God talk

  14 th 12 2020 As we have seen Herman Bavinck the master theologian takes us to look at the human situation after the fall but before conversion.   This person is spoken of as the ‘natural man’.   Spiritual death never means according to Bavinck ‘nonbeing’.   God created man gave him a soul and a spirit and they can do all the things anyone can do.   The problem however is that the relationship with God has been broken.   This cannot be fixed by man and no one can fix it themselves.   We are annihilated from God for all eternity and we cannot save ourselves.   Every facet of the person has been affected by the Fall and Bavinck gives many scripture references to show this.    I went for my long walk today and I was pondering about the situation of the ‘natural man’ who finds himself in the predicament.    One may argue that he/she is not in this predicament because he can do what he wants.   I would say that the world blinds this man/ woman by giving them the selfish desires of

  So, on page 82 we have seen a change of condition and now we found ourselves separated from God.     Bavinck raises the question of whether or not this condition is permanent and whether or not we as humans have the power to change our human condition in relation to God.   This is a very important question because if it is permanent then we would be separated from God for all eternity.   In this situation according to Bavincks interpretation of Pelagius the heretic we are of our own accord able to change our condition. For Pelagius ‘sin only has power because of habit’.   So, all you have to do is break the habit of sin.   Bavinck then proves from the Scriptures that this is completely impossible. As Bavinck says, “The will has lost its real, material freedom”.   This is the traditional and right view for me as well.   I know for example that Martin Luther in a huge disagreement with Erasmus wrote the Bondage of the Will that the will is a prisoner and cannot break out of t