Thanks, Mark, for the link. I now know more exactly how and where our two lines of thought diverge. You have strived hard to maintain an orthodox theology, which, I must admit, is the best starting point for instructing newcomers to the Christian Faith, including one’s children. But in my case, when I started high school and was attracted to a career in science, I began to form a world view that threatened to make my orthodox faith irrelevant, just as it had done for so many of my colleagues later in life. When I learned more about evolution, and how it provided the best explanation (while still not perfect) of how humankind appeared on this planet, I realized that the belief that a perfect God made the first human perfect (or at least sinless) could NOT be the full truth. We learn from evolution that humans sprang from a line of primates that like all sentient life, behaved amorally–i.e. instinctively and largely selfishly. Being unaware of God or of His Purpose, animals (including our primate ancestors) behaved in ways we now consider evil. But, without a conscience, they could not Sin.
When God gave Homo sapiens a conscience (rather suddenly if the GLF is factual), there was the opportunity for Homo sapiens to rise above instinct and act morally, thus striving to become His Image Bearers. But doing so often proved to be difficult, and whenever we refuse His Gift, we sin.
I would like to reprint some passages from your Thesis 4 to illustrate how close some of your views (portions italicized) are to mine:
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I say the same thing Paul says about the relationship between sin, death, and the law. Before he knew the law, he had life and sin was dead. But once the commandment came, sin came to life (it entered his world) and he died. What I am suggesting is that the condition Paul describes is just what it was like for those men who lived before Adam. They were alive apart from the law. They were acting out of God’s will, but there was no law and hence no accountability.
Once Adam, as the stand-in for all mankind, broke the law [refused God’s Gift] then sin came to life and Adam died (as the Bible defines death). If any of them had been perfect, they would not have died, but none of them were. All of them needed the protection afforded by Adam as the stand-in for all of mankind, even as we need the protection afforded by Christ as our stand-in. _
Sin sprang to life. What was once dead had existence in the world. That is what is meant by sin “entering” the world. There is no need for theologians to concoct another method of entry of sin into the world besides the one Paul describes two chapters later. Sin was dead [i.e. nonexistent] before Adam’s failure [refusing the Gift]. After that, it was alive and Adam was dead. Sin entered, became alive, in the world.
The deeds were old [evil arising from animal instinct] The guilt was new. The shame was new. The separation from God due to willful disobedience and a stained conscience was new.
Mankind [prior to the GLF] was already doing things God disapproved of, but they were doing so in a state of innocence, like children.
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You may well consider that the ‘adjustments’ I have made to your views push them over the cliff into heresy. They may only be useful as a means of keeping young folks from becoming so beguiled by the theory of evolution that they are close to throwing Baby Faith out with the bathwater.
Wishing you a blessed Christmas and a healthful happy New Year.
Al Leo