The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 303

—

XIII.

Sin a

Power

in

Reversed Action. *'

ye

If

live after the flesh

die."

Altho

sin is originally

vation, in its

This the

is

working

it is

shown by the

new man, but

Rom.

ye

shall

viii. 13.

and essentially a loss, alack, and a depria positive evil and a malignant power. apostolic injunction not only to put on

man

also to put off the old

with his works.

The

well-known theologian Maccovius, commenting on this, aptly remarks: "This could not be enjoined if sin were merely a loss of light and life for a mere lack ceases as soon as it is supplied." If sin were merely a loss of righteousness, nothing more would ;

be needed than

its restoration,

and

sin

ting off of the old man, or the laying

would disappear. The putof the yoke of sin, etc.,

down

would be out of the question. The light has only to dispel the But experience soul's darkness, and its health will be restored. shows that after we are enlightened, and the Holy Spirit has entered our heart, there is still a fearful power of evil in us; and this together with the oft-repeated eousness of

God which

to be separate

and

evil

power

from

all

is

by

that

command faith,

is evil,

in individuals

and

not only to accept the right-

but also to put

off,

to lay aside,

proves sin's positive character

in society, in spite of its priva-

tive character.

Hence the Church confesses that our nature has become corrupt, which of course refers us back to the divine image. Our nature did not disappear, nor cease to be our nature, but in

its

orignal fea-

remained the same the divine image was not lost, not even partly lost, but remained stamped upon every man, and will remain even in the place of eternal destruction, simply because he can not divest himself of his nature except by annihilation. But this being impossible, he must retain it as man and in mans nature. Wherefore Scripture teaches long after the fall that the sinner is created after the image of God. But concerning the tures and organs

it

;

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