In a message dated 12/4/2004 10:41:39 PM Central Standard Time,
pastor@... writes:
Redemption assumes a
debt, not a debt nature. There can be no redemption unless there is a real
debt. One cannot redeem someone from a debt nature. If a person is
redeemed it must be true that, legally speaking, he has incurred a debt.
Having a nature or tendency to incur debt does not activate the need for
redemption. If I were of a nature to spend without restraint and beyond my
means, no-one could demand a penny of payment from me unless I actually went
out and overspent. If my nature in my mother's womb were that of a
shop-aholic, no one could redeem me for, despite my debt-producing nature, I
would still have no debt. So redemption cannot be applied to me.
I think you can see how this would be applied to the question of the
sinfulness of infants: if they are in need of redemption, then they have a
debt which must be paid, actual sin that is on their account in some way or
another. Since infants have not done anything, either good or bad, it must
be their debt (sin) arises from another source. They inherit it: not just a
nature or tendency to produce debt (sin), but actual debt (debt) is imputed
to them, and they are not debtless (sinless). It is for this reason that
they must be redeemed if they are to be saved.
BUT: children can be held liable for debts of the parents - LEGALLY.
We are held as sinners before God because we all sinned in Adam.
Ever know a baby who had to be taught to lie? steal? cheat on games, etc?
My 2 1/2 yr old grandson will emphatically deny a dirty diaper - when the
"evidence" is strong! He just does not like to be changed. Who does enjoy
the "change" process in our lives? We love the result, not the process.
We deny our guilt and need for change - by nature. God has to change our
nature before we desire the process of change in our life.
Personally, I cannot recall a time when I did not believe in Christ - and
always believed in God's sovereignty, even before I heard of the doctrine. At
3, I announced to my grandparents that "the guardian angel was with us, so
everything was ok". They were amazed, and talked to my Mom - also amazed,
because nobody had told me about such a thing. Not claiming to have been
reborn at that time (smile....BEFORE the widely accepted "age of
accountability")...too young to understand these things, but my God already was working in
this kid. By His grace, He has kept me on "short apron-strings" all my
life, protecting me from so much of this world. Sinless.....of course not!
But without His redemption, I would be headed for hell just as surely as the
"worst" sinner out there.
Hope I don't confuse the issues.
Charlene
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