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| Q15: How does Ellen White define orginal sin?
(26) : GREEK "kathistemi" : "rule" Hypothesis: How does Ellen White view Orginal Sin? How does Ellen White view the Greek word "kathistemi"? Introduction: Many people assume when Adam and Eve sinned they they passed their Orginal Sin unto every person born, thus we are automatically born sinners? Is this Biblical ? Do Ellen White messages uphold the idea of being born sinners? It is true when Adam and Eve sinned mankind has inherited the consequences of their sinning, but this is not the same thing as inheriting their sinning. Each is held in judgement for their own sinning and not the sinning of their parents. Eze 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. Since the consequences of Adam's sinning rests entirely on how to understand the Greek word "kathistemi" in the New Testament, we will study this word in the New Testament, without looking for its Hebrew equivalent, and thus asking Jeff Benner for a Hebrew meaning. (1) Adam is King of Planet Earth. First let's establish that Adam was a king or prince over planet Earth. Job 1:6 � Now there was a day when the sons of God "Elohim" came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. These "sons of Elohim" were Princes of unfallen worlds, coming regularly to meet the heavenly Family. Eze 28:17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Satan or Lucifer came regularly to the heavenly FAMILY meetings too, to spread iniquity and subtle lies about GOD. Notice these Kings watch and see everything Lucifer or Satan does, especially on the earth. Now let's test this concept from Ellen White messages:- {1BC 1082.2} Adam was crowned king in Eden. To him was given dominion over every living thing that God had created. The Lord blessed Adam and Eve with intelligence such as He had not given to any other creature. He made Adam the rightful sovereign over all the works of His hands. Man, made in the divine image, could contemplate and appreciate the glorious works of God in nature (Redemption; or the Temptation of Christ, p. 7). The messages from Ellen White are in perfect agreement with Scripture, as we expect if they are recorded by the Holy Spirit, in Ancient Hebrew thought. (2) Adam loses his crown ! If Adam sinned in Eden we would expect Adam to lose His crown as King and Satan to become the King of Planet Earth. Do the Scriptures tell us this ? First we have to use our Bible methods to translate a Greek Bible word correctly... How do we do this ? First get all the verses of the word on a page like so :- 2525. kayisthmi kathistemi, kath-is'-tay-mee from 2596 and 2476; to place down (permanently), i.e. (figuratively) to designate, constitute, convoy:--appoint, be, conduct, make, ordain, set. Never use the Strong's for help in meaning. Typically you are relying on a human for wisdom rather than the Holy Spirit, and Strong's list over 10 different meanings for the Greek word "kathistemi". How ridiculous is this ? First you have to believe that in any language, all words have a single basic meaning regardless of its context. Sure a few words in any language might have multiple meanings for a word, but's uncommon or rare. If you don't believe in this assumption, we can't even agree on a Bible method for studying our Bibles. You would have many scholars agreeing with you, for they seem to think any language has hundreds of multiple meaning words in any language, and Hebrew and Greek is no exception. Really people, how can be be so blind to the simple facts of a language ? In the development of a village like language, simple words come into being with a single picture in mind, and over time, perhaps because of technology and from invasions of other cultures would words have other multiple meanings, but generally such things are uncommon. So assuming you also believe words should have a single basic meaning regardless of the context, we can continue.. Here is the entire list so far;- Mt 24:45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Mt 24:47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. Mt 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Mt 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Lu 12:14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? Lu 12:42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Lu 12:44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. Ac 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. Ac 7:10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. Ac 7:27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? Ac 7:35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. Ac 17:15 And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed. Ro 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Tit 1:5 � For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: Heb 2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Heb 5:1 � For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: Heb 7:28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore. Heb 8:3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.(KJV) Once you have the list, look for an English word that can be pictured as the basic picture for the words regardless of it's context. Do not use the most common English word already there, but a word that must fit every context. Like so:- Mt 24:45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? whom his lord hath made a ruler.. Mt 24:47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. That he shall make him ruler Mt 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. I will make thee ruler Mt 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. I will make thee ruler Lu 12:14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? Man, who made me a ruler? Lu 12:42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? whom his lord shall made a ruler over.. Lu 12:44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. he will make him a ruler Ac 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may make a ruler over this business Ac 7:10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. and he made him ruler over Egypt Ac 7:27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? Who made thee a ruler ? Ac 7:35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. Who made thee a ruler ? Ac 17:15 And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed. And they ruled Paul bringing him to Athens.. Ro 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. For as by one man's disobedience many were ruled sinner's.. Tit 1:5 � For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: and rule elders in every city Heb 2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: and [made him] ruler over the works.. Heb 5:1 � For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: every high priest taken from among men is a ruler of men in things pertaining to God Heb 7:28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore. For the law ruleth men as high priests Heb 8:3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For every high priest is a ruler to offer gifts.. Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so ruleth the tongue among our members.. Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. therefore will be a friend of the world ruleth [as an] enemy of God.. 2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.(KJV) For if these things be in you, and abound, they ruler over you, that ye .. Once your happy with every context sounding OK for the context of every verse, you have found the meaning of the word under study. Sure some context might read strange and badly so a few English prepositions here and there is useful. So the Greek word "kathistemi" means to "establish or set up a ruler, who rules over things" Now that we have the meaning of a word that is important to us, we can consider the verses that help us understand Scripture. This is a standard prayerful method of Bible study for understanding every Hebrew or Greek word in Scripture. Its time consuming perhaps, but very faithful and useful to gleam the correct tru th from Scripture. Notice when Adam and Eve sinned, something happened:- Ro 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation (Greek katakrima); even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. When Adam and Eve sinned a change of ruler-ship came over planet earth, and they were ruled as sinners from than on. Satan makes sure we become sinners very early on in our birth because He is ruler over this planet, rather than GOD. (3) Satan become King! Mt 13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. Satan causes weeds to happen. Satan made up Evolution. GOD made the Creation. These two concepts are opposite to one another and contrasting in meaning, because Satan opposes God's laws, and His Creation. Mt 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Jesus knew Satan was King of the Earth, and Satan knew it also, that's why He offered Him the kingdoms of the world for a price. Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. Mt 27:11 � And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. Jesus came to earth to reclaim the human right as King of the planet again as a second Adam, so in order to achieve this He had to be born in Adam's flesh in it's fallen nature, with all the tainted changes Satan caused over the thousands of years, as a human being like we are born, yet live using only human power we have access to through a power outside of ourselves, via the Holy Spirit to the Father in heaven by faith, and claim victory all our lives without once listening to Satan as King, but listening to GOD as King, and do no missing before GOD, thus obtaining a sinless life. What a risk of love Jesus undertook, and at infinite cost! It was of infinite cost because the divinity Jesus has always had is forever encapsulated within a human body as the sin-offering for the missing of all humans since Creation. That sin-offering remains forever as a token sign for satisfying the Law of sin-offering, so the body of Jesus retains ongoing scars for His friends, wrought at infinite cost. Zec 13:6 And one shall say unto him, What are these ,wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. Heb 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a , body hast thou prepared me: 1Co 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. A terrible contest is before us. We are nearing the battle of the great day of God "Father reference" Almighty "Shadday reference". That which has been held in control is to be let loose. The angel of mercy is folding its wings, preparing to step down from the golden throne and leave the world to the control of Satan, the king they have chosen, a murderer and a destroyer from the beginning. {CTr 369.3} (4) There are TWO Kings wanting each to rule over us ! Your choice. The Bible speaks of two rulers over our soul, both are princes or Kings....and each King wants our own wholly devoted allegiance. Da 10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. Michael is a chief prince fighting battles on earth. Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. Michael is a chief prince fighting battles on earth, who is an archangel in charge of the angelic army. 1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Michael, the Old Testament name for Son-Yahweh, is a chief prince fighting battles on earth, who is an archangel in charge of the angelic army, comes to claim from the dead, His own. Ac 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint "rule" over this business. This passage makes a simile, of men ruling over men, is the simile of the Holy Spirit ruling over us. Satan can control the whole being by that disposition to disobey the laws of God. Parents do not, like Abraham, command their households after them. And what is the result? Children and youth are standing under the rebel flag. They will not be ruled, but are determined to follow their own will. The only hope for children is to teach them to deny and not indulge self. {CG 473.1} Choose which King rules over us... Let them remember that Esau was controlled by his desires; appetite and inclination ruled the man, and he sold his soul for the gratification of appetite. Are there any doing this who know the present truth? . . . {CTr 85.4} Satan knows certain genes awaken, create propensities for dysfunction, and appetite is the best one for maintaining sinning among men. The propensities rule over us... They dismiss the Holy Spirit from their councils, and then, under the power and name of the General Conference, they invent regulations through which they compel men to be ruled by their own ideas and not by the Holy Spirit. . . . {ChL 31.5} People do not all ow the Holy Spirit to rule over them, they rule themselves.. It was not the man David, who had done him no harm, against whom the king was contending. He was in controversy with the King of heaven; for when Satan is permitted to control the mind that will not be ruled by Jehovah, he will lead it according to his will, until the man who is thus in his power becomes an efficient agent to carry out his designs. {CC 165.5} We either are ruled by Satan or ruled by our heavenly Father. Their noble aspirations are dead; by a chain of circumstances they are held in Satan's net. Those who are ruled by passion and impulse will have a bitter harvest to reap in this life, and their course may result in the loss of their souls. {CCh 121.1} Today's movie mantra is "if it feels good, follow it, follow your heart's feelings" is our new ruler over us... The heart in which Jesus makes his abode will be quickened, purified, guided, and ruled by the Holy Spirit, and the human agent will make strenuous efforts to bring his character into harmony with God. He will avoid everything that is contrary to the revealed will and mind of God. {OFC 212.1} The Holy Spirit rules over us if we allow GOD into our lives each day.. So we have shown enough examples that we have two Kings on planet earth, each opposed to the other and wanting to rule over our soul. (5) Are we born sinning? or Ruled sinning ? The very notion we are born sinners make salvation a mockery because if we are already sinning sinners from birth our salvation is not based on choice because our sinning is not based on choice either. People become sinners by sinning, and that means they choose to do sinning. This implies we are born without sinning. Our humanity and our flesh may be fallen and condemned through imperfections of DNA mistakes but that does not make our flesh sinful. It makes our flesh condemned. There is a difference. An important one. Ro 8:1 � There is therefore now no condemnation "katakrima" to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. The Bible speaks of "condemnation" about our flesh, a court term, concerning who is rulership over us. And it is true that when Adam sinned, there was a change over our flesh in terms of a ruler. The mistake is the translation of "hamartia" or the Hebrew "chataah" as "sin" or "sinful", the term really means "sin-offering. Notice the translation :- 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sin-offering flesh, and for sin-offering, condemned sin-offering in the flesh: The verse now makes much more sense, for the LORD came in a sin-offering flesh, and yes that sin-offering contains our confessed sinning, but this did not make our Saviour's flesh sinful, even the statement in the "likeness of sinful flesh" is misleading. The LAMB that was slain had ordinary condemned flesh as humans do, weakened by fallen genetics but chosen without spot or defect, to be as whole as possible, but it was the sin-offering transferred unto the Lamb slain that became the sacrifice for sinning. Ellen White statements quotes the King James translation in over 40 times, but she never explains the passage very well i n Scripture. But she does explain the concept eventually despite the King James misleading term "likeness of sinful flesh", correctly in Ancient Hebrew thought, as the following shows:- Ever since Adam's sin, the human race had been cut off from direct communion with God; the intercourse between heaven and earth had been through Christ; but now that Jesus had come "in the likeness of sinful flesh" (Romans 8:3), the Father Himself spoke. He had before communicated with humanity through Christ; now He communicated with humanity in Christ. Notice the change to how the Father communicates to humanity. Made "in the likeness of sinful flesh" (Romans 8:3), He lived a sinless life.{DA 311.5} Jesus lived a sinless life. That He might by His own example condemn sin in the flesh, He took upon Himself the likeness of sinful flesh. Constantly he beheld the character of God; constantly He revealed this character to the world. {AG 322.3} Jesus lived the character of GOD. Christ, the second Adam, came in the likeness of sinful flesh. In man's behalf, He became subject to sorrow, to weariness, to hunger, and to thirst. He was subject to temptation, but He yielded not to sin. No taint of sin was upon Him. He declared, "I have kept my Father's commandments [in My earthly life]" (John 15:10). He had infinite power only because He was perfectly obedient to His Father's will. The second Adam stood the test of trial and temptation that He might become the Owner of all humanity.--Manuscript 99, 1903. {3SM 141.5} The sin-offering flesh (unto eternal life) demands perfect obedience to the Laws of GOD that describe the attitudes of love. He was not only made flesh, but He was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. His divine attributes were withheld from relieving His soul anguish or His bodily pains (Letter 106, 1896). {5BC 1124.2} In coming as fallen man, Jesus had to overcome Satan as King or ruler, as other humans do, through faith in powers outside of ourselves. Christ says definitely, I came not to destroy the law. It is a transcript of God�s character, and I came to carry out its every specification. I came to vindicate it by living it in human nature, giving an example of perfect obedience.�Signs of the Times, June 13, 1900. {BLJ 50.4} If the Father did not change the torah of salvation making it easier for a human being such as His own beloved Son to overcome obeying all the torah unto salvation, why would Jesus now expect any less from you, O sinner having victory in the commandments of Jesus, which are essentially the same as His Father's torah rules were. Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. He clothed his divinity with humanity, made Himself of no reputation, took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. < /span> For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels, but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. {BEcho, December 15, 1892 par. 2} Jesus was born of the flesh as Abraham has, the same fallen nature we all have. But when Christ came to meet the temptations of Satan, He bore "the likeness of sinful flesh." In the wilderness, weakened physically by a fast of forty days, He met the adversary. His dignity was questioned, His authority disputed, His allegiance to His Father assailed by the fallen foe. {BEcho, September 3, 1900 par. 10} Jesus was the sin-offering before He came to Getheseme and the Cross. Do you imagine that you can leave off sin by your own human power a little at a time? You cannot do this; Jesus was treated as a sinner when he assumed the likeness of sinful flesh, that the sinner might be treated as righteous. The Father loves us who believe in Christ as he loves his only-begotten Son. Thus by faith we can grasp the righteousness of Christ, and our Saviour saves us from all sin. The converted soul will hate the thing that Christ hates, and love the thing that Christ loves. {ST, August 8, 1892 par. 2} We must when connected to Jesus, our Sin-Bearer for our sin-offering, grow in His character of love, loving the things He loves and hating the things He hates. This is because we do not take in the fact of his oneness with humanity. He took upon him the likeness of sinful flesh, and was made in all points like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God. He has engaged himself to save every son and daughter of Adam who will consent to be saved in God's appointed way. {ST, May 16, 1895 par. 7} Jesus was tempted in every way as we are..even more so because He never sinned.. Christ, the only-begotten of the Father, assumed human nature, came in the likeness of sinful flesh to condemn sin in the flesh. He came to testify to the unchangeable character of the law of God that had been impeached by Satan. Not one jot or tittle of it could be changed to meet man in his fallen condition. Christ lived the law in humanity, in order that every mouth might be stopped, and that Satan might be proved an accuser and a liar. Jesus did not lessen the law rules making it easier for us to obey, He empowered us with His power so we could obey them all, for they only show love in action. Instead of glorifying God for the honor he had conferred upon humanity in thus sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, by giving him a place in their affections, there seemed to be no rest nor safety for the infant Saviour. {1Red 23.2} Jesus was a sin-offering from birth. What does this mean ? What a strange symbol of Christ was that likeness of the serpent which stung them! This symbol was lifted on a pole and they were to look to it, and be healed. So Jesus was made in the likeness of sinful flesh. He came as the sin-bearer. Under the symbol of the uplifted serpent, he was presented before the vast congregation of those who were entrusted with sacred truth. {PH080 49.1} Sin-offering flesh is a symbol of our confessed sinning unto a sin-bearer. Ellen White messages finally show this ! Profound Ancient Hebrew thought ! Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh, by a pure and holy life to condemn sin in the flesh. He came to our world to represent the character of God, and it is our work to represent the character of Christ. Released April 16, 1975. {6MR 395.1} Notice many Jews, even the disciples thought sinning was something happening from birth. Joh 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. Notice that fallen flesh, even weakened DNA expression, and defects of Mother Nature, are not evidences of sinning. We are not born sinners, we become sinners by sinning. |
