Each morning, I pick up my newspaper off the driveway (yes, a few of us still do this), I put my coffee on and read the depressingly familiar headlines and stories. A few recent ones:
Retired minister sentenced for sex abuse of teens.
Nurse gets 7-20 for giving lethal amount of morphine to 11 year old boy.
City man accused of stalking 12 year old girl.
On and on the story goes. It’s nothing new, of course, and it’s not getting better. But why do people do these things? What is the cause of our problem—the root cause? And is there a ray of hope to be found in this dark cloud of evil?
Honestly, it’s hard to find satisfying answers to questions like these. Thoughtful theories are not abundant. Most settle for the knee-jerk response that says, “It is what it is.” But given the inclusive and pervasive reality of evil and death, I am not content with superficial answers. After all, I am not asking these questions as an unaffected bystander. I need the answers as much as everyone else!
Clearest answer:
The clearest answer to the origin of evil and death is found in the New Testament. It might not go over well with some people but it is certainly the most consistent answer on hand. And given the fact that we all commit evil and ultimately must die, we should at least give attention to this answer. (By the way, I am open to hearing alternative explanations— just use the comment section! I’ve read many suggestions but cannot find one more connected to reality than this one).
Here it is:
The first human beings were created in a state of innocence and offered an opportunity to confirm for themselves their original standing with the Creator. As the first member of the human race, the first man acted as a representative of humanity. If he rejected the dependent relationship with his creator, his rebellion would result in death. The Creator did not create humans as automated beings unable to choose for themselves. Instead, He provided for them the circumstances for making their choices. He then warned them of the consequence of breaking fellowship through disobedience: “you will surely die.”
After the original man chose to disobey, a curse was pronounced on humanity that has been true for all people in all places at all times. The curse stated that, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19). Everyone who lives will experience a return to dust.
Adam– man and earth:
The name given to the original man was Adam. This name was both a personal reference to the first man, and a reference to mankind in the generic sense. In the name Adam there also seems to be reference to the earth itself. As the story of humanity unfolds, when Adam sinned and ate the forbidden fruit, he invited death into the world and was sentenced to return to the earth from which God created him. But his act was more than personal; it was representative. This is where things went wrong and it hasn’t been a pretty story since.
Adam’s act of disobedience has far-reaching significance
“When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.” (Romans 5:12)
Like it or not:
Clearly there is a relationship between Adam’s sin and the rest of humanity. It’s a simple and unbiased observation that all people die and all sin (commit evil). But why this is so is another matter. Romans 5:12 offers exceptional clarity on the source of our collective tragedy. It articulates a cause-effect relationship between sin and death beginning with Adam and extending to all people. In some sense, Adam acted as a representative for the human race. Adam’s disobedience unleashed sin and death into the world. Since then, everyone who opens the womb comes fully equipped to do evil and wastes little time demonstrating it. Do we have to teach our children how to do wrong? Sadly, everyone also experiences death.
If we’re honest, we’ll acknowledge our solidarity in the sin of Adam. All people (since Adam) begin life with the principle of sin and death at work in them (cf. Genesis 6:5; 8:21; Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9). No one begins life as Adam and Eve did. God doesn’t give the offer found in Genesis 2:17 to others. In Romans 5:12, we learn why people consistently turn to evil (cf. Romans 3:9-19) and why all people die. We are all born with a spirit of rebellion and desire to make self sovereign. More often than not, if we accept God, we do so on our terms rather than His. We don’t mind religion as long as we can be in control of it.
Illustration from a godly man:
A classic illustration of the depths of sin is found in the character of a man described as a man after God’s heart. Most are familiar with the account of King David’s sin of adultery with Bathsheba. When David confessed his sin, he acknowledged that his problem went deeper than his actions. He said, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). His act of adultery (and the murder of Bathsheba’s husband), gave witness to his sinful nature – a nature common to every person.
The scripture says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Universal sin, death, and condemnation resulted from Adam’s sin (Romans 5:12 – “death passed upon all men”; Romans 5:18 - “condemnation to all men”; Romans 5:19 - “the many were made sinners”).
This leads to an important question: What is the solution to our common dilemma? Romans 5 does not disappoint us in failing to offer the solution.
Solution from the rest of Romans 5: (follow the argument closely)
14 “Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. 15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. 16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. 18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.” (NLT, Romans 5:14-19; see also: 6:23)
Check out Steve’s blog at http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com.