The Disastrous Effects Of The Doctrine Of "Original Sin"

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< > Chapter One Augustine’s “Original Sin” has created several serious theological errors Augustine’s doctrine of “Original Sin” directly contradicts the Biblical truth about repentance. When God tells us to repent, it means that we are responsible, and can be blamed for the wrong that we do. The doctrine of “Original Sin” denies that people have the ability to repent, or that they possess free will. It has made people feel that they are not personally responsible for their sins, and that they cannot help sinning, because they are born sinners. They have been taught that they have inherited a sin nature from Adam, and cannot live right because of that. However, this is not what God says; God commands us to repent of our sins, and tells us that we can help sinning, and need not have committed any sins. God does not say that we cannot help sinning, He says that repentance that brings forth the fruit of a holy life, is the way to obtain forgiveness, and acceptance with Him. Those who hide behind the bush of “Original Sin” as an excuse for their sins, are in reality blaming God for making them so. If we could not help sinning because of inherited sin, then we could not be blamed for our sins, or told to repent. However, God does say that we can help sinning, and commands everyone everywhere to repent. Acts.17v30. The theme of repentance is seen in all the Scriptures. See Ezek.18v30. etc. In Rom.1v18-32., Paul castigates the holding down the truth of the revelation of God through creation. This has resulted in the most deplorable wickedness and immorality. In Rom.1v20., Paul states that mankind is “without an excuse,” anapologetos,” 379, only here and Rom.2v1., “inexcuseable.” Mankind has rejected both the revelation of God’s eternal power and deity in Creation, and the light of their own conscience. God has manifested Himself “to and in mankind,” but mankind’s determined wickedness has meant that God has had to give them up to their evil ways. Mankind does not have any excuse for their sin, and that includes the excuse of the doctrine of “Original Sin.” Rom.1v19,20,24,26,28. Paul tells us in Acts.17v30,31., that God commands everyone to repent. This means that everyone could have lived righteous lives, even with the limited light that they have had. We read, "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, v31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." See Acts.20v21. “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” See also Acts.26v20. In John.1v9., we read that Jesus illumines every child that is born. “Illumines,” is “photizei” the present active indicative of “photizo” 5461; which means, to shed rays, to light up, to illumine. Thayer adds, “to enlighten, spiritually, to imbue with saving knowledge.” The present tense shows that this is a continuous present tense action, and not a brief or temporary act. We should accept what Jesus said in Mt.18v1-10. and 19v14., that children are fit for Heaven, and are like the inhabitants of Heaven. God declares in Isaiah.53v6., that mankind is not “born astray,” but has “gone astray.” Paul confirms this in Rom.7v9., where he states that he was born spiritually alive to God, and that he died spiritually when he personally sinned. Paul again states this fact in Rom.3v12., “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Note well. In Ps.51v5., it is David’s mother who is the sinner not David. “In sin did my mother conceive me.” Repentance was the theme of the preaching of John the Baptist. Mark.1v4. “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” Mt.3v8. "Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance.” Mt.3v11. “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” Luke.3v3. “And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” Acts.13v24. “When John had first preached before His coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.” Repentance was a major theme of the preaching of our Lord Jesus. It was a vital part of the good news of the Gospel. Mk1v14,15. Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, v15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. See Lk.13v3,5. “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Mt.9v13. "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Luke.5v32. “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” The risen Saviour states that repentance was to be preached to all nations. Luke.24v46,47. “And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: v47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” The early Church preached repentance from dead works. The early Church preached that repentance was the essential prerequisite before people could experience forgiveness of sins. We read in Acts.2v38., “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” See Acts.3v19,20. “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; v20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.” Both Jews and Gentiles must repent, Acts.5v31. “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” “Repentance unto life” was also granted to the Gentiles, we read in Acts.11v18. “When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.” God desires to save all, we read in 2Pet.3v9. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Paul informs us in Acts.17v30,31., that God “commands all men everywhere to repent.” v30 “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, v31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” See Acts.20v21. “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” See Acts.26v19,20. “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, v20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.” See Rom.2v4. “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” We read in 2Cor.7v9,10. “Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. v10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” Note well 2Tim.2v25,26. “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; v26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” See Heb.6v1-9. Mankind often despises and rejects God’s great mercy with fearful consequences. Rom.2v3-6. “And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? v4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? v5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart, you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, v6 who "will render to each one according to his deeds.” Jesus told most of the churches in Revelation 2 and 3 that they needed to repent. The Church at Ephesus is told to repent. Rev.2v5. “Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place.” The Church at Pergamos is told to repent. Rev.2v16. “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” The Church at Sardis is told to repent. Rev.3v2,3. "Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. v3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.” The Church at Laodicea is told to repent. Rev.3v19,20. "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent. v20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” The Church at Thyatira is told to repent. This we will consider in more detail, as it is relevant to our study. Jesus gives the most solemn and serious warnings to the Church at Thyatira about their immorality and idolatry. We read in Rev.2v18-29, “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, 'These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: v19 "I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. v20 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. v21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. v22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. v23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.” (NKJV). v24 “But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them — I place no other burden on you. v25 Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. v26 And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; v27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; v28 and I will give him the morning star. v29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (NASB). Adam Clark writes of Rev.2v20., “Instead of, that woman Jezebel, “ten gunaika Iezabel,” many excellent MSS., and almost all the ancient versions, read “ten gunaika sou Iezabel,” “THY WIFE Jezebel;” which intimates, indeed asserts, that this bad woman was the wife of the Bishop of the church, and his criminality in suffering her was therefore the greater. This reading Griesbach has received into the text.” Hodges and Farstad, state that the Majority Text reads “ten gunaika sou,” thy wife.” The A.V. and T.R. reading of, “that woman,” “ten gunaika,” is based on Me, Aleph, C, the Critical Texts; the Old Latin; the Vulgate; the Coptic Sahidic and Bohairic; the Armenian and Ethiopic versions, the Church fathers, Tertullian, Ambrosiaster, Tyconius, Epiphanius, Haymo, and the bav commentary of Andrew. However, most manuscripts add “sou,” and read, “ten gunaika sou,” “thy wife;” the evidence for this is found in Hodges and Farstad, many miniscules (Mabcd), B,Q, the Syrian Philoxenian and Harklean; the Church fathers, Cyprian; Primasius; Andrew's a, c, and p commentaries; and Arethas; Codex A adds “sou ten.” Jezebel was the wife of Ahab, Israel’s king; this suggests that Jezebel was the pastor's wife. The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s Commentary, state, “That woman. So 'Aleph C, Vulgate; but A B, 'THY wife.' The symbolical, Jezebel was to Thyatira what Jezebel, Ahab's 'wife,' was to him.” The Expositor’s Greek Testament, states, “The well attested “sou” after “gunaika” (A,Q, miniscules, Syriac, Arethas, Primasius, etc., so Grot., Al., Zahn, and J.Weiss).” End of quote. Even though most manuscripts add “sou,” and read, “ten gunaika sou,” “thy wife;” Expositors says, “it is to be omitted,” preferring the evidence I have just stated above for “ten gunaika,” “that woman.” Bishop Christopher Wordsworth, includes “ten gunaika sou,” in his Greek text, and writes that “thy wife, is found in A, B, (not in Aleph), and many Cursives, and in the Syriac Version, and in Andreas and Arethas, Cyprian and Primasius, and is received by Scholz, Lachman, and Tischendorf.” End of quote. Being the wife of the leader of the Church, this Jezebel, like the wife of Ahab, exercised great influence over her husband. An influence which she consistently exercised for evil in the realm of false teaching and false prophecy, that seduced people into immorality and idolatry, these were the sins of the historical Jezebel. See 2Kings.9v22,30. This Jezebel called herself a prophetess, (the false apostles of Rev.2v2., likewise, were not what they claimed to be). Jezebel’s claims that her teaching was from God, was totally false. Jesus did not say that Jezebel was to be excused because she was “born in sin,” and had “Original Sin.” Jesus gave this evil woman space to repent, but warned that without repentance He would execute Jezebel and her followers. Nor did Paul say that the Corinthians who lived bad lives could not help sinning because they had “Original Sin” and were “born in sin.” Paul states that many of them were sick and many had died because of their sinfulness; being judged and chastened by Jesus, to save them from being condemned with the world. 1Cor.11v28-32. Solemn words indeed! Repent or else! However, even in this sinful Church, there is real hope for those who truly want to walk with God. Our dear Lord promises that those who overcome will reign with Him, and rule over the nations of the world in the Millennium. A.T. Robertson writes on “Rev.2v24. “The deep things of Satan,” “ta bathea tou Satana.” The Ophites (worshippers of the serpent) and other later Gnostics (Cainires, Carpocratians, Naassenes) boasted of their knowledge of "the deep things," some claiming this very language about Satan (the serpent) as Paul did of God (1Cor.2v10.) Some even claimed that they could indulge in immorality without sinning (1John.1v10. 3v10.). “As they say,” “hos legousin.” Probably referring to the heretics who ridicule the piety of the other Christians.” End of quote. Like the above Gnostics, Jezebel and her followers abandoned themselves to fleshly sins, and claimed a “divine revelation” for it, and indulged in “the deep things of Satan.” The Gnostics boasted of a special knowledge of "the depths" of divine things. They perverted the truths of Paul. See Rom.11v33. 1Cor.2v10. Their arrogant title, “Gnostics,” means “full of knowledge.” God declares their so-called "depths of knowledge,” are really "depths of Satan;" just as in Rev.2v9., God calls 'the synagogue of God,' which opposed and persecuted Christians, "the synagogue of Satan.” Beware of the, “Know it Alls,” who pervert the correct interpretation of Scripture, like Augustine did, with his doctrine of “Original Sin.” In James.5v14-18., we see that repentance and confession of sin and persistent prolonged prayer may often be necessary to experience Divine healing in the Churches. v14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. v15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. v16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. v17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. v18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” Elijah’s persistent prolonged prayer is our example. The second attack of the doctrine of “Original Sin” is even more serious than its twisted and evil view of repentance, for it attacks the glorious character of God, and the person and humanity of Jesus. Augustine’s doctrine of “Original Sin” attacks the character and justice of God. The teaching of “Original Sin” has turned the theology about God on its head. God is Love, and His first name is Compassion. 1John.4v8. Ex.34v6,7. However, Augustine’s doctrine of “Original Sin” has made God to be an unjust evil Despot, who does Satanic-like acts; for Augustine said that God sends innocent babies, who have not been baptised, into Hell forever, to share the same fate as the very worst sinner. This terrible Satanically inspired lie has devastating effects on a Christian’s perception of God, and their walk with God. Augustine’s doctrine of “Original Sin” is responsible for a great deal of the darkness in the minds of both believers and unbelievers about God, and has greatly hindered the knowledge of the truth about God’s wonderful character. When a Christian accepts Augustine’s doctrine of “Original Sin” as truth, it destroys their ability to perceive the truth about Jesus being a compassionate, sympathetic and faithful Great High Priest, who is the “Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith.” Heb.12v2. In addition to the above appalling doctrine; the God who Augustine presents, is looked upon as a bundle of contradictions. This conclusion is arrived at in the mind of the believer in the following way: The believer thinks, “How can God ask me to live a righteous life, when I have been “born in sin,” and can’t help sinning, because I was created badly; and then He condemns me for my sins, which I cannot help doing.” This seems, and is, both illogical and unjust. Thank God, this is not true! It is a lie of the Devil. Augustine’s “Original Sin” attacks Christ’s humanity and brings Docetism into the Church. Augustine’s doctrine of “Original Sin” disastrously affects the doctrine of the person and humanity of Jesus Christ our Lord, and brings Docetic Gnosticism back into Church doctrine. The Docetic Gnostic heresy, which denied Christ’s true humanity, is automatically generated in the minds of believers who accept and believe the doctrine of Original Sin, in the following way. Believers conclude that if we have been “born in sin,” with sinful natures, which compel us to do evil; and since Jesus was without sin, He obviously did not possess this same sinful nature, so then He MUST have had a different kind of “humanity” to us. So the thought arises in the believer’s mind, that the humanity of Jesus was different from theirs. Thus, in a very subtle and cunning disguise, the destructive heresy of Docetic Gnosticism has come into the Church, and has corrupted the theology about the humanity of Jesus. I have heard preachers say, based on Acts.20v28., that the blood of Jesus was the blood of God and not human blood. This is a total denial of the humanity of Christ, and in a very subtle and cunning disguise, is the destructive heresy of Docetic Gnosticism. This heresy arose in the Church in the later half of the First Century A.D., and Paul, in his letters to the Philippians, Colossians and 1Timothy, and John, in his Gospel, and First and Second Epistles, write very strongly against this heresy. The doctrine of “Original Sin,” revives, in a cunning way, the Docetic Gnostic heresy of the early Church. And from Augustine’s time, many Christians have not recognised the doctrine of “Original Sin” for what it is, a destructive Satan inspired heresy! John says that those who deny the true humanity of Jesus are, “Not of God.” In 1John.4v2., “That Jesus Christ is come in the flesh,” “come,” is “eleluthota,” 2046, the perfect active participle of “erchomai,” 2064, to come; to appear. The perfect tense indicates that Christ’s coming in the flesh was a well-known established fact, and that the effects of Christ’s incarnation are an abiding reality. Jesus was not a Docetic phantom, He had a human body, and as Paul states in Rom.1v3., “Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh.” The same words, “en” 1722, “sarki” 4561, “eleluthota” 2064, “is come in the flesh,” occur again, in 1Jn.4v3., and the apostle John declares that everyone who states that Jesus has not come in the flesh, “is not of God,” “ek tou Theou ouk estin,” literally, “is not out of God.” The apostle John goes on to state that those who deny the humanity of Jesus have the spirit of Antichrist, and are influenced by super-human evil angelic spirits. (Some reject the reading, “is come in the flesh,” here in 1Jn.4v3., because these words are omitted by A, B, and a few cursives, However they are included in Aleph, G, K, Phi, and most cursives, and the following versions, the Syriac, the Polyglot Arabic, Aethiopic, Coptic, Armenian, and Vulgate; and are recognised by Polycarp, Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian, Ambrose, Ps-Oecumenius, Theophylact, and Augustine.) The opponents of Christ's incarnation, and his passion, would be delighted to see these words omitted from the Scriptures. Those who believe in “Original Sin” will find many of the truths contained in two of the most important books of the New Testament, Romans and Hebrews, impossible to comprehend. Understanding Paul’s letter to the Hebrews in based upon a correct knowledge of our Lord’s true humanity, and that Jesus and the believer share exactly the same kind of humanity. Failure to grasp this, means that the believer cannot comprehend our Lord as their sympathetic Great High Priest. This truth is a part of the doctrine of “repentance from dead works,” etc., in Heb.5v12. to 6v12., which is “the doctrine of the first principles of Christ,” (ASV)., “the basic teaching about Christ,” Heb.6v1. (NRSV)., “the first principles of the oracles of God.” Heb.5v12. (KJV). To get the doctrine about Jesus wrong destroys the Christian’s foundation. A correct knowledge of the truth of our Lord’s humanity, and other vital truths about Him, is essential for Christians in the last days of this age, the Age of Grace. We will need to know our Lord as our Great High Priest as well as our Saviour, to enable us to overcome the appalling evil conditions that will come upon the world during the last three and a half years of this age, known as “The Great Tribulation.” We need to know that Jesus was indeed, “tempted in ALL points like as we are, yet without sin” during His hidden years at Nazareth, and during His Ministry, in a humanity exactly like our own. The knowledge of His tried humanity will strengthen and equip us for the evil last days. This is vital truth. Through His Intercessions and High Priestly ministry, Jesus will keep, guard, protect and strengthen us “in soul,” and give us victory and bring us through this terrible time. At the sounding of the last trumpet, we shall rise to meet Him in the air at His Second Advent, immediately after the tribulation of those days. It is certainly not without reason that Paul, in writing to Timothy in 1Timothy.3v16., states the vital truth that, “God was manifest in the flesh,” and then immediately in the next verse, 1Timothy.4v1., goes on to state; “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils!” Paul knew that the destructive heresy of Docetic Gnosticism would still be in the Church in the last days and so he warns us against it, by stating that our Lord Jesus did indeed, “come in the flesh,” and had a humanity like our own. The doctrine of “Original Sin” attacks the humanity of Christ, and the end result of this attack will be apostasy, Paul says, the effect will be that “some will depart from the faith.” Augustine’s doctrine of “Original Sin” attacks Christ’s High Priestly Ministry. This Docetic heresy attacks both the earthly ministry of Jesus, and His High Priestly Ministry, for if the humanity of Jesus was not exactly like ours, how can He really be our compassionate, sympathetic and faithful Great High Priest. We cannot know Jesus as our perfect example, because the doctrine of “Original Sin” has created the following mindset in Christians; that if we are “born in sin,” then our Lord MUST have had a different humanity from us, because He was sinless. So Augustine’s theology largely veils Christ’s sympathetic, compassionate and faithful Great High Priestly ministry. The doctrine of “Original Sin “ has resulted in many of the great truths in the book of Hebrews being “hidden” from the minds of Christians, because of the failure to understand the true humanity of Jesus. It is also essential for Christians to grasp and understand Paul’s doctrine of “dead sin in the flesh, which is part of the first foundation truth, “repentance from dead works,” which is found in Heb.5v12 to 6v3., “the first principles of the oracles of God, the principles of the doctrine of Christ.” See also, Rom.7v8 to 8v3. N.B. If we fail to know Jesus as our Great High Priest, we remain spiritually immature. This can affect the whole of our lives. It is only by going through temptation, trials and testing with our Lord that godly “character” is produced in us, and through trials God brings our faith to Christian “perfection,” or better, Christian maturity. Heb.6v1. However, if we do not know Him as High Priest, He is hindered from taking us through the trials and tests that He desires to take us through, to give us a vital experimental knowledge of His High Priestly Ministry. Always remember, God will not try and tempt us beyond what we can bear. James.1v2-4,12. Rom.5v1-5. 1Cor.10v13. Heb.12v2. N.B. If our “house” is not built upon truth as revealed in the Scripture, it will fall. If we do not have the correct, soul-nourishing doctrine about Jesus, when times of temptation, testing and trial come along, our house will “fall.” Mt.7v24-27. We will also fail to come through our stormy times of life victoriously, and will fall by the wayside. Luke.8v5-8,11-15. Jesus emphasised that we have to eat His flesh and drink His blood, or we have no life in us, this is again emphasised in Hebrews 2, which speaks of, and emphasises, the need to realise the true humanity of Christ. See John.6v51-58. N.B. Many of the vital truths in the book of Romans will not be fully understood. We will badly fail to understand Romans.7v7 to 8v4 (esp. Romans 7v14-25) if we interpret it as Paul’s POST-conversion experience, instead of his PRE-conversion experience. Paul states that he was “carnal, sold under sin”. Rom.7v14. However, Paul has just written in Romans.6v6., where he categorically states, “knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” N.B. Rom.8v1-4. In Rom.7v7 to 8v4., Paul teaches that he, like his Lord, were both born with, “dead sin in the flesh;” however, unlike his Lord, Paul, like everybody else, had yielded to this temptation from sin in the flesh, (from the sinful desires of the flesh), and Paul, like everyone else, had died spiritually as a result of yielding to this temptation. Whereas his Lord had resisted every temptation and conquered them, and thus had “condemned sin in the flesh.” Rom.8v3. This vital truth of the Lord’s true humanity is also clearly stated by Paul in Heb.2v17,18. and 4v14-16., where he states that Jesus was “made like unto His brethren in ALL THINGS,” and was, as a result, “tempted in ALL points tempted like we are.” Pre-Augustinian Teaching. N.B. The pre-Augustinian theological tradition is practically of one voice AGAINST Augustine’s theology, they assert the freedom of the human will. Three recurrent ideas are in their teaching: 1. They say that freewill is a gift given to man by God – for nothing can be independent of God. 2. They say that the rejection of freewill is the view of heretics. 3. They say that man possesses freewill, because he is made in God’s image, and God has freewill. However Augustine saw fit to introduce the doctrine of the “Irresistible Gift of Faith,” (or irresistible gift of grace), this false doctrine of Augustine, conquered and corrupted much of the Church. Augustine’s doctrine of “Original Sin” attacks Christ’s remarkable Faith and Ministry. Jesus did all His miracles by believing what the Father revealed to Him, and He did them at the Father’s direction and with the Father’s power. Another terrible consequence of believing the doctrine of “Original Sin” and “Born in Sin” theories, is that many Christians have come to believe that the signs, wonders and miracles, that the Lord Jesus did during His earthly ministry were done by Him turning on His Divine power, and simply doing them at his own desire. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Our Lord states in John.5v19,20,30., "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. v20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. v30 " I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” See John.14v10., “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.” Paul tells us in Phil.2v7., that at the Incarnation, Jesus, “made Himself of no reputation.” (NKJV). Other translations are as follows: “Emptied himself.” (Revised Standard Version). “Stripped Himself.” (Amplified Bible). “Laid aside His mighty power and glory.” (The Living Bible). “He gave up all He had.” (Today's English Version). “He stripped Himself of the insignia of majesty.” (Lightfoot). “Made Himself of no reputation” in the Greek is “heauton ekenosen”, literally translated means, “emptied Himself” of His Omnipotence, Omniscience, Omnipresence, Transcendence and Immutability, i.e. His Divine abilities. But after the “emptying” He still continued to be God, as v 6 states, “being in the form of God,” “huparchon en morphe Theou,” “being” is “huparchon”, the present active participle of “huparcho,” (“existing” is a better translation of the Greek) which denotes that what He was before the Incarnation (i.e. God) He continued to be after it, God, but God “emptied.” So we see that it was impossible for the Lord Jesus to use His Divine abilities to do the miracles, because He “emptied Himself” of all His power and glory at the Incarnation. Paul then continues to tell us in Phil 2v7,8, that after Had “emptied” Himself, He then was: “taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man.” (NKJV). A.T. Robinson gives the following helpful comments on Christ’s emptying in Phil.2v7,8: “The form of a servant”, Greek, 'morphen doulou', He took the characteristic attributes ('morphen' as in v6) of a slave. His humanity was as real as His Deity.” End of quote. “In the likeness of men”, Greek, en homoiomati anthropon”, It was a likeness, but a real likeness (Kennedy), no mere phantom humanity as the Docetic Gnostics held. Note the difference in tense between 'huparchon' (eternal existence in the 'morphe' of God) and 'genomenos' (second aorist middle participle of 'ginomai,' becoming, definite entrance in time upon his humanity).” End of quote. “Being found in appearance as a man,” Greek, “schemati heuretheís hos anthropos”, “in appearance” is in Greek, “schemati”, and refers to that which is purely outward and appeals to the senses, “the outward guise" as it appealed to the sense of mankind, His outward guise was altogether human. In Phil.2v5-11., Paul refutes the Docetic Gnostic theory that Jesus had no human body and the Cerinthian Gnostic teaching that the aeon Christ came upon and used the man Jesus, and that they were two separate beings. In Jn.4v1-6., John states that the denial of the humanity of Jesus by the Gnostics was the spirit of antichrist. Jesus had a real humanity as well as a true deity. The Lord Jesus came into the world like any other child; He spent 40 weeks in the womb of Mary, and then was born in Bethlehem. The Lord Jesus having “emptied Himself” of His wisdom and knowledge at the time of the Incarnation, had to then learn it all again, and this He did as Luke tells us in Luke.2v40,52. “And the Child grew and became strong in spirit (Majority Text), filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him…. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.” (NKJV). Jesus had to learn, develop and become spiritually strong just like any other child. The phrase “became strong in spirit” is the exact phrase that is used of the spiritual development of John Baptist. Lk.1v80. In John.2v1-11., we see an interesting insight into Christ’s hidden years at Nazareth. In v3, it states: “And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine." (NKJV). (“They have no wine,” in Greek is, "Oinon ouk echousin.”) The reaction of Jesus shows that this was not just a statement of fact, and that Mary was in reality making a request for a miracle. Mary’s statement speaks volumes, it reveals that she had not only treasured in her heart the wondrous events connected with the birth and childhood of Jesus, but that she had also personally witnessed miracles of provision for her family, (which had been hidden from the rest of the family). Lk.2v40,52. Mary remembered how miracles of provision had met their needs on many occasions, when they had no money to buy food or wine for the family. This poverty was not because Jesus neglected His work to pray, it was because people did not pay their bills, because of circumstances, or because Satan had inspired and provoked dishonest people not to pay their bills for work that Jesus had done. Jesus was tempted in all points like us. Heb.4v15. He knew what it was to be under severe financial deprivation and constraint, when he had to feed the large family of Mary (at least seven children besides Himself, Mk.6v3.) after Joseph had died. Mary had come a long way in God from the time when Jesus, at twelve, said in Lk.2v42,49,50., to Mary and Joseph in the Temple, v49 "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" v50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.” (NKJV). What had produced this change, and real and deep faith? Mary knew and believed, from a rich personal experience of acts of Divine provision by miracles through the prayers of Jesus in her home, that Jesus could do a miracle to meet the need for wine. God did not leave Mary to fight the battle alone over the dishonour and criticism that came upon her over the birth of Jesus, God stood by her and gave her many infallible proofs of His caring love, through many acts of miraculous provision at Nazareth, through the developing prophetic ministry of Jesus. These demonstrated that Jesus was indeed the Christ, the Holy One of God. Mary’s command to the servants in Jn.2v5., "Do whatever He tells you,” shows the living and deep faith of Mary in Jesus, and her faith in His ability to perform a miracle. It was not a first act of blind faith; Mary had proved that “whatever” Jesus told her to do, in the realm of miraculous provision, came to pass. Mary had a list in her mind of numerous “whatevers” that had come to pass and produced miracles of provision for her family, and probably others also. This, and this alone, can explain Mary’s confident, “Do whatever he tells you." Where do we find the source of the development of Christ’s tremendous prophetic ministry? We read the following in Psalm 69v8-12,19,20,21: “I have become a stranger to my brothers, and an alien to my mother's children; v9. Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me. v10. When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, that became my reproach. v11. I also made sackcloth my garment; I became a byword to them. v12. Those who sit in the gate speak against me, and I am the song of the drunkards.----- v19. You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonour; my adversaries are all before You. v20. Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness, (the Hebrew adds, “and distressingly sick”) I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. v21. They also gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” This Scripture reveals both the source and reason for the violent opposition against Jesus, it was the remarkable prayer life of Jesus at Nazareth, which brought rejection and ostracism from His brothers and sisters and the people of Nazareth. Satan saw to it that Christ’s life of prayer and fasting, stirred up opposition against Jesus, and He was mocked and sent to Coventry because of it. If we say that Jesus prayed during His life at Nazareth, and the above prophetic facts in Ps.69v8-11., about His life of prayer and fasting, prove that He did, then we must acknowledge that He must have had power gifts to bring an answer to His prayers. Jesus lived in continuous communion with the Father, He, like Enoch, walked with God His Father. The love-dominated nature of Jesus desired and loved to walk in the Spirit, it was His very nature to dwell in the Father and the Father in Him, and prayer was as natural to Him as breathing. Jn.14v10,11. 1Jn.2v24. Paul states in 1Cor.12v31., that spiritual gifts are automatically manifested if we walk and pray in the “more excellent way,” (“kath huperbolen hodon”) of “agape” love. Jesus certainly prayed, lived, and walked in love at Nazareth, so God His Father gave Him the revelation and power gifts on their highest levels of manifestation. It is impossible to believe that the child Samuel had more and greater revelations from God the Father than God’s pure and holy child Jesus, His only begotten Son. Jesus revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush in the wilderness of Sinai, to prepare Moses for his ministry, the bush burned daily for Jesus at Nazareth as the Father prepared Jesus for His ministry. Our Lord was truly a prophet like unto Moses. Acts 3v22,23. And just as Moses was prepared for his ministry through daily living, so God prepared Jesus for His ministry through His daily life at Nazareth. This not only involved revelation about truth, the Father also gave Jesus information about people’s needs, and trained Him in the operation of the gifts of power and revelation. Christ’s Divine love, mercy, and compassion drove, and irresistibly constrained Him to pray for people in need; He could not help Himself. His secret prayers and intercessory “sighs too deep for words, and inexpressible yearnings” (“stenagmois alaletos,” Rom.8v26.), breathed out on the behalf of people’s needs, could not help but operate spiritual gifts in delivering power, for Jesus lived and prayed perfectly on “the more excellent way” of perfect love. The operation of these gifts was mightily effective, but totally hidden from people, and no one knew of the source of their divine help. Is.49v1,2. 50v3-7. The vision ministry and prayer life of Jesus was totally directed by God the Father, and the power and influence of His prayer life, has never been equalled, and cannot be overstated. By the time the Lord Jesus was 30 years old He was “full of grace and truth”, and had become the perfect Servant. As there had never been any sin in Him, the Father gave His Son, the Holy Spirit without measure at His baptism, at the River Jordan, to fulfil His Messianic Mission, of preaching the Gospel to the poor, healing the broken-hearted, the recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth the crushed in liberty, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. Jn.1v14, 3v34, Lk.4v18,19, Isa.35v5,6. By saying that the Lord Jesus did His miracles by simply turning on His Divine power, we rob Him completely of His true glory. His unique glory was the beautiful sinless loving life that He had lived at Nazareth, during which time the Father had prepared Him for His ministry, which He accomplished by total reliance upon the Father, so that He could say: “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of me.” John 6v57 (NKJV). Christ said that He lived by faith in the Father and by the life of the Father, and He said that we are to depend on Him as He depended on the Father. Christ Jesus has given us the perfect example to follow in all things. < >
The Disastrous Effects Of The Doctrine Of Original Sin \| By His Stripes We Are Healed \| The Book Of Revelation \| The Second Coming Of Christ \| The Baptism And Gifts Of The Holy Spirit \| The Comforter Is Come

Chapter One

Augustine’s “Original Sin” has created several serious theological errors

Augustine’s doctrine of “Original Sin” directly contradicts the Biblical truth about repentance.
When God tells us to repent, it means that we are responsible, and can be blamed for the wrong that we do. The doctrine of “Original Sin” denies that people have the ability to repent, or that they possess free will. It has made people feel that they are not personally responsible for their sins, and that they cannot help sinning, because they are born sinners. They have been taught that they have inherited a sin nature from Adam, and cannot live right because of that. However, this is not what God says; God commands us to repent of our sins, and tells us that we can help sinning, and need not have committed any sins. God does not say that we cannot help sinning, He says that repentance that brings forth the fruit of a holy life, is the way to obtain forgiveness, and acceptance with Him. Those who hide behind the bush of “Original Sin” as an excuse for their sins, are in reality blaming God for making them so. If we could not help sinning because of inherited sin, then we could not be blamed for our sins, or told to repent. However, God does say that we can help sinning, and commands everyone everywhere to repent. Acts.17v30. The theme of repentance is seen in all the Scriptures. See Ezek.18v30. etc.

In Rom.1v18-32., Paul castigates the holding down the truth of the revelation of God through creation.
This has resulted in the most deplorable wickedness and immorality. In Rom.1v20., Paul states that mankind is “without an excuse,” anapologetos,” 379, only here and Rom.2v1., “inexcuseable.” Mankind has rejected both the revelation of God’s eternal power and deity in Creation, and the light of their own conscience. God has manifested Himself “to and in mankind,” but mankind’s determined wickedness has meant that God has had to give them up to their evil ways. Mankind does not have any excuse for their sin, and that includes the excuse of the doctrine of “Original Sin.” Rom.1v19,20,24,26,28.

Paul tells us in Acts.17v30,31., that God commands everyone to repent.
This means that everyone could have lived righteous lives, even with the limited light that they have had. We read, "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, v31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." See Acts.20v21. “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” See also Acts.26v20.

In John.1v9., we read that Jesus illumines every child that is born. “Illumines,” is “photizei” the present active indicative of “photizo” 5461; which means, to shed rays, to light up, to illumine. Thayer adds, “to enlighten, spiritually, to imbue with saving knowledge.” The present tense shows that this is a continuous present tense action, and not a brief or temporary act. We should accept what Jesus said in Mt.18v1-10. and 19v14., that children are fit for Heaven, and are like the inhabitants of Heaven. God declares in Isaiah.53v6., that mankind is not “born astray,” but has “gone astray.” Paul confirms this in Rom.7v9., where he states that he was born spiritually alive to God, and that he died spiritually when he personally sinned. Paul again states this fact in Rom.3v12., “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” Note well. In Ps.51v5., it is David’s mother who is the sinner not David. “In sin did my mother conceive me.”

Repentance was the theme of the preaching of John the Baptist. Mark.1v4. “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”
Mt.3v8. "Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance.” Mt.3v11. “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” Luke.3v3. “And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” Acts.13v24. “When John had first preached before His coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.”

Repentance was a major theme of the preaching of our Lord Jesus.
It was a vital part of the good news of the Gospel. Mk1v14,15. Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, v15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. See Lk.13v3,5. “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Mt.9v13. "But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Luke.5v32. “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” The risen Saviour states that repentance was to be preached to all nations. Luke.24v46,47. “And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: v47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

The early Church preached repentance from dead works.
The early Church preached that repentance was the essential prerequisite before people could experience forgiveness of sins. We read in Acts.2v38., “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

See Acts.3v19,20. “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; v20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.”

Both Jews and Gentiles must repent, Acts.5v31. “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” “Repentance unto life” was also granted to the Gentiles, we read in Acts.11v18. “When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”

God desires to save all, we read in 2Pet.3v9. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Paul informs us in Acts.17v30,31., that God “commands all men everywhere to repent.”
v30 “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, v31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

See Acts.20v21. “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”

See Acts.26v19,20. “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, v20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.”

See Rom.2v4. “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”

We read in 2Cor.7v9,10. “Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. v10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

Note well 2Tim.2v25,26. “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; v26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” See Heb.6v1-9.

Mankind often despises and rejects God’s great mercy with fearful consequences. Rom.2v3-6. “And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? v4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? v5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart, you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, v6 who "will render to each one according to his deeds.”

Jesus told most of the churches in Revelation 2 and 3 that they needed to repent.
The Church at Ephesus is told to repent. Rev.2v5. “Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place.”

The Church at Pergamos is told to repent. Rev.2v16. “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.”

The Church at Sardis is told to repent. Rev.3v2,3. "Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. v3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.”

The Church at Laodicea is told to repent. Rev.3v19,20. "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent. v20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

The Church at Thyatira is told to repent. This we will consider in more detail, as it is relevant to our study. Jesus gives the most solemn and serious warnings to the Church at Thyatira about their immorality and idolatry. We read in Rev.2v18-29, “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, 'These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: v19 "I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. v20 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. v21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. v22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. v23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.” (NKJV).

v24 “But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them — I place no other burden on you. v25 Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. v26 And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; v27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; v28 and I will give him the morning star. v29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (NASB).

Adam Clark writes of Rev.2v20., “Instead of, that woman Jezebel, “ten gunaika Iezabel,” many excellent MSS., and almost all the ancient versions, read “ten gunaika sou Iezabel,” “THY WIFE Jezebel;” which intimates, indeed asserts, that this bad woman was the wife of the Bishop of the church, and his criminality in suffering her was therefore the greater. This reading Griesbach has received into the text.”

Hodges and Farstad, state that the Majority Text reads “ten gunaika sou,” thy wife.” The A.V. and T.R. reading of, “that woman,” “ten gunaika,” is based on Me, Aleph, C, the Critical Texts; the Old Latin; the Vulgate; the Coptic Sahidic and Bohairic; the Armenian and Ethiopic versions, the Church fathers, Tertullian, Ambrosiaster, Tyconius, Epiphanius, Haymo, and the bav commentary of Andrew. However, most manuscripts add “sou,” and read, “ten gunaika sou,” “thy wife;” the evidence for this is found in Hodges and Farstad, many miniscules (Mabcd), B,Q, the Syrian Philoxenian and Harklean; the Church fathers, Cyprian; Primasius; Andrew's a, c, and p commentaries; and Arethas; Codex A adds “sou ten.” Jezebel was the wife of Ahab, Israel’s king; this suggests that Jezebel was the pastor's wife.

The Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s Commentary, state, “That woman. So 'Aleph C, Vulgate; but A B, 'THY wife.' The symbolical, Jezebel was to Thyatira what Jezebel, Ahab's 'wife,' was to him.”

The Expositor’s Greek Testament, states, “The well attested “sou” after “gunaika” (A,Q, miniscules, Syriac, Arethas, Primasius, etc., so Grot., Al., Zahn, and J.Weiss).” End of quote. Even though most manuscripts add “sou,” and read, “ten gunaika sou,” “thy wife;” Expositors says, “it is to be omitted,” preferring the evidence I have just stated above for “ten gunaika,” “that woman.”

Bishop Christopher Wordsworth, includes “ten gunaika sou,” in his Greek text, and writes that “thy wife, is found in A, B, (not in Aleph), and many Cursives, and in the Syriac Version, and in Andreas and Arethas, Cyprian and Primasius, and is received by Scholz, Lachman, and Tischendorf.” End of quote.

Being the wife of the leader of the Church, this Jezebel, like the wife of Ahab, exercised great influence over her husband. An influence which she consistently exercised for evil in the realm of false teaching and false prophecy, that seduced people into immorality and idolatry, these were the sins of the historical Jezebel. See 2Kings.9v22,30. This Jezebel called herself a prophetess, (the false apostles of Rev.2v2., likewise, were not what they claimed to be). Jezebel’s claims that her teaching was from God, was totally false. Jesus did not say that Jezebel was to be excused because she was “born in sin,” and had “Original Sin.” Jesus gave this evil woman space to repent, but warned that without repentance He would execute Jezebel and her followers. Nor did Paul say that the Corinthians who lived bad lives could not help sinning because they had “Original Sin” and were “born in sin.” Paul states that many of them were sick and many had died because of their sinfulness; being judged and chastened by Jesus, to save them from being condemned with the world. 1Cor.11v28-32. Solemn words indeed! Repent or else! However, even in this sinful Church, there is real hope for those who truly want to walk with God. Our dear Lord promises that those who overcome will reign with Him, and rule over the nations of the world in the Millennium.

A.T. Robertson writes on “Rev.2v24. “The deep things of Satan,” “ta bathea tou Satana.” The Ophites (worshippers of the serpent) and other later Gnostics (Cainires, Carpocratians, Naassenes) boasted of their knowledge of "the deep things," some claiming this very language about Satan (the serpent) as Paul did of God (1Cor.2v10.) Some even claimed that they could indulge in immorality without sinning (1John.1v10. 3v10.). “As they say,” “hos legousin.” Probably referring to the heretics who ridicule the piety of the other Christians.” End of quote.

Like the above Gnostics, Jezebel and her followers abandoned themselves to fleshly sins, and claimed a “divine revelation” for it, and indulged in “the deep things of Satan.” The Gnostics boasted of a special knowledge of "the depths" of divine things. They perverted the truths of Paul. See Rom.11v33. 1Cor.2v10. Their arrogant title, “Gnostics,” means “full of knowledge.” God declares their so-called "depths of knowledge,” are really "depths of Satan;" just as in Rev.2v9., God calls 'the synagogue of God,' which opposed and persecuted Christians, "the synagogue of Satan.” Beware of the, “Know it Alls,” who pervert the correct interpretation of Scripture, like Augustine did, with his doctrine of “Original Sin.”

In James.5v14-18., we see that repentance and confession of sin and persistent prolonged prayer may often be necessary to experience Divine healing in the Churches. v14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. v15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. v16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. v17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. v18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” Elijah’s persistent prolonged prayer is our example.

The second attack of the doctrine of “Original Sin” is even more serious than its twisted and evil view of repentance, for it attacks the glorious character of God, and the person and humanity of Jesus.

Augustine’s doctrine of “Original Sin” attacks the character and justice of God.
The teaching of “Original Sin” has turned the theology about God on its head. God is Love, and His first name is Compassion. 1John.4v8. Ex.34v6,7. However, Augustine’s doctrine of “Original Sin” has made God to be an unjust evil Despot, who does Satanic-like acts; for Augustine said that God sends innocent babies, who have not been baptised, into Hell forever, to share the same fate as the very worst sinner. This terrible Satanically inspired lie has devastating effects on a Christian’s perception of God, and their walk with God. Augustine’s doctrine of “Original Sin” is responsible for a great deal of the darkness in the minds of both believers and unbelievers about God, and has greatly hindered the knowledge of the truth about God’s wonderful character. When a Christian accepts Augustine’s doctrine of “Original Sin” as truth, it destroys their ability to perceive the truth about Jesus being a compassionate, sympathetic and faithful Great High Priest, who is the “Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith.” Heb.12v2.

In addition to the above appalling doctrine; the God who Augustine presents, is looked upon as a bundle of contradictions. This conclusion is arrived at in the mind of the believer in the following way: The believer thinks, “How can God ask me to live a righteous life, when I have been “born in sin,” and can’t help sinning, because I was created badly; and then He condemns me for my sins, which I cannot help doing.” This seems, and is, both illogical and unjust. Thank God, this is not true! It is a lie of the Devil.

Augustine’s “Original Sin” attacks Christ’s humanity and brings Docetism into the Church.
Augustine’s doctrine of “Original Sin” disastrously affects the doctrine of the person and humanity of Jesus Christ our Lord, and brings Docetic Gnosticism back into Church doctrine. The Docetic Gnostic heresy, which denied Christ’s true humanity, is automatically generated in the minds of believers who accept and believe the doctrine of Original Sin, in the following way. Believers conclude that if we have been “born in sin,” with sinful natures, which compel us to do evil; and since Jesus was without sin, He obviously did not possess this same sinful nature, so then He MUST have had a different kind of “humanity” to us. So the thought arises in the believer’s mind, that the humanity of Jesus was different from theirs. Thus, in a very subtle and cunning disguise, the destructive heresy of Docetic Gnosticism has come into the Church, and has corrupted the theology about the humanity of Jesus.

I have heard preachers say, based on Acts.20v28., that the blood of Jesus was the blood of God and not human blood. This is a total denial of the humanity of Christ, and in a very subtle and cunning disguise, is the destructive heresy of Docetic Gnosticism. This heresy arose in the Church in the later half of the First Century A.D., and Paul, in his letters to the Philippians, Colossians and 1Timothy, and John, in his Gospel, and First and Second Epistles, write very strongly against this heresy. The doctrine of “Original Sin,” revives, in a cunning way, the Docetic Gnostic heresy of the early Church. And from Augustine’s time, many Christians have not recognised the doctrine of “Original Sin” for what it is, a destructive Satan inspired heresy! John says that those who deny the true humanity of Jesus are, “Not of God.”

In 1John.4v2., “That Jesus Christ is come in the flesh,” “come,” is “eleluthota,” 2046, the perfect active participle of “erchomai,” 2064, to come; to appear. The perfect tense indicates that Christ’s coming in the flesh was a well-known established fact, and that the effects of Christ’s incarnation are an abiding reality. Jesus was not a Docetic phantom, He had a human body, and as Paul states in Rom.1v3., “Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh.”

The same words, “en” 1722, “sarki” 4561, “eleluthota” 2064, “is come in the flesh,” occur again, in 1Jn.4v3., and the apostle John declares that everyone who states that Jesus has not come in the flesh, “is not of God,” “ek tou Theou ouk estin,” literally, “is not out of God.” The apostle John goes on to state that those who deny the humanity of Jesus have the spirit of Antichrist, and are influenced by super-human evil angelic spirits. (Some reject the reading, “is come in the flesh,” here in 1Jn.4v3., because these words are omitted by A, B, and a few cursives, However they are included in Aleph, G, K, Phi, and most cursives, and the following versions, the Syriac, the Polyglot Arabic, Aethiopic, Coptic, Armenian, and Vulgate; and are recognised by Polycarp, Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian, Ambrose, Ps-Oecumenius, Theophylact, and Augustine.) The opponents of Christ's incarnation, and his passion, would be delighted to see these words omitted from the Scriptures.

Those who believe in “Original Sin” will find many of the truths contained in two of the most important books of the New Testament, Romans and Hebrews, impossible to comprehend. Understanding Paul’s letter to the Hebrews in based upon a correct knowledge of our Lord’s true humanity, and that Jesus and the believer share exactly the same kind of humanity. Failure to grasp this, means that the believer cannot comprehend our Lord as their sympathetic Great High Priest. This truth is a part of the doctrine of “repentance from dead works,” etc., in Heb.5v12. to 6v12., which is “the doctrine of the first principles of Christ,” (ASV)., “the basic teaching about Christ,” Heb.6v1. (NRSV)., “the first principles of the oracles of God.” Heb.5v12. (KJV). To get the doctrine about Jesus wrong destroys the Christian’s foundation.

A correct knowledge of the truth of our Lord’s humanity, and other vital truths about Him, is essential for Christians in the last days of this age, the Age of Grace. We will need to know our Lord as our Great High Priest as well as our Saviour, to enable us to overcome the appalling evil conditions that will come upon the world during the last three and a half years of this age, known as “The Great Tribulation.” We need to know that Jesus was indeed, “tempted in ALL points like as we are, yet without sin” during His hidden years at Nazareth, and during His Ministry, in a humanity exactly like our own. The knowledge of His tried humanity will strengthen and equip us for the evil last days. This is vital truth. Through His Intercessions and High Priestly ministry, Jesus will keep, guard, protect and strengthen us “in soul,” and give us victory and bring us through this terrible time. At the sounding of the last trumpet, we shall rise to meet Him in the air at His Second Advent, immediately after the tribulation of those days.

It is certainly not without reason that Paul, in writing to Timothy in 1Timothy.3v16., states the vital truth that, “God was manifest in the flesh,” and then immediately in the next verse, 1Timothy.4v1., goes on to state; “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils!” Paul knew that the destructive heresy of Docetic Gnosticism would still be in the Church in the last days and so he warns us against it, by stating that our Lord Jesus did indeed, “come in the flesh,” and had a humanity like our own. The doctrine of “Original Sin” attacks the humanity of Christ, and the end result of this attack will be apostasy, Paul says, the effect will be that “some will depart from the faith.”

Augustine’s doctrine of “Original Sin” attacks Christ’s High Priestly Ministry.
This Docetic heresy attacks both the earthly ministry of Jesus, and His High Priestly Ministry, for if the humanity of Jesus was not exactly like ours, how can He really be our compassionate, sympathetic and faithful Great High Priest. We cannot know Jesus as our perfect example, because the doctrine of “Original Sin” has created the following mindset in Christians; that if we are “born in sin,” then our Lord MUST have had a different humanity from us, because He was sinless. So Augustine’s theology largely veils Christ’s sympathetic, compassionate and faithful Great High Priestly ministry. The doctrine of “Original Sin “ has resulted in many of the great truths in the book of Hebrews being “hidden” from the minds of Christians, because of the failure to understand the true humanity of Jesus. It is also essential for Christians to grasp and understand Paul’s doctrine of “dead sin in the flesh, which is part of the first foundation truth, “repentance from dead works,” which is found in Heb.5v12 to 6v3., “the first principles of the oracles of God, the principles of the doctrine of Christ.” See also, Rom.7v8 to 8v3.

N.B. If we fail to know Jesus as our Great High Priest, we remain spiritually immature.
This can affect the whole of our lives. It is only by going through temptation, trials and testing with our Lord that godly “character” is produced in us, and through trials God brings our faith to Christian “perfection,” or better, Christian maturity. Heb.6v1. However, if we do not know Him as High Priest, He is hindered from taking us through the trials and tests that He desires to take us through, to give us a vital experimental knowledge of His High Priestly Ministry. Always remember, God will not try and tempt us beyond what we can bear. James.1v2-4,12. Rom.5v1-5. 1Cor.10v13. Heb.12v2.

N.B. If our “house” is not built upon truth as revealed in the Scripture, it will fall.
If we do not have the correct, soul-nourishing doctrine about Jesus, when times of temptation, testing and trial come along, our house will “fall.” Mt.7v24-27. We will also fail to come through our stormy times of life victoriously, and will fall by the wayside. Luke.8v5-8,11-15. Jesus emphasised that we have to eat His flesh and drink His blood, or we have no life in us, this is again emphasised in Hebrews 2, which speaks of, and emphasises, the need to realise the true humanity of Christ. See John.6v51-58.

N.B. Many of the vital truths in the book of Romans will not be fully understood.
We will badly fail to understand Romans.7v7 to 8v4 (esp. Romans 7v14-25) if we interpret it as Paul’s POST-conversion experience, instead of his PRE-conversion experience. Paul states that he was “carnal, sold under sin”. Rom.7v14. However, Paul has just written in Romans.6v6., where he categorically states, “knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” N.B. Rom.8v1-4.

In Rom.7v7 to 8v4., Paul teaches that he, like his Lord, were both born with, “dead sin in the flesh;” however, unlike his Lord, Paul, like everybody else, had yielded to this temptation from sin in the flesh, (from the sinful desires of the flesh), and Paul, like everyone else, had died spiritually as a result of yielding to this temptation. Whereas his Lord had resisted every temptation and conquered them, and thus had “condemned sin in the flesh.” Rom.8v3. This vital truth of the Lord’s true humanity is also clearly stated by Paul in Heb.2v17,18. and 4v14-16., where he states that Jesus was “made like unto His brethren in ALL THINGS,” and was, as a result, “tempted in ALL points tempted like we are.”

Pre-Augustinian Teaching.
N.B. The pre-Augustinian theological tradition is practically of one voice AGAINST Augustine’s theology, they assert the freedom of the human will. Three recurrent ideas are in their teaching:

1. They say that freewill is a gift given to man by God – for nothing can be independent of God.

2. They say that the rejection of freewill is the view of heretics.

3. They say that man possesses freewill, because he is made in God’s image, and God has freewill.

However Augustine saw fit to introduce the doctrine of the “Irresistible Gift of Faith,” (or irresistible gift of grace), this false doctrine of Augustine, conquered and corrupted much of the Church.

Augustine’s doctrine of “Original Sin” attacks Christ’s remarkable Faith and Ministry.
Jesus did all His miracles by believing what the Father revealed to Him, and He did them at the Father’s direction and with the Father’s power. Another terrible consequence of believing the doctrine of “Original Sin” and “Born in Sin” theories, is that many Christians have come to believe that the signs, wonders and miracles, that the Lord Jesus did during His earthly ministry were done by Him turning on His Divine power, and simply doing them at his own desire. However, nothing could be further from the truth.

Our Lord states in John.5v19,20,30., "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. v20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. v30 " I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” See John.14v10., “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.”

Paul tells us in Phil.2v7., that at the Incarnation, Jesus, “made Himself of no reputation.” (NKJV).
Other translations are as follows:

“Emptied himself.” (Revised Standard Version).

“Stripped Himself.” (Amplified Bible).

“Laid aside His mighty power and glory.” (The Living Bible).

“He gave up all He had.” (Today's English Version).

“He stripped Himself of the insignia of majesty.” (Lightfoot).

“Made Himself of no reputation” in the Greek is “heauton ekenosen”, literally translated means, “emptied Himself” of His Omnipotence, Omniscience, Omnipresence, Transcendence and Immutability, i.e. His Divine abilities. But after the “emptying” He still continued to be God, as v 6 states, “being in the form of God,” “huparchon en morphe Theou,” “being” is “huparchon”, the present active participle of “huparcho,” (“existing” is a better translation of the Greek) which denotes that what He was before the Incarnation (i.e. God) He continued to be after it, God, but God “emptied.”

So we see that it was impossible for the Lord Jesus to use His Divine abilities to do the miracles, because He “emptied Himself” of all His power and glory at the Incarnation. Paul then continues to tell us in Phil 2v7,8, that after Had “emptied” Himself, He then was: “taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man.” (NKJV).

A.T. Robinson gives the following helpful comments on Christ’s emptying in Phil.2v7,8:
“The form of a servant”, Greek, 'morphen doulou', He took the characteristic attributes ('morphen' as in v6) of a slave. His humanity was as real as His Deity.” End of quote.

“In the likeness of men”, Greek, en homoiomati anthropon”, It was a likeness, but a real likeness (Kennedy), no mere phantom humanity as the Docetic Gnostics held. Note the difference in tense between 'huparchon' (eternal existence in the 'morphe' of God) and 'genomenos' (second aorist middle participle of 'ginomai,' becoming, definite entrance in time upon his humanity).” End of quote.

“Being found in appearance as a man,” Greek, “schemati heuretheís hos anthropos”, “in appearance” is in Greek, “schemati”, and refers to that which is purely outward and appeals to the senses, “the outward guise" as it appealed to the sense of mankind, His outward guise was altogether human.

In Phil.2v5-11., Paul refutes the Docetic Gnostic theory that Jesus had no human body and the Cerinthian Gnostic teaching that the aeon Christ came upon and used the man Jesus, and that they were two separate beings. In Jn.4v1-6., John states that the denial of the humanity of Jesus by the Gnostics was the spirit of antichrist. Jesus had a real humanity as well as a true deity.

The Lord Jesus came into the world like any other child; He spent 40 weeks in the womb of Mary, and then was born in Bethlehem. The Lord Jesus having “emptied Himself” of His wisdom and knowledge at the time of the Incarnation, had to then learn it all again, and this He did as Luke tells us in Luke.2v40,52. “And the Child grew and became strong in spirit (Majority Text), filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him…. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.” (NKJV).

Jesus had to learn, develop and become spiritually strong just like any other child. The phrase “became strong in spirit” is the exact phrase that is used of the spiritual development of John Baptist. Lk.1v80.

In John.2v1-11., we see an interesting insight into Christ’s hidden years at Nazareth.
In v3, it states: “And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine." (NKJV). (“They have no wine,” in Greek is, "Oinon ouk echousin.”) The reaction of Jesus shows that this was not just a statement of fact, and that Mary was in reality making a request for a miracle. Mary’s statement speaks volumes, it reveals that she had not only treasured in her heart the wondrous events connected with the birth and childhood of Jesus, but that she had also personally witnessed miracles of provision for her family, (which had been hidden from the rest of the family). Lk.2v40,52. Mary remembered how miracles of provision had met their needs on many occasions, when they had no money to buy food or wine for the family. This poverty was not because Jesus neglected His work to pray, it was because people did not pay their bills, because of circumstances, or because Satan had inspired and provoked dishonest people not to pay their bills for work that Jesus had done.

Jesus was tempted in all points like us. Heb.4v15. He knew what it was to be under severe financial deprivation and constraint, when he had to feed the large family of Mary (at least seven children besides Himself, Mk.6v3.) after Joseph had died. Mary had come a long way in God from the time when Jesus, at twelve, said in Lk.2v42,49,50., to Mary and Joseph in the Temple, v49 "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" v50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.” (NKJV). What had produced this change, and real and deep faith? Mary knew and believed, from a rich personal experience of acts of Divine provision by miracles through the prayers of Jesus in her home, that Jesus could do a miracle to meet the need for wine.

God did not leave Mary to fight the battle alone over the dishonour and criticism that came upon her over the birth of Jesus, God stood by her and gave her many infallible proofs of His caring love, through many acts of miraculous provision at Nazareth, through the developing prophetic ministry of Jesus. These demonstrated that Jesus was indeed the Christ, the Holy One of God. Mary’s command to the servants in Jn.2v5., "Do whatever He tells you,” shows the living and deep faith of Mary in Jesus, and her faith in His ability to perform a miracle. It was not a first act of blind faith; Mary had proved that “whatever” Jesus told her to do, in the realm of miraculous provision, came to pass. Mary had a list in her mind of numerous “whatevers” that had come to pass and produced miracles of provision for her family, and probably others also. This, and this alone, can explain Mary’s confident, “Do whatever he tells you."

Where do we find the source of the development of Christ’s tremendous prophetic ministry?
We read the following in Psalm 69v8-12,19,20,21: “I have become a stranger to my brothers, and an alien to my mother's children; v9. Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me. v10. When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, that became my reproach. v11. I also made sackcloth my garment; I became a byword to them. v12. Those who sit in the gate speak against me, and I am the song of the drunkards.----- v19. You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonour; my adversaries are all before You. v20. Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness, (the Hebrew adds, “and distressingly sick”) I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. v21. They also gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”

This Scripture reveals both the source and reason for the violent opposition against Jesus, it was the remarkable prayer life of Jesus at Nazareth, which brought rejection and ostracism from His brothers and sisters and the people of Nazareth. Satan saw to it that Christ’s life of prayer and fasting, stirred up opposition against Jesus, and He was mocked and sent to Coventry because of it.

If we say that Jesus prayed during His life at Nazareth, and the above prophetic facts in Ps.69v8-11., about His life of prayer and fasting, prove that He did, then we must acknowledge that He must have had power gifts to bring an answer to His prayers. Jesus lived in continuous communion with the Father, He, like Enoch, walked with God His Father. The love-dominated nature of Jesus desired and loved to walk in the Spirit, it was His very nature to dwell in the Father and the Father in Him, and prayer was as natural to Him as breathing. Jn.14v10,11. 1Jn.2v24. Paul states in 1Cor.12v31., that spiritual gifts are automatically manifested if we walk and pray in the “more excellent way,” (“kath huperbolen hodon”) of “agape” love. Jesus certainly prayed, lived, and walked in love at Nazareth, so God His Father gave Him the revelation and power gifts on their highest levels of manifestation. It is impossible to believe that the child Samuel had more and greater revelations from God the Father than God’s pure and holy child Jesus, His only begotten Son. Jesus revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush in the wilderness of Sinai, to prepare Moses for his ministry, the bush burned daily for Jesus at Nazareth as the Father prepared Jesus for His ministry.

Our Lord was truly a prophet like unto Moses. Acts 3v22,23. And just as Moses was prepared for his ministry through daily living, so God prepared Jesus for His ministry through His daily life at Nazareth. This not only involved revelation about truth, the Father also gave Jesus information about people’s needs, and trained Him in the operation of the gifts of power and revelation. Christ’s Divine love, mercy, and compassion drove, and irresistibly constrained Him to pray for people in need; He could not help Himself. His secret prayers and intercessory “sighs too deep for words, and inexpressible yearnings” (“stenagmois alaletos,” Rom.8v26.), breathed out on the behalf of people’s needs, could not help but operate spiritual gifts in delivering power, for Jesus lived and prayed perfectly on “the more excellent way” of perfect love. The operation of these gifts was mightily effective, but totally hidden from people, and no one knew of the source of their divine help. Is.49v1,2. 50v3-7. The vision ministry and prayer life of Jesus was totally directed by God the Father, and the power and influence of His prayer life, has never been equalled, and cannot be overstated.

By the time the Lord Jesus was 30 years old He was “full of grace and truth”, and had become the perfect Servant. As there had never been any sin in Him, the Father gave His Son, the Holy Spirit without measure at His baptism, at the River Jordan, to fulfil His Messianic Mission, of preaching the Gospel to the poor, healing the broken-hearted, the recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth the crushed in liberty, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. Jn.1v14, 3v34, Lk.4v18,19, Isa.35v5,6.

By saying that the Lord Jesus did His miracles by simply turning on His Divine power, we rob Him completely of His true glory. His unique glory was the beautiful sinless loving life that He had lived at Nazareth, during which time the Father had prepared Him for His ministry, which He accomplished by total reliance upon the Father, so that He could say: “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of me.” John 6v57 (NKJV). Christ said that He lived by faith in the Father and by the life of the Father, and He said that we are to depend on Him as He depended on the Father. Christ Jesus has given us the perfect example to follow in all things.

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