The Concepts of Sin and Salvation - Report Example

Sin Sin is generally the failure of doing something good and which is not in line with the set standard, law or whatever considered righteous. However, there are three categories of sin and they have specific and corresponding definition according to how they are obtained. The first category of sin is the original sin. The original sin is called the sin of human nature because it is the first sin of man and the original foundation of all actual sins (Fisher and Erskine, 69). It seems the original sin would look abstract to everyone since it is the type of sin that is incurred by the human race since the beginning of time. Adam and Eve were meant to survive physically until these days because they were created in own God’s image and likeness. This means that even though God is spirit (John 4:24), Adam and Eve on the other hand had bodies but they were in perfect health condition and they were not meant to die, not until they acquired disobedience (Genesis 3:6). Designing Adam and Eve with immortal bodies reflects God’s own image and likeness. The original sin therefore which was disobedience to God’s command brings forward physical death to mankind. Death was corresponding curse for such disobedience and this was clearly stated that the man will return to dust (Genesis 3: 19). It is therefore clear that for as long as death is part of mankind, it simply a reminder that the original sin is still part of the human lives. The original sin is therefore to be incurred by all generations to come. This sin is therefore acquired just even at the stage in which the man is conceived. The second category of sin is actual sin. Actual sin is any of those which are not consistent with and against the law by way of thought, word, or deed (Fisher and Erskine, 69). Actual sin may be broad in its term for it talks about the incapacity to follow the law by way of thought, word or deed. There is a human law and God’s law. From the perspective of God’s law and especially in the new testament of the Holy Bible, the actual sin is actually breaking God’s law (Mark 7:20-23, Romans 1:18-32, Romans 3:9-20, 23, Ephesians 2:1-3). Actual sin is individually acquired due to the sinful nature of humans as founded by the original sin which was disobedience to God’s law. Actual sin therefore is the actual disobedience of God’s law anytime of the day and in the days to come. In order to understand what actually God’s law is, it is important to consider the Holy Bible as the final authority of the human kind in order to take hold of God’s command. Actual sin is such like the consequence of the sinful nature of man. It takes more meaningful understanding of original sin in order to understand the existence of actual sin. Actual sin is not just a mere consequence but it was part of the curse underlying death knowing that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). It is therefore important to consider that for as long as death is present to mankind, it only clearly indicates that actual sin continuous to exist from day to day situation of everyone’s life. After all, as stated earlier, actual sin is acquired by way of thought, word or deed. This only implies that everyone has fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The actual sin is a manifestation not just of being inconsistent with the law God provided but it is about failure to follow the righteous way. The whole point of the Holy Bible is about being righteous in the eyes of God which can glorify Him. Thus, whatever thing that does not glorify God is a sin. The mere fact that Jesus was sent for the humanity was the actual point of telling the world to unite with the whole point of righteousness God prepares for all (Romans 3:21-22). Everyone will die but the point of righteousness Jesus brought to mankind was the point to break free from the actual sin everyone committed. The whole point therefore is about trying to restore the relationship of human to God by momentarily eradicating actual sin so as to break free from the curse of death incurred from the original sin. The message of death that Jesus spread in his time was not about physical death but about spiritual death. This gives an assurance to everyone since Jesus was to restore humans and keep them away from spiritual death (John 10:10). Thus, Jesus teachings and even of his disciples were about righteousness, all to eradicate the actual sin which involves sinful desires (Romans 1:24). The third category of sin is the social sin. According to Folifack (179), social sin can be viewed as the structure promoting oppression to people by not granting their human rights through various inequalities. It is therefore added that social sin is a specific situation that tries to promote individual sin and acts of selfishness. In its broadest term social sin according to Folifack describes the silent support of individuals by not taking the responsibility to react against or condemning those who are harming the people. Social sin can be best fitted to the human law. For as long as there are oppressions and many people are suffering from selfishness, social sin continuous to exist. Salvation God loves His people so much and it is limitless. Satan won by deceiving Adam and Eve to disobey the Lord but it was not enough to stop God from loving His people. That is why He sent His only son to spread the words of salvation that whoever may listen to them will have no eternal condemnation. Jesus was talking about spiritual death and eternal spiritual life and this is very evident in the Holy Bible. As can be understood, the hell is a place where it is prepared for Satan and His Angels (Mathew 25:41). It is clear that God did not create it for His people. However, since the disobedience of Adam and Eve created sin and the sinful nature of man was activated from generation to generation, the hell can be the place for sinful humans. Due to the fact that Satan was sinful, it implies that sinful humans deserve to go to hell too. Salvation is about the greatest love of God for His people by sending Jesus to tell the good news for the humanity (John 3: 16). God does not want His people to be delivered to hell with Satan that is why He offered salvation and it is free for all. He had chosen people to spread it over the world and not only Jesus. The twelve disciples of Jesus in the New Testament can testify how salvation can strategically spread to God’s people. Salvation is about God’s love. The blood of Jesus saves the world from eternal condemnation. The message of salvation is the message of God’s greatest love for all. It is something that cannot be exactly measured. Jesus as the Son of God was a living sacrifice and even he has a perfect place in heaven, he needs to sacrifice for our sin. Other views of Sin and Salvation From Sin Magazine, its mission statement states that “Sin is a celebration of the bad, the taboo. It is a party for cupcakes, homosexuals, liars, cheaters and sex. It is a desire to rock, to live and to get away with it. Sin basks in the ability to feel no guilt. It is an ode to our humanity, a study of our nature.” From this point of view, it is evident that sin is something that is based on a certain standard and it is traceable to the human nature. It means that in order for it to be categorized as sin, it has to follow a major standard which can particularly justify it as indeed sin. Therefore there is a specific measure of what is good or bad. Whatever that comes to the category of bad can be considered sin especially if it involves the ability not to feel guilty about it. The Sin Magazine therefore is implying sin for those things that are done without feeling guilty about them and especially if they did not follow to the standard of what is good. Now, what is good may be subjective and thus the magazine clearly points out specific activities such as homosexuality, lying, cheating and immoral sex as bad and which bring forward the humanity to sin. My understanding about sin and salvation is the same with the understanding of Sin Magazine considering that it talks about what is pleasing to God and not. However, what major points that the Sin Magazine did not include was the point that sin is a remarkable curse that is transferred from generation to generation. In order for it to be broken, intercession is necessary and here where salvation comes to play its roles. Sin is something that requires salvation and not only needs the study of human’s sinful nature. Implications of my views about sin and salvation As created by God’s own image and likeness, we humans need to be Holy as well. However, our sinful nature prevents us from being Holy and it is certainly the reason why the humanity fall short of God’s glory. Sin hinders human from creating close relationship with God. For this reason, God made a move to restore such relationship through sending His son Jesus. Whoever will testify and follow the righteousness of Jesus will have life (John 5:24). This is the kind of life that is eternal and free from eternal condemnation in hell. The physical body of man may die due to his original sin but the Life that Jesus offers is spiritual. This is just a reminder that humans are also spirit since we are created on God’s own image and likeness. God is spirit (John 4:24). Thus, physical death is not eventually the fall of mankind but a success to be with God for those who believe and follow Jesus. It is therefore clear that following Jesus is the only way Humans will be free from the eternal condemnation. As a family nurse practitioner, it is important to spread the good news about Jesus by doing what is essentially righteous in God’s standard. Everything that I do must be to glorify God. It is important to consider that whatever that does not glorify God is a sin since the sacrifice of Jesus itself was to give Him glory. This is the only way that I will be free from sin and have eternal life. Thus, it is important that I will need to give justice to whatever I do with my patient. It is important that I need to live holiness in my thoughts, words and deeds. Jesus is Holy. What it means to be a Christian is to follow Jesus and his lifestyle whatever the cost may be. References: Fisher, James and Ebenezer Erskine. The Westminster Assembly’s Shorter catechism explained: by way of question and answer. Philadelphia: C. Sherman & Co., 1831. Folifack, Conrad Aurelien. “The Spiritual Exercises and the Challenge of Social Justice in Africa Today.” Aurelien Dynamics of the Spiritual Exercises: African Perspectives. Ed. Paul Christian Kiti. Kemya: Paulines, 2005. The book of Ephesians. The Holy Bible. New International Version The book of Genesis. The Holy Bible. New International Version. The book of John. The Holy Bible. New International Version The book of Mark. The Holy Bible. New International Version The book of Matthew. The Holy Bible. New International Version The book of Romans. The Holy Bible. New International Version Read More