When looking at John 3:14-16 I’ve encountered three major
views which expand, restrict or flatten the text. The labels which I will be
using are placed in an effort to categorize the interpretation not to refer to
any of them pejoratively. Note that there may be some intermingling of these categories
but this post isn’t concerned with that. Neither is this post concerned with
any theological framework that may be influencing the interpretation. My sole
purpose is to see if either of the interpretations handles the material
correctly and if it supports the subsequent thesis.
Category: study
What am I saying then: Is the Law actually sin? Are they equal?
No, come on now—of course not. I wouldn’t have known what I was doing was wrong
if it wasn’t for the Law telling me it was wrong. I wouldn’t have known that
coveting was specifically wrong until the Law told me I wasn’t to do it.
Therefore I knew: Coveting is Wrong.
We have seen how Cain was affected by Adam?s sin; weak worship, ignoring God?s word, giving himself over to the sin that awaited him and then lying about it. But that event was pretty close to Adam?s sin. We?ll have to cover a broader time span to figure out how Adam?s sin affects mankind and what it means to God?s promises.
God’s interrogation of Cain was as gentle as Adam’s: asking
questions without accusing until the need comes for that. It is the honest
seeking of a repentant heart—even though the black heart before Him would lie
and prance around the truth and finally whines upon hearing God’s righteous
judgment.
Special thanks to Marvin for pointing out that the charts
section of the Archive was suffering from DSTS (Defunct Server Transfer Syndrome).
Now you can all witness the clicking power of this fully linked and operational
charts section.