What is the true condition of the sinner? This is a question that has held my interest recently. How you answer this question will determine how you answer many of the other questions that naturally come as we study the bible. Is Mankind totally depraved i.e. unable to understand or respond to truth as the Calvinists say? Of course not. They have introduced the terminology of "Inability" into the discussion, which means the sinner is dead, unresponsive, unable to interact with or comprehend anything spiritual.
Of course both sides of this debate have their supporting scriptures, but I only want to look at one.
- Rom 5:6 KJV For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
- Rom 5:6 NASB For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly
The greek word used here for "without strength" is asthenēs G772.
Strongs defines asthenēs as strengthless (literally or figuratively and morally): - more feeble, impotent, sick, without strength, weak.
It shows up in 23 verses in the New Testament. In the gospels and Acts it mostly refers to being sick and elsewhere it is interpreted as weak or weakness. No where is it used in a context of someone not having the ability to do something. In fact, many of the references talk about believers not sinners.
Rom 5:6 is the only time the KJV or NASB interpret asthenēs as "without strength" or "helpless". So, asthenēs could very well be interpreted as "we were sick or weak" before Christ died for us. Not that were were cursed to be unable.
A better way, in my opinion, to state the sinner's condition is that they are Unwilling, not unable. A great way to see this is in Matt 26:41 which uses "weak" to interpret asthenēs. But, the verse does something special by giving us the bible's explanation of "weak". And it does this by stating the opposite of "weak".
Mat 26:41 NKJV Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
The big objection is: If man is just unwilling, then maybe a good person might not need the Holy Spirit. I always wonder why people who say this would believe that man is that good. That unless God curses his nature he would be a wonderful person without the spirit of God. This is a misconception. It neglects to realize the depth of man's moral bankruptcy, which is why he is so unwilling to go God's way. The ugliness of the sinner's behavior is not just that he opposes God with a nature that cannot do otherwise, but that he chooses to oppose God and prefers (loves) his own way better.
Which is more depraved? The dog that kills a cat or The Man that kills the cat out of spite and hate for his neighbor?
No comments:
Post a Comment