The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-04-28

a szSsssss philo soph Y
bears witness and
tho Word of God fully confirms the
#witnlss of conscience, philosophy and
experience, that man is sinner.
The Nature of Sin.
1t Twas very simple thing which
man did. There was nothing evil in
the Tree of which he did eat, for God
had declared that this tree, together
gwithlall others in the garden, was very
good 1t was just one step that he
took but it was like step over a
precipice. 1t needed no second step.
A vaey simple thing, but in eating he
doubts Gods love, for he had been as
sur9l of Gods love, he would have
beef. assured that the commands Of
God were for his highest good. But
doubting Gods love, he acts apart
froIi God, choosing his own way rath-
er thh Gods, and so becomes a sin
ner. His own way was not necessarily
an 9gil way, as man calls evil, but it
waSnot Gods, and therefore sin came
in. )Secondly, in eating he doubts
Gods word. This is necessarily the
secfnd step, for he who doubts Gods
lov9wifl doubt Gods word, and doubt
Ing GODS word, he acts contrary to
Godand becomes criminal. Sin is not
merry the disease of which some SEN
timfItalists speak, but sin is a crime,
carTsing a penalty which must be met.
Thklly, in eating, he disputes Gods
aut4ority. And so he acts in spite of
Cog and thereby becomes rebel and
emily. This, then, is the nature Of
slH It makes the one whom it touches
En- sex ,,a;l hss;nIs-ss Assss~s assrirnifaa
~ ard .4thf y oou ? :vastice'
slns m enemy against Gods govern
mengs The sinner, then, is one who
would overthrow God and place him.
self pn the throne of the universe.
The Results of Sin.
The first result of sin is shame,
,whicIhis seen when they strive to hide
their nakedness with the aprons of
fig-ldaves. These aprons speak of
their attempt to clothe themselves with
a righteousness which will make them
comfortable in the presence of each
othef, a self-righteousness adopted to
hideI their shame.
This is followed by separation from
Goda for when God comes upon the
scenic, they hide themselves among the
tree$ Of the garden.
& Itiis to be noted that the separation
is fPrmed by man and not by God
The$,e are the first results of sin
shaIne, self-righteousness, separation
FROM God.
Gods Treatment of the Sinner
First, he seeks him. In seeking
God reveals his own love for man and
alsol the character of man, for when
he finds him he says: II heard thy
voide and was afraid because | was
naked" But this Is lie, for man
was naked before and unafraid. He
isgaIfraid only when God comes on the
sceIhe and that because he is a sinner
and q criminal and the enemy of God
The seeking Of God proves man to be
morally wrong, for he is coward, at
tempting to hide behind q woman
He lis shown to be mentally wrong fol-
he tries to lie to the God; he knows
he As lying. 1t shows him to be spir
itudlly blasphemous, accusing God Of
his lsin, implying that if God had never
given him the woman he would nevel
ha1e sinned.
Provision Of God for Sin.
This provision is found in the TWEEN
ty-first werse, and 1t will be noted thai
this provision is made by God; mo-
by GOD and man. 1t is, therefore, al
Of grace. Further, it is made by sac
rifte-the shedding Of blood, for with
out the shedding of blood there is ne
remission" and those who do not lool
for salvation by blood, look not for the
salvation spoken of in the Scriptures
for the crimson mark of the blood Of
thu Lamb Of God is seen gu every page
Of Holy Writ.
Lastly, this provision IS made
through a substitute, and the covering
Of the substitute covers the sinner
This, then, Is the provision that Goo
has made for the sinner and his sin
He takes the sin away by the precious
blood of his own sacrifice, the Lamt
Of God, so that the believer can say.
"He hath made him to be sin for us
who knew no sin, that we might be
made the righteousness of God in him.