uwot wrote:Are you hedging your bets with 'generally'? What are the "reformed confessions" anyway?
The major reformed confessions of faith are the Westminster Standards -
http://www.opc.org/confessions.html and the Heidelberg Catechism -
http://www.crcna.org/welcome/beliefs/co ... -catechism. By "generally" I mean that there is only one point of departure that I can think of which is infant baptism. I also say "generally" because I believe that the Bible alone is inerrant. Man's attempts to systematize the teachings of the Bible can be excellent, but I don't believe they're ever perfect.
You may well be surprised by the depth of my ignorance, but a good starting point is the one Ginkgo alluded to: How old is the Earth? (I rather hope you are mildly offended by such a stupid question.)
I don't know how old the earth is. I'm not sure that anyone really does.
If we can waive that one away; what is your take on original sin?
I do believe in original sin. Here's my formulation of the doctrine:
man, by virtue of a fallen nature, is at enmity with God.
Sin is the disruption of a personal relationship - man's most important relationship: his relationship with God. Mankind originally had friendship with God but early on in human history there was a historical rebellion that changed all of mankind's relationship with God. To say that man is originally sinful is to say that, since that historical rebellion, every individual is born into a culture of enmity and personal state of enmity with God. In other words, this enmity is something that's part of our fallen nature. We're not born neutral toward God or in friendship with God. From birth we are at enmity with Him.
What does it mean to be at enmity with God? It means two things - we are opposed to God and God is opposed to us.
First, we are opposed to God. We are opposed to the idea of another person who is outside of our control who has authority over our lives. Sin is also called "lawlessness" in the Bible and this expression communicates this idea. We don't necessarily mind law, but we are opposed to a law being imposed upon us from outside of ourselves. If there is a law, we are that law - a law unto ourselves. We are happy to hold ourselves to our own standard and to hold others to that standard but we patently reject a standard imposed upon us by another sovereign being to whom we owe allegiance. We are not interested in the living God. We desire to be our own gods and make our own laws, deciding for ourselves what's good and evil for us. We may be interested in fabricating a god made in our own image that deifies our own persons and standards, but we are utterly uninterested in the true God.
Second, God is opposed to us. God created us to bear his image, to represent him on earth, and to carry out his rule over his creation. We still maintain that dominion that He has given to us. The earth is, in many ways, under our dominion (though it does rebel against us like we've rebelled against God). God is incredibly patient with his rebellious stewards who are taking his creation in a direction that He did not intend. He gives us opportunity and time to repent. But ultimately he will not be mocked and will not allow his good creation to be perverted. He will not allow injustice to reign on the earth. He will depose all false gods and humans who think of themselves as gods and laws unto themselves. God will war against them and defeat them for the sake of his creation and for those who are oppressed by human evil.
How can man be reconciled to God? This question goes beyond the doctrine of original sin but it should be touched on because sin and judgment is not the last word. There is also mercy and reconciliation. In order for there to be reconciliation two things must happen - man must abandon his rebellion and freely submit to the rule of God. And the justice of God against sin must also be satisfied - mankind must pay for his crimes.
What would motivate man to abandon his rebellion and submit to a power outside of himself? Only if he is persuaded of the love, wisdom, beauty, and glory of this power would man ever submit to it. Only a display of God's love, wisdom, beauty, and glory would persuade a man to repent and submit himself to God.
What would satisfy the justice of God? All of the trouble that mankind has caused to God, creation, and one another must be returned on their own heads. That's what justice is.
So here's the problem that sin creates - how can man be reconciled to God and still live? How can man survive the justice that's due to him? How can the love of God be put on display?
The answer is in the cross. God took on humanity in the historical person of Jesus Christ - becoming personally responsible and accountable for human sin. He suffered for sin throughout his entire life but especially on the cross. The justice of God was poured out upon God himself - upon Jesus. At the same time the love, wisdom, and beauty of God is put on display. God himself will pay for the crimes of sinful men in order to restore them to right relationship with himself. The justice of God against mankind is satisfied, and men who see and believe abandon their rebellion because of the love of God. They freely submit to his rule.