Re: Sin and Death

From: Iain Strachan (iain@istrachan.clara.co.uk)
Date: Thu Feb 22 2001 - 14:41:29 EST

  • Next message: george murphy: "Re: Sin and Death"

    Kenneth wrote:

    > Why are the first 11 chapters of Genesis included in Holy Writ? In
    > particular what should we understand about the scriptures recorded in
    > Genesis 1, 2 and 3? Do the creation stories, and the fall story teach us
    > anything at all?

    Call me old-fashioned and naive but I truly thought the point of the Fall
    story was to tell us about our fallen state, arising from disobedience to
    God. Without the Fall, what is the point of the Crucifixion? On the Cross,
    Jesus says "My God, My God why have you forsaken me?", something we've all
    been saying since the disobedience of Adam, and A&E were thrown out of Eden.

    I have always been stunned and amazed by the vast scope of Romans 5:18:

    Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to
    condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon
    all men unto justification of life.

    I am sure the above applies whether you take it as literal history or as
    some sort of metaphorical parable. It seems to me it's at the core of the
    Gospel. Without the Fall, the Gospel is meaningless (or at least Rom 5:18
    is meaningless).

    ... or maybe I'm just a dinosaur in this respect ? ;-)
    Iain.



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Feb 22 2001 - 14:47:59 EST