Sin and the Fallenness of CreationSin and the Fallenness of Creation (Part 10) Conclusion
Archive of Comments and Discussions - Questions and Answers From All-Creatures.org

By Michael Shaw

Q. Does what you are mean that we should be bad so as to help everyone learn their lessons?

A. This is one of my favourite questions.  St. Paul addressed this concern in the Bible, however, in light of many short sighted new age teachings I am going to expand a little on what he had to say.

Let me start with the New Ager thought, then we will look at what Paul had to say about it all.  A couple of years back I was having a discussion with a local new ager and channeler.  She had just finished reading a book, supposedly channeled by some famous long dead entity.  In the book was a teaching that we here on earth should do away with our jails and prisons along with our police and judges and just let evil run its course.  The book, or entity, went on to say that we were blocking the flow of our spiritual evolution by setting up laws and we were not allowing karma to be worked out.

I was amazed at the stupidity of such an entity.  Thank God it is dead and not alive running for office somewhere.  After debating with this new age friend of my for some time I was unable to get her to see the short comings of such a teaching.   Eventually I hit the mark.  I painted a picture for her.  This is what I said: "...Say you are walking home one night and three big ugly guys grab you and throw you into the bushes.  First they're hitting you and kicking you, then you hear one of them say,  "Let's rape and kill her."  Now just at that precise moment I happen to be walking bye.  Do you want me to help you or not?"

My New Ager friend replied very emphatically, "Yes, of course I want you to help!"

What happened to her new age philosophy?  When it came down to a personal situation, it went right out the window.  I went on to explain to her that God works with both Mercy and Judgment and that amongst all the chaos we are tested to see what level of compassion we have attained.  God is the master chess player, he can teach my friend a lesson in her being attacked and test my level of development, to myself, by putting me in the right place that I might be able to help her, showing, again to myself, that I have made the grade. You see we ate from the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil, not just from a tree of Evil.

Now, let's see what Paul had to say about this. "Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound.  But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.  What shall we say then? Shall we continue to sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.  How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Rom.5:20,21 & 6:1,2)

Paul is right. When we know the truth and accept Jesus and his teachings, we become dead to sin.  That is why the Bible tells us that true Christians will be known by their fruits.

The early Gnostics made great errors regarding sin.  Some taught that in order to conquer sin you must first experience it.  This is true, however, the Gnostics took this teaching to the extreme, where they would commit all sorts of terrible things in the name of religious progress.  They were cons and not truly religious.   You see, it is true that we must experience first before we can rule over and put into submission the various evil urges within us, however, you need only know that the kettle is hot to learn not to touch the boiling pot as well.  In other words, once you experience one sort of sin or evil you should be able to learn from it to avoid others......

Final Thoughts

Remember that we are to turn away from evil.  Romans 12:9 - "Let love be without hypocrisy.  Abhor what is evil.  Cling to what is good."  Amos 5:14,15 - "Seek good and not evil.  That you may live; So the Lord God of hosts will be with you.  As you have spoken, Hate evil, love good; Establish justice in the gate..." Deut. 24:7 "...and you shall put away the evil from among you."

We must never think that we should become bad to bring about good or to bring upon us more mercy.  God will first punish us for any wickedness we commit.  Then we will start afresh and be tried again until we get it right.

(Eph. 4:13) ...till we all come in the unity of faith...,

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