When Sin Entered the World
There is no doubt that sin entered the world. The question is… what world? And when? It is assumed by most of Christianity that world here is global and that this means Adam is the first biological male. However, I believe this simply to be an assumption on their part. The Bible story is relaying to us something totally different.
Luke 2: 1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.
Caesar Augustus only had authority over the world that was placed under him. Therefore, the whole world is not a reference to every single human in existence, only those under his jurisdiction. This is where the words matter. Romans 5: 12 tells us that through one man sin entered the “kosmos”. Luke 2: 1 uses “oikumene”. The latter can obviously be used with boundaries, but how about kosmos.
1 John is our best example of this. 1 John 2: 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
The world (kosmos) in view here is the covenantal world, connected to the old covenant. Sure, futurists would argue that, but I could not see a “world” in where I could be convinced that is not covenantal. The next verse says it’s the last hour, so. The world that sin entered is the same world that was about to pass away in 1 John. Why would Paul and John have two different worlds in mind?
There was a time when Adam was alive physically and had not yet entered “the world”. He enters the world when God forms the covenant with him and brings him into the garden. He was a sinner before he entered the world. Once God made a covenant with him, he was upright in standing. Once he sinned, sin entered the world. The world of the old heavens and earth. Not a global world.
For review…. Sin existed before the world of Genesis 1. God brought Adam into the world. He sinned. Sin entered the world. What is better than a world with sin? A world where there is no sin.
Daniel 9: 24 Seventy weeks are determined…. To bring an end to sin.
John 1: 29 Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of… the world.
In this new world, the New heavens and earth, there is no more sin. Only righteousness. What text gets rid of the world where sin is and tells us about the world of no sin?
2 Peter 3: 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be [d]burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
- In the new world there is no sin. But there definitely is still sin outside of the new world. Thus, the need for the gospel that brings men and women into the new world.