From Discipleship Weekly
(a publication of the Presbyterian Church of Islip)
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A Word from Our Sponsor
"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." -- John 3:3 The Heidelberg Catechism: Part 1- Of Man's Misery Week 3 6. Q. Did God create man evil and perverse like this? {see Q&As 3-5} A. No. On the contrary, God created man good and in his image, that is, in true righteousness and holiness, so that he might rightly know God His Creator, love him with his whole heart, and live with him in eternal blessedness, praising and glorifying him. [Gen. 1:26, 27,31; Ps. 8; Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10] 7. Q. Where, then, does this corruption of human nature come from?
A. From the fall and disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden; whereby our human life is so poisoned that we are all conceived and born in the state of sin. [Gen. 3;
Ps. 51:5;
Rom. 5:12,18,19]
8. Q. But are we so perverted that we are altogether unable to do good and prone to do evil?
A. Yes, unless we are born again through the Spirit of God. [Gen. 6:5; 8:21; Job 14:4; Is. 53:6; John 3:3-5] Suggestions for discussion and review:
According to Genesis 1:26-31, God created mankind to live in His image. Because of this, many believe that people are basically good. However, the Catechism seems to contradict this. Auschwitz. Bosnia. Oklahoma City. Littleton -- big news-making places of yesterday and today. Pick up the newspaper and count how many items: How do the results of this exercise support or contradict this week's Catechism?
Some people think they can imagine a creature which was free but had no possibility of going wrong; I cannot. The happiness which God designs for His creatures is the happiness of being freely, voluntarily united to Him and to each other. --C. S. Lewis |