LAWTON CHURCH OF GOD, LAWTON, OKLAHOMA

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11 ERADICATION OR REPRESSION, WHICH?

The facts of “original sin” are admitted by all Evangelical denominations. There is scarcely a denomination that does not make some reference to the subject of original sin in its creed, in some form or other, and so, clearly distinguishes between it—the sin-nature inherited—and sin as an act committed. That all men are born into this world with this “Adamic taint,” this “infection of nature,” this “inbred sin;” or, as it is termed in the Scripture, the “carnal mind,” “our old man,” “the body of sin,” “sin that dwelleth in me,” “the sin which doth so easily beset,” &c., is generally recognized and conceded.

Nor is there any controversy touching the fact that this thing—termed “original sin”—cannot enter heaven, and therefore must be eradicated from the soul before there is perfect fitness for a holy heaven. The points of controversy are concerning the time and method for the accomplishment of this deliverance; the common (Calvinistic, Zinzendorfian, and Keswickian) theory being that this full deliverance cannot be fully realized until death; hence the only hope for the Christian in this life is to obtain grace to repress, subdue, regulate, control and overcome this evil within until death shall set us free. The Arminian, Wesleyan and second-blessing, holiness-movement theory is that subsequent to regeneration, by a complete consecration and faith, there may be an instantaneous cleansing and eradication of all sin from the heart of the believer by the Holy Spirit's cleansing fire.

So the controversy resolves itself into the question at the head of this article. Some have supposed that this inbred sin was removed in regeneration, but this is contrary to the experience of all Christians in all ages, and is contrary to the teachings of the Bible. While the Apostle Paul could say of the Corinthians, “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ,” and called them “babes in Christ” he also declared, “Ye are yet carnal” (1 Corinthians 3:3) which proves most conclusively that the carnal mind was not eradicated at the time of their conversion.

Others seem to think that by some mysterious process of growth the soul may advance until in some inexplicable manner, just about the time death might ensue, it would develop into a state of perfect holiness, and so have deliverance from the evil still hiding within. Just how, or by what law, the growth of a child would remove uncleanness, or the growth of the vegetable in the garden would at the same time grow out or destroy the weeds in the garden, is not explained. However, in the promotion of this theory there is the recognition of the sin-nature remaining in the heart after regeneration. Though the deliverance from it were only fully realized and accomplished at the time of death, it would nevertheless be a second or subsequent experience to regeneration.

Paul seemed to anticipate the repression theory in Romans 6:1, 2 , when he exclaimed: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” He then continues by declaring that the divine method (to deal with) for inbred sin—“our old man,” or, “the body of sin—is crucifixion and destruction. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed.” “Crucified” and “destroyed” surely does not mean repressed.

There is nothing that can eradicate sin from the heart but the blood of Jesus. If the blood is effective to cleanse from inbred sin when the person is dying, surely it has the same effectiveness prior to death! Thank God for the promise, “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.”