Thursday, March 12, 2009

Desires that gently tickle the mind

Institutes of the Christian Religion (1559)
Book 2 - God the Redeemer
Chapter 2 - Man deprived of freedom of choice

Sections 22-25 - Sin is distinct from ignorance, vs. Plato

Section 22 - The evidence of God's will that man possesses makes him inexcusable but procures for him no right knowledge.
Men know better how to behave properly than they know about God.
Romans 2:14-15.
Without revealed law, we still have our conscience to condemn us.
We do not sin out of ignorance, but knowing it is wrong.

Section 23 - Our judgment of good and evil is unclear
We may condemn sin generally, while still approving our specific sin.
Or we are upset that we continue falling into a sin, knowing it is wrong.
Or we aren't even disturbed by our stubborn persistence in sin.

Section 24 - knowledge wholly fails as regards the 1st 4 commandments
Knowledge is better regarding the last 6, but still fails.
We don't account for our desires, which overwhelm our minds.

Section 25 - Every day we need the Holy Spirit that we may not mistake our way
We don't always sin by evil intent.
We have only evil intent, without the Spirit.
Gen 6:5; 8:21; 1 Cor 3:20; Ps 94:11.
We need help to think rightly.
Psalm 119:10, 12, 18, 19, 26, 33, 34, 64, 68, 73, 124, 125, 135, 169.
Col 1:9-10; Phil 1:9; Ps 51:10.

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