Lent - Day 10 (February 28)

Larger Catechism – Day 10 of Lent

Question 26:  How is original sin passed from Adam and Eve to their descendants?

A. Original sin passes from Adam and Eve to their descendants by natural procreation, so that all subsequent human offspring are conceived and born in sin.

Question 27: What misery did the fall bring on the human race?

A. The fall brought on the human race the loss of fellowship with God along with his displeasure and curse. Consequently, we are children of wrath, bondslaves of Satan, and justly subject to every punishment in this world and the next.

Many years ago my oldest brother found out that he had juvenile diabetes.  The gene for juvenile diabetes is passes from one generation to the next by natural procreation.  When the mother and the father carry the gene for juvenile diabetes there is a chance that the offspring will get the disease.  One brother got the disease and three did not.  However, each of us is carrier of that gene.

In much the same way, original sin is passed from parents to children by natural procreation.  Sin begets sin.  We are all marked with the stain of sin. 

The fall had a profound impact on the human race.  First, fellowship with God was broken.  Shattered.  Ended.  Second, God kept his promise and the curse of death, toil and pains of childbirth became a reality.  Humankind’s first parents chose the way of Satan rather that the way God.  In doing so, they (and we) became servants of Satan.

You might be thinking, “Hey, wait a second.  I didn’t make that decision!”  Well, you can blame Adam and Eve for that (oh, by the way—you and I haven’t been perfect.  We have become bondservants of Satan by our own doing as well!).

Slavery was commonplace in the USA back at a darker time in our history.  People were kidnapped in foreign lands and sold into slavery.  They were shipped to this country and were slaves.  They had children—and their children were slaves.  They were born into slavery.  Those children got older and had their own children—and their children were slaves.  They did not choose to be slaves, they were born into slavery.

You and I are born into slavery to Satan because of original sin.  We are born into the punishment that came with sin because of original sin.

Apart from Jesus we are bondservants of Satan.  Freedom only can be found in Jesus! 

Note:  There will not be a blog post for Sunday, March 1.  The forty days of Lent do not include Sundays.  Sundays are days to celebrate the resurrection and to worship God.