Election and Predestination
QUESTION
How can God simply deem the whole of humanity guilty of sin when it was Adam and Eve who made the decision to sin and not us? I mean, we were born in sin. We had no choice to be born in this sinful nature. I mean, it's not as if we were the one who disobeyed God, we inherited Adam and Eve's sinful nature. So aren't we actually innocent? The innocent is charged guilty because what Adam and Eve did. It makes no sense. How many people are actually in hell? They are so pathetic and pitiful. They have to endure eternal condemnation because of what Adam and Eve did. Because of their foolish actions, the whole of humanity is damned. It's like I charge your children guilty of crime because of what you did, even though they did nothing wrong. It makes no sense. (Anonymous)
ANSWER
First off, thanks for taking a minute to as this question. My thoughts on each of your statements follows:
How can God simply deem the whole of humanity guilty of sin when it was Adam and Eve who made the decision to sin and not us?
It is because Adam’s sin tainted the fountainhead of the human race from which all of humanity flows. When Adam fell into sin, his nature was changed from its original state, wherein he had both the ability to obey God as well as the ability to disobey God, into a state of abject depravity and separation from God. The state of mankind from that time forward is said to be “dead in trespasses and in sins” (Ephesians 2:1) and “by nature children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3). Adam passed this nature along to all his progeny.
I mean, we were born in sin.
That is correct.
We had no choice to be born in this sinful nature.
Consider this: what spiritual law or precept gives you the impression that you have any say in the matter of how you came into existence or in the determination of the nature of that existence? The bible teaches that man has no say in such matters. God is the creator. This is His universe. He may administer it as He sees fit. Paul says it this way, “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?” (Romans 9:20-21). That answer may offend the carnal mind of man, but it is God’s answer nevertheless.
I mean, it's not as if we were the one who disobeyed God, we inherited Adam and Eve's sinful nature.
That’s true, but the clay is not at liberty to question the potter. That is fundamental to the God-Man / Creator-Creature relationship. I have heard the point emphasized by saying, “If you don’t like God’s universe you are at liberty to create your own universe and administer it as you see fit.” The absurdity of that suggestion underscores the undeniable principle of God’s sovereign rulership over his creation set forth in Romans 9. God may do with his creation as he so desires. We are in no place to take exception.
So aren't we actually innocent?
No. We are not innocent (Romans 3:10,23) and the bible never refers to us as such. We were shapen in iniquity and conceived in sin (Psalm 51:5). It is in our nature to drink iniquity like water (Job 15:14-16). This why Christianity insists that man is in a fallen state.
The innocent is charged guilty because what Adam and Eve did. It makes no sense.
It makes perfect sense. A tainted fountainhead likewise taints everything downstream. God created Adam as the representative of all humanity. Adam’s fall affected us all (Romans 5:12,19). What’s more we have added our own sins to the mix as well. Though you may find this arrangement objectionable, nevertheless this is precisely how the bible explains the matter. We are playing by God’s rules, not by how you or I think it ought to work.
How many people are actually in hell?
I don’t know. From the looks of things it is not hard to imagine that there will be quite a few.
They are so pathetic and pitiful. They have to endure eternal condemnation because of what Adam and Eve did.
No. They committed their own sins and they are justly condemned based on their own behavior, not merely by Adam’s sin. So they have enfranchisement in the matter. What’s more, were it not for an everlasting covenant, wherein God chose to show mercy upon some, then all of humanity would suffer this dreadful plight.
Because of their foolish actions, the whole of humanity is damned.
Not exactly. Because of Adam’s sin all of humanity fell into a state of damnable wickedness and depravity, but they are not ALL damned. God chose a people to show mercy upon based on his own good pleasure before the fall even occurred (Ephesians 1:4-6). While these people would have been justly condemned for the sins they willfully committed in life, grace anticipated their need of redemption and instead placed their sins upon a worthy substitute via imputation (II Corinthians 5:21). So some of humanity will be damned, but God has graciously chosen to save a vast multitude out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation by his mercy and grace (Revelation 5:9).
It's like I charge your children guilty of crime because of what you did, even though they did nothing wrong. It makes no sense.
No. It’s not like that. It’s like all of humanity would stand justly condemned for their own actions (because all have sinned). While God is under no inherent obligation to save them, nevertheless he covenanted to save some of them (Titus 3:5) in spite of what their rebellion because he his merciful. The part that I can admit makes no sense, or at least that I will never fully grasp in this lifetime, is why God would be merciful to an awful and sinful person like me when I am totally undeserving of his grace.
I would ask you to consider the following questions:
1. Do you believe there is such a thing as good and evil?
2. Do you believe there is a God?
3. How would you describe this God?
RESPONSE
Yes I believe there is good and evil
Yes there is a God
I don't know. I know he is just and holy. But from the way he judges the whole of humanity because of what Adam and Eve did, it doesn't seem so to me. I can't see how a JUST God would charge someone of their sins because of imputation.
ANSWER
You are correct that there is good and evil. The bible defines what things are good and what things are evil. You are correct to affirm that there is a God. The Bible is his revelation to us that tells us about who He is and what He has done to save His people from their sins. Furthermore it is good that you affirm that God is just and holy. That’s a good start for someone who admittedly doesn’t claim to know. It is biblical as well because the bible uses these same words to describe the Lord (Acts 3:14).
But from the way he judges the whole of humanity because of what Adam and Eve did, doesn't seem so to me.
Then your assessment of what is just and holy is wrong. I don’t say that to be rude but to be clear. The bible is God’s word. It defines what is holy and just. Our whimsical opinions do not. What’s more, while it is true that the sin nature was inherited from Adam, nevertheless, men stand condemned for their own sins. What’s more, the notion that had you been created without a sin nature that you would not have sinned is impossible to sustain. Adam was genetically and intellectually superior to us all and it seems that he did not last long. I suspect that none of us would have done any better.
I can't see how a just God would charge someone of their sins because of imputation.
Adam’s fallen nature was passed on to us, but this does not eliminate our obligation to serve God our creator. Those who are condemned are punished for their own sins, not the sins of Adam. The fact remains, all that are saved, are saved by God’s grace, irrespective of whether we are looking at Adam or one of his fallen progeny. So again, this all comes to pass according to God’s rules. This is how the bible describes the arrangement (Romans 5:12,19). To state the matter bluntly, it is an incredibly foolish notion to have contempt for imputation. Were it not for imputation, NO ONE would be saved (II Corinthians 5:21). God is under no inherent obligation to prevent his creation from rebelling against Him. He gave them sufficient rational capacity to obey Him and a command to do so but also the liberty to make choices in rebellion against His stated commands. The blame for the fall is on humanity: on Adam initially, but we are not without blame, for we have sinned willfully against God in our fallen state even as Adam did in an unfallen state.
Do you regard the bible or any spiritual text as the authority on truth? Or is truth determined by what you think is fair or just? That’s an important question. If the bible is the source of truth, then we do well to understand it, even when we find some aspects of it counterintuitive or objectionable to the flesh. If, on the other hand, there is no objective source of truth, then the whole matter resolves to meaninglessness. While some may present “truth” as an actual moral construct, it is really nothing more than an ephemeral, whimsy devoid of objective reality.
Important things to consider.
- Elder Daniel Samons