Hamartiology - Potentiality/Actuality of Sin (Notes)

Potentiality/Actuality

Determinism rules the analytic situation of amoral existence.
The seed determines the fruit. Essence defines existence.
E.g. (1) Man is a social being. Man is a sexual being. Man is a rational being. Man is a moral being (in the sense of capability).
(2) Man can’t but be social. Man can’t but be sexual. Man can’t but be rational. Man can’t but be moral.

Freedom rules the synthetic situation of moral existence.
The choice determines the consequence. Decision defines existence.
E.g. (1) He killed the man. He forgave the man. He loved her. He hated her. The son rebelled against the father’s discipline. The son submitted to the father’s discipline.
(2) He is a murderer. He is merciful. He is full of love. He is full of hatred. He is a rebel. He is obedient.

Death and Actuality
In Adam, death was actualized, mortality was finalized. Therefore, death rules over the entire Adamic race.  Man became a mortal being (not that he was created immortal, but that through his choice of rejecting the life-principle of God to rule his life, separation finalized mortality in him. He also became the sinner, transgressor by this choice. But, though he passes on the mortal nature to all his descendents (a physically mortal can’t pass on immortality for sure), he doesn’t pass on his sinful actuality. Each descendent is still presented with the choice to accept or reject the life-principle of God. Therefore, though Korah's rebellion brought destruction to him, his children could be saved and become the worshippers of God; though one generation perished out of unbelief in the wilderness, the next generation entered the Promised Land.

Involuntary Potentiality Vs Voluntary Potentiality.

Sin is not ontological. Sin is moral. It is not essential to nature, it is a decisional act. Judgment is on the basis of what one has done, intentionally and volitionally, and not on the basis of what one is, essentially speaking. Judgement is on the basis of what one has chosen to be, morally speaking. The potentiality of morality is ambivalent: one can either do good or do bad. It is not deterministic, but open.

Enslavement
Enslavement is the result of voluntary yielding and the choice to let sin overpower self. Enslavement leads to the habit of sin. Each act weakens the power of choice by the deadening of conscience and weakening of will.
E.g. A cigarette smoker, an adulterer, a murderer, a thief, etc.

July 14, 2012