Of course God's the first cause. But if by that you mean to say that He cannot be insulated from and opposed to willing the rape, torture, and murder of a child, as the direct cause Himself, then He's in no manner at all separate from evil-and the terms "good and evil" are then rendered meaningless, in fact. He would be far more culpable for sin than satan or the reprobate who He blames and sends to hell even though the latter, at least, have no choice but to commit evil.
"and opposed to willing" ...huh? And who said anything about God himself being the
direct cause?
Somehow, you get the idea that if God plans for something to happen, that is all he has in mind? You ISOLATE that portion of the picture, and preach against it. Good for you! It is wrong for the sinner to sin! But you are misrepresenting the work of God to pretend that portion of the picture is all there is to the picture!
And how is sin counted?-- it cannot be done by God, as sin is against God, far more actually than against any person. If God plans that sin be committed by the sinner --what, is God then the victim of circumstance and could not stop it? Do you claim that the man-reasoned doctrine of Freewill, based on chance or the integral worth of one human over the worth of another and of greater sovereignty than that of God himself, is taught by Scripture?? Then WHAT, exactly, is Freewill based on? It makes just about as much sense as infinite regression.
But if one enslaved by sin, at enmity with God, who cannot please God, who will not and cannot submit to God's law, chooses to sin, how is that chooser not to blame?
Rom 8 doesn't speak of a "sinful nature" but in any case, yes, the unredeemed do not turn to God on their own volition; they must be, moved by grace. And yet, even then the Church recognizes that in that very moment, that movement of God, that grace can still be resisted. Man can still say "no". And even
believers can still say no, can still turn back away, such is His desire that the person act willfully-even as grace is required to help that act.
Romans 8:12-13:
"Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live."
You are calling the unredeemed, "brothers and sisters"?
Not "sinful nature"? How about "sinful flesh", does that feel better?
Romans 8:5 (NIRV) Don't live under the control of your sinful nature. If you do, you will think about what your sinful nature wants. Live under the control of the Holy Spirit. If you do, you will think about what the Spirit wants.
Romans 8:5 (NLT) Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.
Romans 8:5 (CJB) For those who identify with their old nature set their minds on the things of the old nature, but those who identify with the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
Romans 8:5 (GNT) Those who live as their human nature tells them to, have their minds controlled by what human nature wants. Those who live as the Spirit tells them to, have their minds controlled by what the Spirit wants.
Romans 8:5 (GW) Those who live by the corrupt nature have the corrupt nature's attitude. But those who live by the spiritual nature have the spiritual nature's attitude.
The bottom line is that man is here to learn of his absolute need of God, something Adam denied by his act of disobedience. Man is here to learn of his depravity when exiled from his Creator, of the ugliness of the sin and evil that result. By revelation and grace God calls man-and he may or may not have gained the wisdom to respond appropriately. No one denies the absolute necessity for that grace, for God to save IOW.
All true, except that the bottom line is, the Gospel is the work of God, from first to last. Somehow, you take man's 'absolute need' of God, to mean man can somehow, of his own, though enslaved to sin, somehow take onto himself, apart from the work of God, a nature of the flesh that has the integrity, will and understanding to save himself by 'taking the first step' toward God, as though God depends on man to do what only God can do.
