really infected ???

It's time we stopped excusing our behavior, and that of our children, as "man's nature, " which means natural, indicating we are created this way ...prone to choosing self over God.

Although God did create man with a free will to choose, God did not ever create man with a 'nature' to reject Him over self. As a matter of fact, the Bible says of Man's Creation, " And God saw every thing that He had made, and behold, it was very good. Gen 1:31

Neither did God change man , as a result of Adam's sin.

If God did either....then.....it would be correct to say ' it is man's nature '.

But it is not......................................

Why is it important for today's message to change.......?????

........because we must break the cycle of teaching our children that

" there is 'this reason' you continue in sin :

Since Adam's fall it is your nature, (meaning born with this characteristic...to sin) ".

This teaching has become an excuse in today's society for tolerating all types of sin and perversion.

In addition, the secular counselors now attibute all kinds of improper actions to ancestoral heredity, teaching our younger generations that it is not their fault...

and the Church Teachings are confirming this, intentionally or not!

Being born into a fallen World, does not mean man's nature is any different than as Created by God. Remember that your spiritual creation precedes physical conception, and such creation is good.

Nor does Satan have any part in your natural creation, and even if conceived in sin, that in itself causes no alteration of the spirit , which having already created by God, is good !!

We are affected by Original Sin, but not infected by it !!!

We are born into sinful conditions (a fallen World) and then by learning,

accept it as 'natural'.

We need to stop teaching that we are infected by Adam's sin,but rather

affected by Adam's sinful World we were born into.

Being born into a 'fallen World' is much like being born into the Ghetto,

from which, by choice, one can escape.

The Word of God clearly shows that in Joshua chapters 22-24. The people of Israel chose to obey, and did ! The Book of Joshua doesn't say they 'struggled' to obey...they just chose to obey...and obeyed ....God. vs 31

This is a clear indication that man is not controlled by a sinful 'Nature', but by his own decisions. What is also clear is that when decisions are made under the right conditions, those decisions are adhered to.

However, a failure to properly educate the next generation(s) results in no decision on their part. " Without knowledge, my people perish" because without the right knowledge, the next generation cannot make the right decision.

Just what caused the people to make the right decision, and be able to continue to obey God ????

Joshua 21:43 1440 BC So in this way the Lord gave to Israel all the land

He had promised to their ancestors......

23:1 1340 BC Long after this, when the Lord had given

success......................

and when Joshua was very old.....

vs 2 he taught, the leaders..........

vs 3 ' you have seen all that God has done

vs 6 'be sure to follow(obey).

vs 7 "don't disobey

vs 8 'but be sure to follow as you have been

vs 14-16 " you know (remember) all His promises

have come true

but beware of failing to obey

Joshua taught them to look back and remember (any & all) blessings,

realize faithful obedience equals continued success

also consider consequences of failure to choose God.

vs 24 Then Joshua summoned the people along with the leaders, and through him God spoke, reminding them of what He had done for them, and the land He gave them, and other blessings He had given them

Then Joshua described the choice they could make...choose God or choose another..but choose, in sincereity and truth

Joshua then stated the conditions.."you cannot worship in truth and sincerity vs 19 if you are unwilling to obey vs15 because if you forsake Him, He will turn on you vs20.....

Joshua was saying...the choice is yours, but if you choose...

then faithfulness to your decision is required

The people, hearing all of this agreed, saying "yes, we will worship and obey the Lord alone...and a covenant showing their committment was made..and Israel obeyed the Lord.......vs 24-31

Had the next generation taught the NEXT generation, to teach the next generation, without fail....then TODAY'S generation would be teaching the next , .......and people would have been obeying God for the last 3350 years.

It is not 'wrong' teaching that is most successful for Satan, but 'confusing' teaching

, and teaching it is 'natural' for man to reject God

opens the door to confusion, and does not glorify God.

Today, it's time to break the cycle, and teach what Paul knew...

Created in God's Likeness

I can do all that He wants me to

through Christ Jesus

But what are the generational effects of lack of knowledge ???

A child learns by seeing the surrounding conditions,

as well as the actions of people within their environment.

In general, what is seen is learned and accepted as 'natural'.

But even within such environment, some make the choice to teach children that there is a better choice that they can make.

And when right knowledge brings sufficient faith, some children make the right choices because they are no longer affected by the environment they grew in....a 'fallen World', because they have been taught it is their choices that control their destiny.

If they, continue to teach their children, to teach their children, etc, then the standards of each generation will continue to improve, rather than deteriorate, until one generation fails to sufficiently teach the next, resulting in a lack of obedience

How long did Israel continue to obey the committment/covenant made in Joshua 24 ???? vs 31 " throughout the lifetimes of Joshua and the old men who had personally witnessed the amazing deeds the Lord had done for Israel.

A lack of sufficient teaching left the young without sufficient knowledge to make the right decision, ending the period of obedience to the Lord.

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