Harmartiology: The Doctrine of Sin

We title the study of the Doctrine of sin as Harmartiology. The root word harmartia is a Greek word for sin; it comes from a word that literally means to miss the mark and not share in the prize. The suffix –ology identifies a ‘science’. It is called a science because it consists of systematically and logically arranged facts.

The Scene of the Fall

The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

In the midst of the garden was placed two trees of destiny. The first was a tree of life, but the second was the forbidden tree of knowledge of good and evil. Why did God place such a horrid tree in the midst of Eden’s blissful paradise? It was a test for man.

The Tempter

In his temptation of the Crown of God’s Creation, satan employed the agent of a serpent. The outstanding characteristic of this serpent was that it was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. The serpent, satan, was that eternally damned and rebellious angel of God. Why would he be allowed to put one foot into the garden, or be allowed to operate in that blessed place? It was a test for man.

The Test

The preceding answer leads us to one ultimate question of purpose—Why was it necessary for man to be tested?

First, God’s desire is to fellowship with a people that chooses to love Him. He is not content to have the admiration of mindless robots. Second, in order for there to be a ‘choice’ there must be at least two options or there is really no ‘choosing.’ Therefore, the Tree of Knowledge was placed in the garden to test man’s devotion to God.

Let us consider two other relevant questions:

1) Did man’s failure reflect at all on God? No. God is infallible. God created and designed man, but He also gave man the freedom of choice. Man’s fall does not expose some flaw in God’s design, but emphasizes the wonderfulness of God’s design. God designed it so that man could choose God, but he also had the liberty to not choose God and His ways.

2) Did Adam HAVE to sin? No. If Adam HAD to sin, there would still have existed no true ‘choice’ for Adam simply would have had ‘no choice’ but to sin. With every test from God comes also the grace to overcome! We can pass the test by the grace of God. There existed for Adam and still exists for us the potential of not falling.

Jude 1:24—Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

Mafundisho Kuhusun Dhambi

Harmartiology

Tumetoa nukta za mafundisho kuhusu dhambi kama harmartiology ya mzizi tamko- harmartia ni tamko za kiyunani yenye mana dhambi. Imetoka kwenye tamko yenye maana kamili ya kutokufika kwenye mwisho ili kusudi kuipata tuzo. Tamko za mwisho- ology maana: maarifa. Imeitwa maanifo, sababu imeundwa kwa jinsi ya mbinu na usahihi.

Jambo Kuhusu Kuanguka

Mti wa ufahamu wa mazuri na mabaya.

Katikati ya bustani kukikuepo miti mbili ya lengo ya maisha. Ya kwanza ilikuwa mti ya maisha, bali ya pili ilikuwa mti yenye kukatazwa, yani ya ufahamu ya muzuri na mabaya. Sababu gani Mungu aliyatia hiyo mti mbovu katikati paradiso yenye raha ya Edeni?

Mjaribu.

Katika kujaribu kwake umbo la tajila Mungu, shetani alitumiya mbfano wa nyoka. Tabia yake ya upekee huyu nyoka ilikuwa ujanja zaidi kuliko nyama lolote za mwituni (shambani) ambayo mfalme Mungu aliumba. Nyoka, shetani, alikuwa malaika mwenye kulainiwa na mwenye kuinukia Mungu. Sababu gani yule aliruhusiwi kuingizana dani ya bustani? Hama sababu gani aliruhusiwi Kutenda katika mahali hiyi yenye kubarikiwa? Ilikuwa kwa kumpima Mtu.

Jambo kuhusu kupima

Jibu hiyi imetujuzu kufika kwenye swali ya mwisho ambayo ni mpango- sababu gani ilokuwa ya muhimu kumpima mtu?

Ya kwanza, mapenzi la Mungu ni urafiki na watu ambaye wamechagua kumpenda. Haitaji mtu na uwamuzi wa vitu ambayo havina mafikiri lolote (robote).

Ya pili, ili kusudi “uchaguzi” ukuepo, kumepashwa kuwa uchaguzi mbili, na kama sivyo, akuna “uchaguzi lolote”. Kumbe, mti wa ufahamu ilikuepo kwenye bustani ili kusudi kuupima uambatano wa mtu na Mungu. Kumbe wache tushururikie swali hiyi mbili kamili:

1) Udhaifu wa Mtu ulitoka kwa Mungu? Hamna . Mungu hana udhaifu na kamwe haanguki. Mungu aliumba na kumfanya mtu, walakini alimpatia tena uhuru katika uchaguzi. Kuanguka kwake mtu haionyesho ubovu wa mpango wa Mungu, walakini imedhihirisha ukubwa wa mpango huwu. Mungu aliipanga hivyo ili kusudi mtu amchague Mungu, walakini alikuwa tena na uhuru ya kutokumuchagua Mungu na manjia yake.

2) Adamu alipashwa kutenda dhambi? Hamna. Ikaua Adamu alipashwa kuyatenda, hakungi kuwa “uchaguzi” halisi, kuani Adamu hange kuwa na “uchaguzi” lakini dhambi katika majaribu kutekea kwa Mungu, kumetoka tena neema za kushinda! Tumeweza kuyashinda kwa ajili ya neema yake Mungu. Kulikuepo na tena kumekuwa uwezo wa kushinda.

Yuda 1:24—Yeye awezaye kuwalinda nyinyi msijikwae, na kuwasimamisha mbele ya utukufu wake bila mawaa katika furaha kuu.

The Fact of the Fall

The most tragic event connected with man is his fall into sin. Genesis 3:1-6 reveals that the first man fell. The steps in the fall were:

Listening to slanders about God. vs. 1

Hath God said…?

Doubting God’s Word and His love. vs. 4,5

“God is keeping something wonderful from you!”

Looking at what God has forbidden.

And when the woman saw…the tree v. 6 (Compare with Joshua 7:21.)

Note the steps of sin:

“I saw”

“I coveted”

“I took”

“I hid”

Lusting for what God has prohibited. v.6

Here we have the “Lust of the flesh”, “Lust of the eyes” and the “Pride of life” spoken of in 1 John 2:16. (Compare with Luke 4:1-15.)

Mambo kuhusu Kuanguka

Shida kuu ambayo iligandamana na mtu, ni kuanguka kwake katika dhambi. Mwanzo 3:1-6 imeonyecha kwamba mtu wa kwanza alianguka. Atua ya kuanguka ilikuwa hiyi.

Kusikiliza makufuru kuhusu Mungu. (3:1)

Shauri ya Kwanza: Mungu alisema…?

Kushakia neno la Mungu na mapendo yake. (3:4,5)

“Mungu amekuficha kitu kyenye zuada kuu!”

Kutazama kitu Mungu alikataza.

Na wakati muke aliyaona…mti (3:6) (linganisha na Yoshua 7:21).

Uyakumbuke atua ya dhambi:

“Niliona”

“Nilitamani”

“Nilichukua”

“Nilijificha”

Tamaa za Kitu Mungu alikataza. (3:6)

Hapa tuna “tamaa za mwili”, “tamaa za macho” na “mafirino za maisha” yenye kuzungumziwa katika I Yohana 2:16. (Linganisha na luka 4:1-15)

The Results of the Fall

Upon Man’s Physical Nature

The ground was cursed, so that henceforth it would not yield good alone. Gen. 3:17

“How often are all the fruits of man's toll destroyed by blasting, by mildew, by insects, wet weather, land floods, etc.! Anxiety and carefulness are the labouring man's portion.”—Adam Clarke

Multiplied sorrow and pain to the woman in childbearing and labor, and subjection of the woman to her husband. Genesis 3:16

…I will multiply…could also be rendered “in multiplying, I will multiply” as it is rendered in Genesis 22:17. Here is a figure of speech expressing a multiplication ontop of a multiplication. What pain the woman experiences in childbirth since the fall is in the very least much greater than was ever intended.

…and he shall rule over thee. In the beginning a great responsibility was given to Adam to care for, have dommionion over and protect God’s creation. God looked down on Adam’s solitude and said it was not good for man to be alone. This is why God created Eve. She was to be a ‘help meet” to Adam in his great charge. At her creation, the woman had probably as much right to rule as the man, but subjection to the will of her husband is one part of her curse.

Exhausting physical labor in order to subsist. Genesis 3:19

This hard labor should serve as a reminder to man of his sin. Sin is a hard master and the labor of sin is difficult. In years gone by, hard labor was a more common part of a criminal’s sentence. The hardness of the labor, combined with the amount of time served, proved to be an effective deterrent to crime. If we choose to do things our way in rebellion to God’s will, we are destined to great toil. God’s way and method is ALWAYS best. (There remains a rest to the people of God! Hebrews 4:9)

Physical and spiritual death. Genesis 3:19; 3:2; 5:5; Romans 5:12

Of course, with all this came also a fear of God, a shame of sin, a hiding from God’s presence, and finally, an expulsion from the garden. Genesis 3:8-11,22-24

Adam and Eve suffered from a guilty conscience. The evidences of their guilty consciences were they ran, hid, and tried to cover themselves. There is shame, as well as death, in sin.

The Fall Perverted Man’s Instincts [see ILL #1 p.58]

The works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) are a perversion of man’s instincts.

(a. Matt. 4:10; Isa. 14:12-14; b. Gen.2:17; 4:8; c. Gen. 2:15; John 10:10;

d. Gen. 1:19; Isa. 56:11; e. Gen. 1:28;2 Sam. 11:2 f. Gen. 1:18;Luke 2:1)

Matokeo ya Kunvuguka

(Juu ya ) mahali pa maisha ya mtu

Udongo ililainiwa, na haiweze kutoa tunda yenyewe. (Mwanzo 3:17)

“Maur ngapi matunda kutokea kwa tabu za mtu ziliharibika na maadudu, na umajimaji, na wakati mbovu, nakadhalika! Sikitiko na angalisho imeambatana na kazi yake mtu.”—Adam Clarke

Sikitiko na uchungu yenye kuongezeka ni yake muke katika kuchua mimba na kuzora, na uti wa muke kwa mume wake. (Mwanzo 3:16)

…. Nitazidisha… iliweza kutafsiriwa: “kwa kuzidisha, nitazidisha” kama vile ilitafsiriwa katika kitabu cha Mwanzo 22:17. Hiyi ni jinsi za kusema zimeonyesha kuzidi kuu juu ya kuzidi. Utungu ambayo muke ameona tangu kuanguka imekuwa mwisho yake kubwa mna kuliko yenyee kuwa kwa mafikiri.

… na atamtawala. Mwanzo Adamu alipewa wajibu kuu ya kutimiza, kulinda na kutawala umbo la Mungu. Mungu alitafakau upweke wa Adamu na alisema kwamba ilikuwa mbaya kwa mtu kuwa peke yake. Ndiyo sababu Mungu aliumba Eva ili kusudi awe msaidizi kwa kazi yake kuu. Wakati aliumbwa ilionekana kama alikuwa na haki pamoja na mume ya kutawala, wakini kutishwa kwenye mume wake imekuwa sehemu moja za laina.

Kazi ngumu za mwili ili kuishi.

Mwanzo 3:19

Kazi ngumu ya paswa kuwa kama ukumbusho wa dhambi yake. Dhambi ni mwalimu mgumu na kazi zake ni ngumu katika mwaka ipitayo, kazi ngumu ilikuwa zaidi schemu kawaida ya hukumu ya muhalimu. Ugumu wa kazi, pamoja urefu wa wakati wa kazi, imeonyesha kuwa kizuizo kyenye nguvu cha udhalimu. Ikawa tumeadhimu kutenda kwa mamna zetu kunyume ya mapenzi ya Mungu, tumetolewa kwa dhiki kuu. Njia ya Mungu na mbinu yake ni siku sote nzuri zaidi. (Hapa kumebaki mabaki kwa watu wa Mungu! Waebrania 4:9).

Kifo cha roho na mwili.

Mwanzo 3:19; 3:2; 5:5; wrumi 5:12.

Kweli, na hiyo yote kume kuwepo tena hoga za Mungu, haya ya dhambi, ficho mbele ya Mungu, na mwisho kuondoshwa kwenye bustani.Mwanzo 3:8-11, 22-24.

Adamu na Eva walisumbuka na dhamiri yenye hatia. Hakikisho y dhamiri yao yenye hatia ni kukimbia, kujificha na kujaribu kujitanda wenyewe. Kuna haya tena kifo kati ya dhambi.

Mahali pa maisha ya kiroho.

Watu wote, bila tofauti y akitu, ni wakosaji (watenda dhambi) mbele ya Mungu. Warumi 3 :9,22,23 ; Zaburi 14 ; Isaya 53 :6.

Kumeweza kuwa tofauti katika uzito wa dhambi myongoni mwa watu, walakini sikamwe kuhusu dhambi yenyewe. – wote walitenda dhambi.

Ulimengu mzima imeketi chini ya hukumu, pasira na laana.

Warumi 3 :19–Ili kila kinywa kifumbwe, na ulimwengu wote uwe chini ya hukumu ya Mungu.

Torati zimeomba utii kamilifu, walakini mtuhasiyo geuka hawezi kuwa na hiyi utii ; kumbe laina ya kuyanvunja sheria imeketi juu ya wale ambaye wameyavunja.

Johana 3:36; Wagalatia 3:10 ; waefeso 2:3

Watu ambaye hawaya ngeuka wameangaliwa kama watoto wa ibilisi na siyo kama watoto wa Mungu. Iyohama 3:8-10; Yohana 8:44.

“ Nyinyi ni wa Baba yenu ibilisi”.

I Yohana 5 :9–Twajua ya kuwa sisi tu wa Mungu, na dunia yote pia hukaa katika yule mwovu.

Ukoo wote wa watu umekwisha Kufungwa kwa dhambi na shetani.

Waefeso 2 :3—Ambao zamani sisi sote nasi tulimenda kati yao, katika tamaa za muili yetu, tulipoyatimiza mapenzi ya mwili na ya nia tukawa kwa tabia yetu watoto wa hasira kama na hao waigine.

Maumbili yote ya mtu- Kwa nia- kiroho- kwa mwenende, na kimwili iko yenye kuguswa na dhambi.

Akili zimetiwa giza waefeson 4 :18 ; Iwakorinto 2 :14

Waefeson 4:18—Ambao akili zao zimetiwa giza, nao wamefarikishwa na uzima wa Mungu, kwa sababu ya ujinga uliomo ndami yao, kwa sababu ya ugumu wa mioyo yao:

Iwakorinto 2:14—Basii mwandamu wa tabia ya asili hayapotei mambo ya Roho wa Mungu; maana kwake huyo ni upuzi, wala hawezi kuya fahamu, kwa kuwa yatambuli kama kwa jinsi ya rohoni.

Roho ni danganifu na ovu. Yeremia 17 :9,10

Yeremia 17 :9—Roho ni danganifu juu ya vitu vyote, na ovu bila taraja lolote…

Nia na dhamiri ni yenye kuchafuka. Mwanzo 6 : 5.

Tito 1 :15—Vitu vyote ni safi kwa hao waliosafi ; lakini hakuna kilicho safi kwao walio wanajisi, wasioamini ; bali akili zao zimekuwa naji, na nia zaopia.

Mapenzi nin yenye kulegezwa. Warumi 7 :18

Warumi 7:18—Kwa maana najua ya kuwa ndani yangu, yoani, ndani ya mwili wangu, halikai neno jema; kwa kuwa kutaka nataka, bali kutenda lililo jema sipati.

Munyofu na Roho ni najisi.

II Wakorinto 7 :1… na tujitakase nafsi zetu na uchafu wote wa mwili na roho, huku tukitimiza utakatifu katika kumcha Mungu.