Christians who follow the theological bent of Augustine and Luther claim that these men derived the doctrine of sinful nature from Scripture, particularly the Genesis account of the Fall. Luther’s articulation depends on Augustine, one of the early church fathers, in spite of the differences between the two on soteriology. However, since the rabbis worked with…
seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature,…
Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned Romans 5:12 NIV Because – As Dwight Pryor points out, in 1599 the Geneva Bible translated the Latin text rather than the Greek text for this crucial word. The…
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 1 Corinthians 15:22 NASB In – Augustine and Luther taught that all men sinned in the sin of Adam. They believed that Adam represented every one of the human race and that when he fell, he took the whole human…
Recently I offered a critique of Dwight Pryor’s lectures on Paul and the Law. It caused quite a stir. Most people who objected reminded me that Dwight was a leader in understanding the Jewishness of Jesus (Yeshua). But none offered in direct rebuttal about what he said in those lectures. Now I am here to…
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. 2 John 7 NASB Flesh – The Greek word translated “flesh” is sarx. It is quite clear that John believes Yeshua came en sarki, “in the flesh.” …
At the entrance, sin lies in wait. Talmud, B. Sanhedrin 91b. In wait – Commenting on Genesis 4:7, the rabbis note that sin takes opportunity to entice us from the moment of entrance into the world. “To be born is to leave the simplicity, the ‘sincerity,’ of life-with-mother and to cross a threshold into a…
“For I, YHWH your Elohim, am a jealous God, visiting the guilt of wicked fathers upon their rebellious children . . . if the children continue to sin like their fathers.” Exodus 20:5 in the Babylonian Targum Rebellious – Obviously, you won’t find the translation above in any English Bible. In fact, you won’t find…
It’s worth reflecting on Heschel’s remarks concerning the Christian doctrine of sinful nature, especially since this doctrine contains implications that are antithetical to Judaism. If what Christianity teaches about the federal headship of Adam and the subsequent guilt passed to all generation is true, then it is no wonder that Judaism cannot accept Christian doctrine…
Further Remarks on Sinful Nature The Christian doctrine of sinful nature proposes that, as a result of the Fall, all human beings are born sinners, not because they personally choose to disobey God but because they have inherited the status of sinner through the propagation of the species. While no one claims that sin is…
