Is Mankind under a Curse?

[Deacon]

In putting together a new church doctrinal statement this sentence was challenged.

“We believe that Adam willfully chose to sin against God (the fall) bringing a curse upon mankind and all creation..."

Is this an accurate statement?
Genesis doesn’t really say man was cursed?

Is man under a curse or not?

Rob

 

[2BHizown]

Yes, under the curse of 'original sin', committed by Adam, now passed to all of his decendants, that is, until a heart is regenerated and one is forgiven, eyes and heart opened to their need of a Savior to save them from the perils of that original sin!

 

[canadyjd]

No, man was not cursed by God in Genesis, according to my O.T. prof in Seminary. He was very specific in addressing this. The snake is cursed. The land is cursed. But man does suffer "consequences" of his rebellion. Being cursed by God isn't one of them.

It seems the N.T. tells us that Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the Law (Galatians?), but the focus there was the law bringing condemnation upon us.

peace to youraying:

 

[Linda64]

Yes, mankind is under a curse. The curse is God's judgment.

Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known. (Deuteronomy 11:26-28)

The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. (Proverbs 3:33)

And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven. And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law: (Deuteronomy 29:19-21)

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10)

 

[Not_hard_to_find]

No -- mankind is not cursed.

The previous post has great scriptures that speak to the curse of those who do not follow the law -- but I cannot find in them the specificity of a curse to mankind as a whole. Rather, the division between blessing and curse is dependent upon whether or not the law is followed.

 

[npetreley]

No -- mankind is not cursed.

The previous post has great scriptures that speak to the curse of those who do not follow the law -- but I cannot find in them the specificity of a curse to mankind as a whole. Rather, the division between blessing and curse is dependent upon whether or not the law is followed.

Does anyone follow the law?

Either way, unsaved man is spiritually dead. That may not be a curse, but it's certainly not a Good Thing (tm).

 

[Christian]

Yes, mankind is under a curse. The curse is God's judgment.

Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known. (Deuteronomy 11:26-28)

The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. (Proverbs 3:33)

And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven. And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law: (Deuteronomy 29:19-21)

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10)

The blessings in Deut. 28 apply only to Israel and tell of they could have had vs. the first destruction of Jerusalem that they got. Read the curses in Deut. 28 and Jeremiah 52 simultaneously.

 

[Christian]

Yes, under the curse of 'original sin', committed by Adam, now passed to all of his decendants, that is, until a heart is regenerated and one is forgiven, eyes and heart opened to their need of a Savior to save them from the perils of that original sin!

Ezek 18:4 4 Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die. (not inherited is it?)
(ESV)

Eze 18:19 “Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. 20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. (where inherited?)

Isa 59:1 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,
or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;
2 but your iniquities have made a separation
between you and your God,and your sins have hidden his face from you
so that he does not hear. (inherited or something they did?)

2Cor 5:For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. (no inherited here)

1Jn 3:4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. (implys must break God's law to sin)

1 Pet 1:17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,

 

[2BHizown]

Quoted from article by Jonathan Edwards:

God does not utterly cast off the world of mankind. Though they are fallen and corrupted, and there is a curse brought upon the world, yet God entertained a design of appropriating a certain number to himself. Indeed all men and all creatures are his, as well since as before the fall. Whether they are elected or not, they are his. God does not lose his right to them by the fall, neither does he lose his power to dispose of them: they are still in his hands. Neither does he lose his end in creating them. God has made all things for himself, even the wicked for the day of evil. It possibly was Satan s design, in endeavoring the fall of man, to cause that God should lose the creature that he had made, by getting him away from God into his own possession, and to frustrate God of his end in creating man. But this Satan has not obtained

 

[Christian]

Quoted from Paul:
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom 6:23 (death here is spiritual death)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

 

[2BHizown]

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk no after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Rom 8:1

The only judgment for believers is to judge their works and their rewards. Believers are under no threat of judgment but are under the blood of Christ and belong to Him. Belonging to Him, how on earth could we also be judged?

 

[Deacon]

I think the original problem relating to the phrase in the opening post is related to a misunderstanding of terminology and definition.

Both The Harper's Bible Dictionary and The New Bible Dictionary provide good definitions of the word 'curse' and how it’s used in the Bible.

What does God say in Genesis 3?

To the serpent: "Cursed are you more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;” (Ge 3:14 NAS).

To Eve: (1)“I will greatly multiply
Your pain in childbirth,
In pain you will bring forth children;
(2)Yet your desire will be for your husband,
And he will rule over you.” (Ge 3:16 NAS).

Of the land: Cursed is the ground because of you [Adam]; (Ge 3:17 NAS)

To Adam: “You shall not eat from it’ [the tree of life]”
“In toil you will eat of it [the land]
All the days of your life.” (Ge 3:17 NAS)

While the word ‘curse’ is not specifically used in regard to Adam and Eve, the fact is that God pronounced a judgment upon them and He had the power to apply and enforce His decree. This meets the definition of a curse.

So IMO the opening posts statement, “We believe that Adam willfully chose to sin against God (the fall) bringing a curse upon mankind and all creation..." is acceptable.

Rob