8. After man had sinned, how did G.o.d show His love, and His willingness to forgive?
"For G.o.d so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
John 3:16.
NOTE.-Inasmuch as G.o.d, who is love, who delights in mercy, and who changes not, offered pardon and granted a period of probation to man when he sinned, it is but reasonable to conclude that a like course was pursued toward the heavenly intelligences who first sinned, and that only those who persisted in sin, and took their stand in open revolt and rebellion against G.o.d and the government of heaven, were finally cast out of heaven. Rev. 12:7-9.
[Ill.u.s.tration.]
Cain And Abel--The First Murder. "Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother." 1 John 3:12.
The Fall And Redemption Of Man
[Ill.u.s.tration.]
Sin And Its Remedy. "The wages of sin is death; but the gift of G.o.d is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6:23.
1. What is sin declared to be?
"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for _sin is the transgression of the law_." 1 John 3:4.
2. What precedes the manifestation of sin?
"Then when _l.u.s.t_ hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin." James 1:15.
3. What is the final result or fruit of sin?
"And sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth _death_." Same verse. "The wages of sin is _death_." Rom. 6:23.
4. Upon how many of the human race did death pa.s.s as the result of Adam"s transgression?
"By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so _death pa.s.sed upon all men_, for that all have sinned." Rom. 5:12. "In Adam _all die_." 1 Cor. 15:22.
5. How was the earth itself affected by Adam"s sin?
"_Cursed is the ground_ for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; _thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee_." Gen. 3:17, 18.
6. What additional curse came as the result of the first murder?
"And the Lord said unto Cain, ... And _now art thou cursed from the earth_, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother"s blood from thy hand; _when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength_." Gen. 4:9-12.
7. What terrible judgment came in consequence of continued sin and transgression against G.o.d?
"And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth.... The end of all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence." "And Noah was six hundred years old when _the flood of waters_ was upon the earth.... The same day were _all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened_." Gen.
6:7-13; 7:6-11.
8. After the flood, what came in consequence of further apostasy from G.o.d?
"And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let Us go down, and there _confound their language, that they may not understand one another"s speech_. So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city." Gen. 11:5-8.
9. Into what condition has sin brought the entire creation?
"For we know that the whole creation _groaneth_ and _travaileth in pain together_ until now." Rom. 8:22.
10. What explains G.o.d"s apparent delay in dealing with sin?
"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is _long-suffering to us ward_, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9.
11. What is G.o.d"s att.i.tude toward the sinner?
"For _I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth_, saith the Lord G.o.d: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." Eze. 18:32.
12. Can man free himself from the dominion of sin?
"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? _then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil_." Jer. 13:23.
13. What place has the will in determining whether man shall have life?
"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And _whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely_." Rev. 22:17.
14. To what extent has Christ suffered for sinners?
"He was _wounded_ for our transgressions, He was _bruised_ for our iniquities: the _chastis.e.m.e.nt_ of our peace was upon Him; and with His _stripes_ we are healed." Isa. 53:5.
15. For what purpose was Christ manifested?
"And we know that _He was manifested to take away our sins_; and in Him is no sin.... He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of G.o.d was manifested, _that He might destroy the works of the devil_." 1 John 3:5-8.
16. What was one direct purpose of the incarnation of Christ?
"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; _that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil_." Heb. 2:14.
17. What triumphant chorus will mark the end of the reign of sin?
"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, _Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever_." Rev. 5:13.
18. When and by what means will the effects of sin be removed?
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pa.s.s away with a great noise, and _the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up_." 2 Peter 3:10.
19. How will the curse of the confusion of tongues be brought to an end?