Intergenerational Relationships

Inter-generational Relationships

Psalms 145:1-4 -

1 John 2:12-16

Joshua 4:4-7-

Secure attachment:

This is the healthiest form of attachment, and describes an attachment where a child generally feels positive emotions and comfort when around the presence of their primary caregiver. Children in a secure attachment with their caregiver will seek comfort from their caregiver when frightened. They will prefer their caregiver to strangers, and have positive emotions when they are reunited with their parents after daycare. These children will grow into adults who typically have trusting, lasting relationships and tend to have good levels of self-esteem.

Ambivalent-insecure attachment:

Children who are in an ambivalent-insecure attachment with their caregiver may be receiving love and affection sporadically during infancy and childhood. When a caregiver is inconsistent in their love and affection towards a child, the child may have trouble understanding why this love and affection is provided in such an unpredictable manner. Children in an ambivalent-insecure attachment become greatly distressed when the parent leaves, but are not necessarily comforted by the return of their parent. As an adult, they become anxious and hesitant about relationships and may become reluctant to become close to others. They may worry needlessly that their partner does not love them and constantly worry that the love will fade.

Avoidant-insecure attachment:

Children who are in an avoidant-insecure attachment with their caregiver may avoid parents altogether. They do not seek much comfort or contact from their parents, and show little to no preference between a parent and a stranger. For young, pre-teen children to show indifference toward their caregiver is not normal. When these children grow into adults, they may have problems with intimacy and may invest little emotion in relationships. They often choose to remain detached from others.

Disorganized-insecure attachment:

This is considered to be the most extreme of the insecure attachment style. It is thought to be an outcome of trauma or abuse in childhood. Either they are a victim of abuse, or they have witnessed one parent abusing the other. They learn that the primary caregiver, someone responsible for the child’s safety, is also someone to be feared. These children at age 1 may show a mixture of avoidant and resistant behaviors. They may seem dazed, confused, or apprehensive. At age 8, they may even take on a parental role and some may even act as a caregiver towards the parent. They grow into adults who have difficulty with intimate relationships finding them confusing, and may be insensitive, selfish, controlling and even abusive towards their significant others. They crave relationships but are unable to develop deep ones. They have difficulty in taking responsibility for actions.

Ainsworth concluded, along with additional research, that early attachment styles can help predict behaviors later in life.

Causes of attachment issues:

Attachment issues will arise when the child is not able to bond or attach to the parent / caregiver adequately. There are many reasons why this happens. For example, a child may be born with a medical condition such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, deafness, or skin problems where the infant suffers and cries. The constant crying and reacting may cause a parent to not feel ‘attached’ to their children.

Another example may involve some sort of trauma where the parent/caregiver was going through some extremely difficult times. Perhaps they had the infant during a war or some other hardship, where they were so preoccupied with worry that they were unable to bond fully with their child.

It can also be due to a narcissistic caregiver or an abusive household who put themselves first before their child.

Necessary input for attachment:

In order to form a secure attachment with one’s child as the primary caregiver, these are some of the necessary inputs:

Eye contact: Warm, loving, and soft eye contact.

Touch: Unrehearsed affection such as hugs and pats on the back

Movement: Bouncing, rocking to soothe your child

Smiles: Smile often at your children

Nutrition: Proper nutrition; children in foster care or orphanages do not always receive proper nutrition.

Time: Quality time spent doing things like singing, reading rhymes, and mimicking.

How we treat attachment issues: Genograms

We use a genogram to treat attachment issues. A genogram is a visual representation of a family tree that displays detailed information about the relationships between each individual in the family.

Genograms help a therapist and patient to identify and understand various patterns in the patient’s family history that may have trickled down and influenced the patient’s childhood. They work together to identify patterns of behavior, communication, addiction, and relationships in the family history. We use this so that the child can better understand what happened during their earliest years and may be able to work through any resentment or anger they feel towards their primary caregiver.

For example, we had a patient who had attachment issues with their mother. Creating a genogram helped them understand that their mother had to undergo trauma as a child herself. The patient realized that their mother never meant to be cruel or negligent, she just didn’t know.

Another patient had serious issues with their spouse because they would resort to name-calling and screaming when angry. Looking at their genogram, they realized a pattern: their father would do this to his wife, and the father’s father would also do this to his wife. The pattern kept repeating itself down the family line.

Generational trauma in the Bible:

In the Bible, we see the sin of favoritism repeating itself and passing down conflict and strife between siblings from one generation to the next.

On the one hand it seems as if he does:

The Lord...visits the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation. (Exodus 34:6-7 = Deuteronomy 5:8-10)

“Because of their iniquity, and also because of the iniquities of their fathers they shall rot away like them.” (Leviticus 26:39)

On the other hand it seems that he doesn’t:

Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers.” (Deuteronomy 24:16)

[Amaziah] did not put to death the children of the murderers, according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, where the Lord commanded, “Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. But each one shall die for his own sin.” (2 Kings 14:6)

The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. (Ezekiel 18:20, cf. Jeremiah 31:30)

How do these passages fit together? This matters for the sake of God’s character, and the Bible’s coherence, and how we counsel those whose parents were wicked or just garden variety sinful.

Here are my two conclusions that helps me put them together:

1. The sins of the fathers are punished in the children through becoming the sins of the children.

I the Lord...visit the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:5; cf. Numbers 14:18)

The generations to come who experience the penalty of the fathers’ sins are those who hate God. We are not told how the fathers’ sins become the children’s sins. But what we are told is that when the father’s sins are visited on the children it is because the children are really sinful. That is the form in which the fathers’ sins are visited. Therefore, all judgment is really deserved by the person who is punished.

2. Because of God’s grace, which is finally secured by Christ, the children can confess their own sins and the sins of their fathers and be forgiven and accepted by God.

But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers...if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity, then I will remember my covenant with Jacob” (Leviticus 26:40-42).

The precious words of Exodus 34:6-7 are not nullified by the generational migration of sin.

The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.

Abraham loved his son Ishmael who was born of his second wife Hagar, but his wife Sarah was jealous and preferred her own son Isaac. Eventually Ishmael and his wife Hagar were banished to the desert and Abraham made Isaac his sole heir. This eventually led to a breach between the descendants of Ishmael and the descendants of Isaac: those practicing Islam, and those practicing Judaism – which still exists to this day.

Abraham’s son Isaac and his wife Rebekah also repeat this pattern of displaying favoritism. They have two fraternal twins, Jacob and Esau, who were fighting even before they were born in Rebekah’s womb. Esau, the elder son, was a skillful hunter and was Isaac’s favorite. Jacob, a quiet man who was good with household duties, was Rebekah’s favorite. Eventually, Jacob and his mother together hatched a scheme to rob Esau of his birthright. They deceived Isaac by having Jacob dress up in Esau’s clothes so that he would receive his blessing.

Jacob would also have two wives Leah and Rachel. He would come to favor the sons born out of Rachel more than the ones from Leah. Eventually, the sons of Leah were driven to jealousy and resentment towards their brother Joseph who they sold into slavery to the Egyptians.

Joseph becomes blessed by God and ends up having two sons. He does not repeat this generational sin of favoritism. Between his two sons, he asks his father Jacob to bless and pray for them both. Joseph was able to notice the generational sins of his forefathers and learned something different by the grace of God.

Attachment to God:

The healthy attachment cycle will typically start off with a need. Usually the child is either hungry or tired and will then start exhibiting a “rage reaction.” The child will start screaming, acting out, and letting their needs be known to the parent/caregiver. The caregiver in turn provides relief by feeding the child or lulling them into sleep. The child in turn feels gratified. Each time this cycle happens, the trust that the child has for the caregiver grows. Attachment theory shows that children need someone to attach to otherwise attachment issues arise.

As children of God, we can also experience this. In fact, the most perfect being we can attach to is God. As children of God, we are blessed with the promise that God’s love for us is constant and unwavering. He has a plan for us, and will always provide for us. As humans, we have our emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs. When we start feeling these needs, we enter into a “rage reaction” which manifests in many different ways and varying levels of intensity: frustration, disappointment, stress, anxiety, anger, depression.

Parents can let us down, but God is the only being who will never let us down. If we continue nurturing our relationship with God and attach to him, the trust will only grow. The Bible is filled with examples of this promise.

Psalm 23: 1-6: The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

When we experience empathy and encouragement from loving people (“Christ’s ambassadors” Paul calls them in 2 Cor. 5:20) then the spiritual reality of God’s gentle and powerful love is more readily accessible for us: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble… The Lord Almighty is our refuge, the God of Jacob is our fortress.” (Psalm 46:1, 7, and 11)

The reverse is also true: as we press in closer to Jesus and come to know God as he does, as Abba, then his love supports and strengthens us in all of our relationships and in all that we do. “We love because God first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

Serving With The Proper Attitude - Philippians 2:14-15.

Kids What Generation are you?

Psalms 145:1-4

Proverbs 30:10-14 - all

Gen 7:1 -

Matt 11:12 -

Introduction:

The title of this sermon emerges as the most fundamental questin of this age; what Generation is this age of Christianity? We have lived such a contradictory lifestyle when it comes to Christianity and being a disciple of Christ. Where I ask is this generation of young believers going. When I look out on than landscape of young Christian America; we are caught up in the distractions of today; mind you; takling injustices are important, poverty, racsim is important, however, when the Gospel is left out of the equation, to to the life of a Christian these things become a mere distraction in the life of a Christan; in these next two weeks we will examine, where we are going with Christianity in the life of A christian in America; especially when we In my opioion must be confroted with the idea of being a authentic Christion in a "do me" Generation, filled with the concept of the "Selfie."

2000 to present: New Silent Generation or Generation Z.

1980 to 2000: Millennials or Generation Y.

1965 to 1979: Thirteeners or Generation X.

1946 to 1964: Baby Boomers.

1925 to 1945: Silent Generation.

1900 to 1924: G.I. Generation. or great generation

8. What are three key trends that shape generations?

The three key trends that shape generations are parenting, technology, and economics. For example, many Baby Boomers have the parenting philosophy, “We want it to be easier for our kids than it was for us.” This philosophy, in turn, helped create and reinforce Millennials’ sense of entitlement, which is now a hotly debated topic.

Sports and entertainment; has become the God of this age,

Exeetical Question: In my Generation have I Honored God in my Biblical World View?

Plants is "the gospel is the lifeblood of Christianity, and it provides the foundation for countering the culture. For when we truly believe the gospel, began to realize that the gospel not only compels Christians to confront social issues in the culture around us. The gospel actually creates confrontation with the culture around and within us."

David Kinnaman, the president of the Barna Group, put it while we were working on this Gen Z study together, “Is it possible that many churches are preparing young Christians to face a world that no longer exists?” Based on my experience working with students, the answer to this question is yes.

Many Christian teens are simply unprepared for the world that is waiting for them. With the best of intentions, we bubble wrap our kids and create Disney World–like environments for them in our churches, and then wonder why they have no resilience in faith or life. Students are entertained but not prepared. They’ve had a lot of fun but are not ready to lead. When the pressure to conform is turned up, Christian teenagers tend to wilt if they do not have the confidence that only comes from knowing why they believe what they believe. As one teenager told me, “following Jesus today is hard because sometimes you feel like the only one.”

For example, only 34 percent of Gen Z agree that lying is morally wrong; 24 percent say what is morally right and wrong changes over time based on society, and 58 percent of this least-Christian generation agree that “Many religions can lead to eternal life; there is no ‘one true religion.’”

The Kidshave a term to use for today ,"pretenders"

the 21st century church has decided to assimilate in this present day world and culture. We are pretending at church:

We need to stop pretending that if we entertain teenagers then they will stick around after they graduate.

We need to stop pretending that if we protect them from everything they won’t question, doubt, or walk away.

And we need to stop pretending that a few minutes of a moralistic, watered down Bible lesson on a Sunday morning will prepare them to stand firm in their faith.

In short, teenagers need a grown-up worldview, not coloring book Jesus.

As adults we need to stop pretending that we are living out the biblical construct of what true Christianity and the Jesus type discipleship is!

Contrary to what you may have heard, Christian faith is not blind. Christianity is not a fairytale for grown-ups invented to make ourselves feel better. Followers of Jesus have nothing to fear from tough questions, honest doubts, and challenging conversations. Gen Z needs to know that Christians care about truth.

Teenagers today are the most non-Christian generation in American history as only four out of 100 teens hold a true biblical worldview and one out of every eight teens identify as non-heterosexual, a new survey released by one of the nation's leading evangelical polling firms has found.

The Barna Group announced Tuesday the findings from its new research project, "Gen Z: The Culture, Beliefs and Motivations Shaping the Next Generation," sponsored by the Georgia-based Impact 360 Institute.

Barna's research discovered that more teens today who are part of Generation Z (born from 1999 to 2015) identify themselves as agnostic, atheist or not religiously affiliated.

The study indicates that 35 percent of Generation Z teens considered themselves to be atheist, agnostic or not affiliated with any religion. By comparison, only 30 percent of millenials, 30 percent of Generation X and 26 percent of Baby Boomers said the same.

The study shows that almost twice as many teens in Generation Z (13 percent) claimed to be atheist than millenials (7 percent).

"Gen Z is different because they have grown up in a post-Christian, post-modern environment where many of them have not even been exposed to Christianity or to church. So that is a really unique shift," Brooke Hempell, Barna's senior vice president of research, said during the survey's rollout event at Grace Midtown Church in Atlanta.

"There are a lot of churches that are empty in this country. Gen Z is the one who is really showing the fruit of that. There are many of them [who] are a spiritual blank slate. For the first time in our nation's history, that is more and more common."

For the project, Barna conducted a total of four focus groups with U.S. teenagers between the ages of 14 and 17 and also conducted two nationally representative surveys that included responses from a total of 1,997 teens throughout the United States.

The first survey, conducted between Nov. 4- 16, 2016, interviewed 1,490 teens ages 13 to 18. The second survey was conducted on July 7-18, 2017, and interviewed 507 teens between the ages of 13 to 18. The data from both surveys were minimally weighted to U.S. Census data in order to be representative of ethnicity, gender, age and region.

The research also found that just 59 percent Generation Z teens considered themselves Christian or Catholic. By comparison, 65 percent of millennials and Generation X and 75 percent of Baby Boomers identified as some form of Christian.

Although nearly six in 10 Generation Z teens identified as Christians, Barna's research shows that only four percent of Generation Z held a "biblical worldview."

Using "a classification of faith based on widely accepted, orthodox Christian beliefs," Barna developed a set of theological criteria that each respondent had to meet in order to be classified as having a biblical worldview.

"The percentage of people whose beliefs qualify them for a biblical worldview declines in each successively younger generation: 10 percent of Boomers, 7 percent of Gen X and 6 percent of Millennials have a biblical worldview, compared to only 4 percent of Gen Z," the study explains.

The study also found that just four out of 10 Generation Z teens agreed that the Bible is "totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches." Meanwhile, just 61 percent of "churched teens" agreed that the Bible is totally accurate in all the principles it teaches.

Just 85 percent of churchgoing Generation Z teens believed that Jesus Christ was "a real person who was crucified by Rome and was actually physically raised from the dead."

"Where is that latent unbelief happening? We see a lot of it in science," Hempell explained. "Teens are beginning to feel like they have to choose between science and the Bible, where as the Baby Boomer generation or Gen X said that they can see the Bible and science as being complementary ... When we get to millenials and Gen Z, they see them in conflict."

According to the data, 28 percent of Generation Z teens believed that "science and the Bible are complementary." By comparison, nearly half of Boomers (45 percent) and more than one-third of Generation X respondents (36 percent) said the same.

"For [many], they are going to fall on the side of science," Hempell continued. "A quarter of Gen Z would say, 'I don't see the Bible and science getting along so I am just going to go with what science says because to me that is the truth.'"

Other findings show that 12 percent of Generation Z identified sexually as something other than "hetrosexual," with seven percent saying they are "bisexual."

"This is the highest percentage of self-identified non-hetrosexual experience that we are seeing now of any generation," Barna President David Kinnaman said during his remarks during the rollout event. "This is much larger than millenials."

Additionally, seven out of 10 Generation Z teens said that they think it is acceptable to be born one gender and "feel like another." Three out of 10 teens reported knowing someone who had changed their gender identity.

"[Y]oung Christians are struggling as much as we have seen it in the 20-plus years I have been at Barna and in the 35-plus years of our company to understand how to live out their faith in an increasingly skeptical culture," Kinnaman said. "They are having to represent what the Bible says, what it means to be Christian, in a culture that doesn't understand it or who believes that the Bible is simply a book that is religious dogma that has been used to oppress people, that being Christian is extremist or irrelevant in our society."

Then Folk where, do we go

and how to get there. I believe there is no better place to start then Genesis 1:1 Genesis 1:1 (AMP)

1 IN THE beginning God (prepared, formed, fashioned, and) created the heavens and the earth.

The point which should be made is that as Christians we function as though God is not in the room. Last Wednesday during ICO staff meeting we were talking about, a student and if in fact the student could change. Somehow, we have taken on the world idea of what possible change can be. To the world it is a crap shoot, a lucky star, some unpredictable circumstance or second perhaps which must take place in order for a person to survive, be transformed or make. That is not what God says God says if any man be in Christ he is a new creation, all things are passed away on hold all things are become new.

The church has began to think biblically, that God will transform a people to the third and fourth generation; Exodus 20:5-6 (KJV)

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

The majority make it plain and clear to, see my girls was sitting down having a conversation about needing money and Bill Gates kids were sitting down having the same conversation, my kids will be having a conversation based upon a limited resource called the dad, the Bill Gates children would have a different perspective concerning their conversation, they have a dad with limitless resources and funds my girls have a dad that is limited when Bill Gates children talk they are not limited to what they can expect to believe but my kids are limited. We function as though God is limited to what man says or what man does, we serve a great God who has everything. The question should be asked is what is our Creator

answer sound in Isaiah 43:15 "I am the Lord, your holy one," Isaiah 40:28 "the Lord is the everlasting God the Creator of the ends of the earth" point that Isaiah is making, because all things began with God and ultimately exists for God nothing at all creation is irrelevant to.

The next thing that we understand is not always God hold of God is all good. "The Lord is good to all, and his mercies over all that he has madeu" Psalms 145:9 God's goodness is evident from the start of Scripture where everything he created his call good culminating in man and woman for call very good the universe grandeur of creation testifies to the undeniable goodness of the create.

God's goodness is expressed in his justice. The Lord judges the people Psalms 7:8 and he judges them perfectly. It does not matter what man say on what the culture dictates, the Bible says "he will justify the wicked in he condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the Lord." Proverbs 17:15 God is a good judge, is out raise by injustices.

God is not only concern about black lives, but white lives, Hispanic lives, Asian lives, Haitian lives God is concerned about sinful man's heart. We get misdirected and moved off the mark of what the real issues are. It is not this color of the skin that we should be concerned about the color of sin the darkness of man's heart we get distracted we talk about all these other issues socially, economically, politically and the like. God is concerned about the sinfulness of man second Peter 3:9 he is compassionate and patient, desire all people everywhere to know and enjoy his kindness, mercy, and love.

The problem was Christians today, is that we don't know who owns us and since he owns us we should be obedient and committed to our Creator. We taught a generation of just to be self indulged self-imposed, self-righteous, self consumed and we taught a generation of children to deny God for their own personal gain we have talked down to seek everything first except for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, we talked on that education secular is more important than an education spiritually; so we allow them to sleep on Sunday morning but make certain they make every game, every band practice we commit them to the stem academies across the country so they can understand the importance of science and math and reading retard their growth from understanding who created the entire world's and who hold the world in his hands.

In the 70s we got distracted with the moral majority, in the 80s we got distracted with homosexuality, in the 90s we got distracted with the war on drugs, and the 2000's we got distracted with civil liberties and the rights of man and we are distracted today with racism and injustices. All of these things are in affront to God and God is concerned about the injustice of man and the lack of sympathy and empathy we show towards those who are less fortunate than ourselves and James writes what true and real religion is! However important the issues are of today and of course all lives matter to God and there has been the effects of slavery and the abhorrent lack of concern for 6 million lives slaughtered in the Holocaust. God will judge these men and women who condoned and conducted such horrors.

However

, the greatest offense to Christianity how terrible these things are, are not the issues of same-sex marriage and homosexuality, racism and injustices the greatest offense to Christianity is the gospel itself. If we believe that the gospel is the foundation, if we believe that the gospel will transform lives, if we believe that the gospel will have the demons trembling, if we believe the gospel will transform and change a generation then we must be a culture a generation of God's people who will combat the world system and as John the author puts it, "we must began to think biblically again."

The confrontation begins at the very point that the Bible begins, in the beginning God sent! It is at this point the Satan attacks God through his creation Satan says the Eve "did God really say, you must not eat from the tree in the garden you will not surely die for God knows that we use of it your eyes will be open and you will be like God knowing good and Genesis 3:1, 4-5

This take a moment to explore that; Satan is all about role reversal, it all begins when the command of God is reduced to questions about who God is and what he does. Is God really holy? Does he really know what is right? Is God really good? Does he really want what is best for me? Amid six such questions, man and woman subtly assert themselves not as the ones to be judged by God but as the ones who sit in judgment of him!

Let's look at the serpents question, it revolves around the tree of good and evil. The first thing he questions did God really say it, can you trust can you believe is he a liar? The service as look guys God is keeping something away from you shall not eat of every tree of the garden? What Satan tries to get us to believe concerning the Gospel, it really doesn't work, it's really not what God said and he gets us to misquote or Ms. believe what the true definition of the gospel is and what a true disciple is in all these many millenniums Satan has never changed; he get you the disbelieve God and not only in disbelief but in your heart and mind to call God a liar. Listen to the young people, you can get caught up in the sweet smoke, you will get caught up in support and education and lose sight of God but I guarantee there is a payday, coming!

Lastly he makes us believe that God is holding something back from us, listen boys and girls God created sexual relationships because sex is not only pleasurable but it reinforces the continuation of the species God not only want you to have sex to carry on with his creation but and he wants you to enjoy. But sex outside of marriage man gets you messed up, crippled and broke up!

Herpes

in even more devastating aids

is a waiting upon

He will try to get you to reason wrong, listen Eve, what's wrong with knowing good from evil. The point that the taxes make is not knowing good for me but determining what is good and evil in your own mind and heart. The Bible says there is a way that seems right into a man but the end of that way is destruction and that is the issue here boys and girls, mama and daddy in our feeble mind and broken hearts we cannot make a determination from what is good and evil apart from the spirit of God!

Richard Dawkins writes: open quote in a universe of blind physical forces and genetic replication, some people are going to get hurt, other people going to get lucky, and you won't find any rhyme or reason in it, nor any justice. The universe we observe as precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at the bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, and no other good. Nothing but blind. The less indifference. DNA neither knows nor cares. DNA justice. And we dance to its music. How absurd and foolish to believe that something is intricate as the human mind and body can come from sheer circumstance. We are raising a generation of the hopeless, The Walking Dead.

This type of thinking have both moral and physical implications which are frightening. This thinking dictates whatever culture deems right is right

, and whatever a culture deems wrong is wrong. This is precisely the world you that prevails in American culture today, where rapid shifts in the moral landscape could communicate that we no longer believe certain things are inherently right or wrong. This was the thinking that led Nazi Germany down its slippery slope. No one at that time believe that 6 million Jewish people would die in the ovens of Nazi Germany.

For instance, I was reading over the summer concerning the report were pedophiles will have the right to carry out their depraved indifferences and sex trafficking, is approved by certain cultures as industry is no longer and more. Are we willing to tell young girls sold into sex slavery that they and the men who take advantage of them are merely dancing to their DNA, that what is happening to them is not currently evil.

The Making of A Godless Generation

Psalms 145:1-6 Called to Proclaim

Proverbs 30:10-14 - Called to be Different

Gen 7:1 - Called be Righteous

Isa 9:6 -

Matt 1

Matt 11:12 - Called to Forcefully Advance

Introduction:

(6:1-8) Sons of God: there are two major interpretations of this passage. The two positions need to be looked at before studying the passage. The interpretations focus upon the term "sons of God." Who are they?

1. Some interpreters say the "sons of God" are angels (for example, Donald Gray Barnhouse, James Montgomery Boice, and Arthur W. Pink). Five major reasons are usually given.

a. The term "sons of God" definitely refers to angels in Job (Job 1:6; Job 2:1; Job 38:7).

b. Giants (nephilim) were born as a result of the union between the sons of God and the women (Genesis 6:4). This position often says that this union was the historical basis for ancient mythology that talks about half-human, half-divine beings upon earth, that the myths would be embellished, but they would be stirred by faint memories of giant people before the flood. (Cp. Homer and other ancient writers.)

c. Angels may appear in bodily form to men, for example, when the angels appeared to Lot (Genesis 19:1-5).

d. Three passages in the New Testament, according to the interpreters of this position, seem to refer to this passage in Genesis (1 Peter 3:18-20; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6-7).

e. Jewish writers definitely say this is a reference to angels (Philo, Josephus, and the author of the apocryphal book of I Enoch).

2. Other interpreters say "the sons of God" refers to believers, the true followers of God, the godly line or descendents of Seth. (For example, Matthew Henry, H.C. Leupold, Keil and Delitzsch, The Pulpit Commentary, Chrysostom, Augustine, Calvin, and Luther.) Ten reasons are usually given.

a. The "sons of God" must be believers, for it is the only way to understand the sequence of thought in the early chapters of Genesis. The early chapters are dealing with the godly line of Adam and Seth and with the ungodly line of Cain, two streams of the human race moving in opposite directions, one godly and the other ungodly.

b. The term "sons of God" definitely refers to believers throughout Scripture.

⇒ In Deut. 32:5 Israel is called "His children" (Hebrew, God's sons).

⇒ In Psalm 73:15 the godly are called "the generation of God's children" (Hebrew, God's sons).

⇒ In Psalm 80:17 Israel is called the son whom God had made strong.

⇒ In Hosea 1:10 Israel is called the "sons of the living God" (Hebrew, bene el chay).

H.C. Leupold states the case as strongly as it can be stated:

"But who are these 'sons of God'? Without a shadow of doubt, the Sethites—the ones just described in chapter five as having in their midst men who walked with God, like Enoch (Genesis 6:22), men who looked to higher comfort in the midst of life's miseries, like Lamech (Genesis 5:29), men who publicly worshipped God and confessed His name (Genesis 4:26). Such men merit to be called the 'sons of God' (bene elohim), a title applied to true followers of God elsewhere in the Old Testament Scriptures. When the psalmist refers to such (Psalm 73:15) as 'the generation of thy children,' he uses the same word 'sons,' describing them as belonging to God. Deut. 32:5 uses the same word 'sons' ('children,' A.V.) in reference to Israel. Hosea 1:10 is, if anything, a still stronger passage, saying specifically to Israel, 'Ye are sons of the living God' (Heb. bene el chay). Psalm 80:17 also belongs here" (Genesis, Vol.1, p.250-251).

c. The words and context of this very passage tell us that the "sons of God" were men. When the "sons of God" committed this terrible sin...

• God said, "My spirit shall not always strive with man" (Genesis 6:3).

• "God saw that the wickedness of man was great" (Genesis 6:5).

• "It repented the Lord that He had made man" (Genesis 6:6).

• "The Lord said, I will destroy man" (Genesis 6:7).

Every verse deals with man; no verse—not even one reference—uses the word angel. The whole context deals with man, godly man, how he became corrupt, so corrupted that God was going to be forced to destroy man from off the face of the earth unless he repented.

d. Again, note the context: if the male sinners were angels marrying human women, why are the men of the godly line being judged? There is no record in Genesis up to this point that the godly line of Seth had become grossly corrupted. Why then are men now being condemned and judged if the sinners of this passage were angels and ungodly women? Should not the ungodly angels and women be the one's judged? Satan, the leader of the fallen angels, was judged earlier (Genesis 3:14). If the "sons of God" are angels, why are the angels not the ones being judged here? The point is clear: the "sons of God" refer to the godly of the earth. The godly began to intermarry with the ungodly line and to corrupt themselves with the worldly ways of the ungodly.

e. Jesus Christ Himself interpreted this passage for us. Note exactly what He said:

"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark" (Matthew 24:37-38).

"And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all" (Luke 17:26-27).

Who does "they" refer to? To the people—all the people, both the godly and the ungodly—upon the earth during the days of Noah. Christ is referring to people, not to angels. Christ is telling us exactly what happened to the civilization and society of that day. Men and women, both the godly and the ungodly, were marrying and remarrying and living worldly, ungodly lives.

f. Jesus Christ said that angels do not marry.

"For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven" (Matthew 22:30).

Note the statement of Genesis: the "sons of God...took them wives" (Genesis 6:2). H.C. Leupold points out that this is definitely referring to sexual and adulterous relationships, but it is also referring to marriage, for this is the standard way for the Hebrew to express marriage (Genesis, Vol.1, p.253).

g. Scripture tells us that intermarriage between the godly and the ungodly was strictly forbidden among the godly in the earliest days of history, long before the law was ever recorded.

⇒ The law of Moses, which was to be written after the flood, was to forbid intermarriage.

"Neither shalt thou make marriages with them [the ungodly line]; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly" (Deut. 7:3-4).

⇒ But long before the law against intermarriage was ever adopted on a national basis, Isaac and Rebekah were deeply concerned lest Jacob marry an ungodly person. This definitely lends strong Scriptural support to the law existing among the godly line of believers, existing from the very earliest days of history.

"And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?" (Genesis 27:46).

"And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan" (Genesis 28:1).

h. There is no Scripture any place to indicate...

• that angels are sexual beings

• that angels have ever had sexual relations with men or women

• that angels are physical beings with human bodies, nor that they are both physical and spiritual beings. In fact, Scripture declares the very opposite, that angels are spiritual beings (Hebrews 1:14; cp. Matthew 8:16; Matthew 10:1; Mark 1:27; Mark 3:11; Acts 5:16; Acts 8:7).

i. The New Testament passages that are sometimes said to refer to this passage are not referring to this Genesis passage, not at all. The New Testament passages are referring to the original fall of the angels, to the time when they followed Satan in his rebellion against God (see outline—• 1 Peter 3:19-20; Deeper Study #1—1 Peter 3:19-20; note—• 2 Peter 2:3-9, esp. 2 Peter 2:4; and note—• Jude 5-7).

j. The thought of angels marrying and having sex with earthly women...

"Is...monstrous...and mythical" ("The Pulpit Commentary," Vol.1, p.102).

"Defies the normalities of experience" (Derek Kidner. Genesis. "Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries." Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1979, p.84).

"Introduces the mythological element as well as polytheism into the Scriptures and makes the Bible a record of strange and fantastic tale the godly seed or string who worship and serve God s and contradicts the [Scripture]" (H.C. Leupold. Genesis, Vol.1, p.252-253).

Exegetical Question: It is clear from genesis six there will always be two streams

of people, the godly stream who worship and serve God; and the ungodly stream who neglected and denied God lid unrighteous lives. Therefore the question gets to be what Streamline will your child take for our children in this new generation.

Body

I. when the godly ignore God, they become worldly; assumes the character of the ungodly and commit immoral acts

Gen 6:1-5 the co-mingling with ungodly society

Thought 1. The more sinners congregate and get together, the more sin grows. This is clearly seen...

• when people flock to large population centers and ignore God.

• when people get together for parties and forget God, wearing clothing that exposes their bodies and dancing with enticing movements and drinking to loosen their inhibitions. Note how much more likely people are to sin when they are in a group of worldly people than when they are all alone. They are much more bold in sinning within a group. It is far easier to sin if someone else is doing it, no matter what it is: sexual immorality, stealing, assaulting, killing.

"When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall" (Proverbs 29:16).

GodThe Godly entertain sexual impurities - "Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5).

ly become worldy and immoral

"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark" (Matthew 24:37-38).

"And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all" (Luke 17:26-27).

Lust was running wild, and note: this was lust among the godly line of believers. The picture is that believers were turning away from God and beginning to live like the world. They were drinking and living immoral and impure lives, marrying, divorcing, and remarrying time and again, remarrying whomever they wished. God's will and demand for purity and godliness—for a distinctive line of godly believers—was totally forgotten. The human race was losing its godly line of believers: practically everyone was living an ungodly and immoral life, doing his own thing, living like he wished. Hardly any person followed God; hardly any person lived a separated, godly life. The godly line of believers—the godly seed of Seth—was corrupted, almost wiped out and completely erased from the earth. As we shall see in note 6, there was only a handful of godly people still on earth, only Noah and his immediate family.

Thought 1. The believer—true godly believer—must live a life of separation and holiness. This does not mean that we are to withdraw from the world and live monastic lives. We are in the world, but we are not to be of the world. We live among the unbelievers of the world, but we are not to participate in their ungodly behavior...

• drinking

• partying

• telling off-colored jokes

• committing immoral acts

• being unjust

• being greedy and covetousness

• divorcing and remarrying

• deceiving and lying

Believers are to be separated from the world and its ungodly behavior, separated in the sense of being committed to God and His righteousness.

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" (2 Cor. 6:14).

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (2 Cor. 6:17-18).

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:1-2).

"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them" (Ephes. 5:11).

"If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world" (John 15:19).

"Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us" (2 Thes. 3:6).

Godly Rebels and totally ignor God - The godly ignored and rebelled against God. They married the ungodly. They married "all which they chose." Jesus Christ tells us they were marrying and remarrying, marrying time and again.

II. The Conviction of The Holy Spirit is removed

There were Godly men preaching, but the infestation of the World was to geat, rebellion had taken place in God was rejected by men!

⇒ Adam lived for 930 years. He no doubt proclaimed the truth of God: the perfection of the original creation, his own sin and fall, the promised Savior, and the absolute necessity of obedience and sacrifice in approaching God. Adam taught, preached, and warned his children and grandchildren and their descendents for 930 years.

⇒ Enoch also preached and warned the world of their ungodly deeds and of the coming judgment of God upon all ungodliness (Jude 14, 15).

⇒ Methuselah's very name stood as a reminder of coming judgment. He was also most likely a preacher (see note—•Genesis 5:25-26).

⇒ Noah was a preacher of righteousness, warning the people up to the very end (2 Peter 2:5).

These are just the preachers we know about; there were probably others. But, in the final analysis, the witness and warning of the preachers was to no avail, not for the mass of mankind. Most people refused to heed the warning of God through the preachers. The people marched right on in their sinful and ungodly ways. The result: God became disturbed, very disturbed, and He warned man. God gave man two warnings.

God would withdraw His Spirit: His Spirit would not always strive with man, not forever. The preachers were warning the people, and the Spirit of God was doing just what He does with people today: convicting them of sin and of coming judgment. But the people were resisting and quenching the convictions of the Spirit. They were not listening to the voice of God struggling within their hearts. They wanted to live like they wanted, to do their own thing.

Note the statement that man is "flesh" or mortal and corrupt (Genesis 6:3). This means that man was no longer just a sinner, but he...

• had given himself over to the flesh completely and fully.

• had abandoned himself, become enslaved to the flesh.

• had sunk to the level of living only for the flesh.

• had begun to live only for the things of the flesh and of the world.

The result: man was about to reach the point of no return, to reach the point where he would be so enslaved to sin and the flesh that he would never repent and turn back to God.

Consequently, God had no choice. God had to give man a final warning: if man did not repent, God would withdraw His Spirit. God's Spirit would no longer strive and struggle with the soul of man. God would withdraw His Spirit and let judgment fall upon the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.

Thought 1. H.C. Leupold gives the following as the reason why God was threatening to withdraw His Spirit from man.

"Men...no longer cared about having their homes [the] centers of godly instruction where divine truth prevailed, being taught by father and by mother...instead [they] chose any woman whatsoever, as the fancy of the moment moved them, to rear their offspring. At that point God determines that He will let His Spirit no longer do His work of reproving and restraining (yadhon), because man has degenerated. Man is no longer simply sinful, as he has been right along since the Fall; the race has also as a whole practically sunk to the level of being 'flesh' (basar), just plain, ordinary, weak and sinful stock, abandoned to a life of sin. Man has forfeited all hope of further efforts of God's grace" (Genesis, Vol.1, p.255).

"And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption" (Ephes. 4:30).

"Quench not the Spirit" (1 Thes. 5:19).

"Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:29).

"Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me" (Psalm 51:11).

"But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them" (Isaiah 63:10).

"But the spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him" (1 Samuel 16:14).

"But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear" (Zech. 7:11).

2. God's grace was limited: judgment was coming. God gave man one hundred and twenty years to repent. God warned man, apparently through Noah: His grace would flow upon the earth for 120 years more, then judgment would fall unless man repented. God would give man one last chance.

"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.... But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (2 Peter 3:3-4, 8-9).

"Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water" (1 Peter 3:20).

"For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off" (Isaiah 48:9).

III. lawlessness erupts

the third fact, man became lawless as well as immoral in developing the first society upon earth. The word giants means "fallers, apostates from true religion"; "falling on men with violence"; "strong and robust in body, and leaders of others" (William Wilson. Wilson's Old Testament Word Studies, p.185). H.C. Leupold says that the word "giants" is probably based upon the Hebrew root naphal, meaning to fall upon and attack. The word, therefore, refers both to the strong of the earth such as the leaders and the powerful, and to the attackers, robbers, and bandits of the earth (H.C. Leupold. Genesis, Vol.1, p.258). Simply stated...

• the earth had become a place where sex, immorality, and the flesh were focused upon (see note—•Genesis 6:1-2 for more discussion).

• the earth had become a place where the powerful and the strong ruled and dominated.

• the earth had become lawless, full of attackers, robbers, and bandits. The earth was filled with violence.

• the earth had become a place where the powerful and immoral and even the lawless were the famous of the earth, the very people who were well known and idolized. The powerful, strong, and immoral were the heros of the day, the people most admired and esteemed.

Thought 1. Think how much our society is like the first society of earth.

⇒ Think of the cult of beauty and sex, the emphasis upon sex and the flesh today, how sex and the flesh dominate the media, advertisements, and the very thoughts and minds of people.

⇒ Think how the strong, powerful, unjust, and immoral rule today; how money, wealth, position, and might control the lives of people all over the world.

⇒ Think how lawless so many societies have become, full of attackers, robbers, and bandits. Think how lawless and uncontrolled people become even when some natural disaster has stricken an area and the local residents are suffering. We live in a day of lawlessness and violence.

⇒ Think how the powerful and immoral and even some of the lawless have become the famous of the earth, the idols of society. The person may be the most immoral person imaginable—have had several husbands or wives, be a heavy drinker, adulterer, and drug user—but if he or she holds some high position, has money, or is featured in films or sports, the person is built up in the media, made famous and idolized by many.

⇒ Think how many film stars, athletes, and leaders within the world live immoral and unjust lives; yet they are the giants, the famous and the idols of the earth. Even some believers—carnal believers—hold them in the highest esteem.

Thought 2. The lawlessness and immorality of man is spelled out in Scripture, clearly spelled out. This is the true condition of society and civilization. Just think of the newscasts that come across our screens and the headlines that dominate the front pages of our newspapers every day. The following is God's indictment against man, against the lawless and immoral society man has developed:

"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes" (Romans 3:10-18; cp. Romans 1:18-32).

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal. 5:19-21).

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" (2 Tim. 3:1-5).

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline &

IV. The wickedness of man becomes continuous and contiguous contatious - that is they share commonalities

But great wickedness does not only mean that sin multiplied, it also means that sin became more extreme and terrible. Sin became...

• more mean and vile

• more immoral and perverse

• more destructive and terrifying

• more evil and devilish

• more fleshly and carnal

• more lustful and sensual

• more obscene and flagrant

• more filthy and foul

• more gross and heinous

Since Adam's fall into sin, man had become exceedingly sinful and more and more bold in his sin. Man was now committing great wickedness upon the earth, and God saw man's great wickedness. But God saw something else about man as well.

2. God saw that every imagination and thought of man was evil—evil continually—evil all the time. In other words, God saw that man was depraved, totally depraved.

What does Scripture mean by this? Does it mean that man never does anything that is good? No! For we know that man does many things that are good. Man often shows mercy and compassion, and he often works to build up the good of society. Total depravity means at least three things.

⇒ Man has a sinful nature; therefore, he fails and sins. Man cannot keep from sinning and doing wicked things. No matter how much man tries not to fail and sin, he will still find himself failing and sinning ever so often.

⇒ Man is short of perfection; therefore, man comes short in everything he does. Man can do nothing perfectly, not with absolute perfection.

⇒ Man has a corrupt nature; therefore, he contaminates, pollutes, sours, spoils, and hurts whatever he does or touches.

The excellent expositor James Montgomery Boice says this:

"When we say that men and women are 'totally depraved' (a good theological term for 'only evil all the time'), we do not mean to say that they never do anything that we would call good or that they never have aspirations in the direction of real good. We mean rather that even their best is always spoiled by their essentially sinful nature" (Genesis, An Expositional Commentary, Vol.1, p.252).

American greed is picture of -

In addition, the very imaginations and thoughts of man were continually evil. Man's mind was flooded with thoughts and imaginations that were...

• self-centered and self-seeking

• self-exalting and prideful

• covetous and full of greed

• condemning and judgmental

• negative and attacking

• suspicious and unbelieving

• bitter and hateful

• despiteful and vengeful

• violent and destructive

• sexual and immoral

• lustful and sensual

• fleshly and obscene

"For they [wise words, God's Word] are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh" (Proverbs 4:22).

"But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man" (Matthew 15:18-20).

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh" (Luke 6:45).

Thought 1. The condition of the human heart is tragic. Jesus Christ had much to say about the evil nature of man. Note how forceful and revealing His statements are. (This thought is taken from a message presented by Roger R. Nicole as given by James Montgomery Boice.)

⇒ Man is just like the salt that has lost its savor (Matthew 5:13).

⇒ Man is just like a corrupt tree that produces corrupt fruit (Matthew 7:17).

⇒ Man is evil (Luke 11:13).

⇒ Man is an "evil and adulterous generation," a wicked generation (Matthew 12:39, 45).

⇒ Man has a heart that produces evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness—a host of evil things (Mark 7:21-23).

⇒ Man has a hard heart, so hard that God has had to grant some permissive commandments in dealing with man (Matthew 19:8).

⇒ Man is not good; in fact, there is none good but God (Mark 10:18).

⇒ Man, even the most ethical, religious, and upper class, can be compared to wicked servants (Matthew 21:33-41).

⇒ Man is at best a hypocrite, even the most ethical and religious of men (Matthew 23:2-39).

⇒ Man is depraved and passes on his depravity from birth to birth: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3:6).

⇒ Man is unwilling to respond to Christ and His offer of eternal life: "Ye will not come to me that ye might have life" (John 5:40).

⇒ Man does not have the love of God in him (John 5:42).

⇒ Man rejects God's Son, Jesus Christ, and refuses to receive Him (John 5:43).

⇒ Man does not believe the Holy Scriptures, God's very own Word to man (John 5:47).

⇒ Man's works within the world are evil (John 7:7).

⇒ No man keeps the law (John 7:19).

⇒ Man shall die in his sins (John 8:21).

⇒ Man is from beneath, not from above (John 8:23).

⇒ Man's father is not God, but the devil, who is a murderer and a liar (John 8:38, 44).

⇒ Man is not of God, not of the nature of God (John 8:47).

⇒ Man is not of the sheep of God's Son, not a follower of Christ (John 10:26).

⇒ Man hates Christ and hates His Father (John 15:23-25).

⇒ Man is blind and he is leading the blind (Matthew 15:14).

⇒ Man is condemned already because he does not believe God's Son (John 3:18).

⇒ Man loves darkness because his deeds are evil (John 3:19).

⇒ Man can be freed from darkness only if he follows Christ (John 8:12).

⇒ Man cannot see nor enter the kingdom of God unless he is born again (John 3:3, 5).

⇒ Man is so sinful that he must pray daily for God to forgive his sins (Matthew 6:12).

⇒ Man is so diseased by sin that he must confess his condition before the physician (God) can heal him (Matthew 9:12).

⇒ Man is deeply burdened and heavy laden (Matthew 11:28).