October 2003 New Horizons

The Genesis of Sin

by Geoff Thomas

When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. — James 1:13-15 NIV Tests and temptations are the experience of every Christian. No "second blessing," no "baptism of the Spirit," is going to deliver any true believer from them. If the Son of God himself was tested and tempted, so will his servants be. Some of the greatest followers of Christ have known ferocious tests and temptations during the very last hours of their lives. James provides us with one of the most helpful anatomies of temptation that you will find in the Bible. He tells us three things. Where Temptation Does Not Come From First, temptation to sin does not come from God. "When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me'" (vs. 13). People do say things like ... Read more

Putting Sin to Death

by J. Ligon Duncan III

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. — Colossians 3:5-11 NIV "Suppose a man to be a true believer, and yet finds in himself a powerful indwelling sin, leading him captive to the law of it, consuming his heart with trouble, perplexing his thoughts, weakening his soul as to duties of communion with God, disquieting him as to peace, and perhaps defiling his ... Read more

Machen Challenges Experience Theology

by McKendree R. Langley

The recent election of an openly homosexual bishop in the Episcopal Church and an informal talk I heard by a Reform rabbi both dramatize what can be termed "experience theology." Said Bishop V. Gene Robinson in Time magazine after his election, "I answered God's call to acknowledge myself as a gay man. Now God seems to be calling me to another journey." A religion professor explains that people like Robinson take their cue from evolving "cultural standards." At about the same time, I heard a Reform rabbi tell a group of curious evangelicals that he did not believe in sin. His idea of God seemed to be some notion of progress. I also found out that atheists can be members of his synagogue. Robinson and the rabbi are examples of the idea that doctrine is based on experience; when experience changes, so does doctrine. Experience theology is the dominant view in much of organized religion in America today. Is this view something new? No! Young Machen Meeting the challenge of experience theology ... Read more