From: Don Winterstein (dfwinterstein@msn.com)
Date: Tue Oct 07 2003 - 04:14:40 EDT
Bob Schneider wrote in part:
" The doctrine of the
"fall"/"original sin" has had its various formulations throughout the
history of Christian thought. I think the time is ripe for another major
look at it."
How about a simultaneous reevaluation of the inextricably related doctrines of atonement? Does anyone really understand how atonement works? The NT refers to atonement as a payment, a ransom for sin. And Hebrews 10:22 says, "...Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." So is God really bloodthirsty? And who actually got that payment? Was God paying himself?
Doctrines of sin and atonement would be easier to accept if pried free of OT law, if Christ by his death could be seen to be making the ultimate declaration of God's love and acceptance of mankind rather than simply spilling blood because for some unknown reason that's what God needs, or paying some ransom to some unknown person for some unknown reason. We are "forgiven" because we have full assurance through Christ's offering that we have free access to God's love and that he does not hold sin against us. Christ's offering outweighs our sins as a parent's embrace outweighs his child's mistakes.
In other words, for those in the Pentateuch paradigm, atonement is a payment; for everyone else, atonement is God's supreme demonstration of his commitment to us.
Then the "fall" could apply to the whole creation from its earliest beginnings. Man's sins have their origin largely in urges that are common to many other--if not all--forms of life. We seek self-preservation above all, we compete against our fellows for resources and mates, etc. All are kinds of activities that originated long before the instant that pre-humans became human. The whole creation is fallen and always has been, in the sense that it cannot reach God or do his will on its own. (This is why a strong version of RFEP is not for me.) The message of salvation is that God intends to bring the creation into himself, and through Christ he has already taken the first major step.
Christians have made too much of the Bible's emphasis on sin and not enough on its message of atonement. RC teachings and Luther's overwhelming guilt feelings are much to blame, IMO. Christians like to beat themselves up endlessly over their sins when God has already demonstrated that his love has got them covered.
Don
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