Causes of Sin Biblically and African Traditional Society

Causes of Sin Biblically and African Traditional Society

CAUSES OF SIN

• Caused by Satan
• Man’s desire to be like God
• Ambition and anxiety by man to be like God
• Eating the forbidden fruit by Eve
• Lack of faith in God
• Man's ambition to know what is good and evil 

​Impact of sin 

• Man was separated from God
• Sin came into the world
• Man changed and became prone to sin
• The ground was cursed  - man had to toil and sweat to get food
• Death come into the world
• Woman became subordinate to man
• The serpent was cursed

Causes of evil in A.T.S (AFRICAN TRADITION SOCIETY)

• Breaking of taboos
• Failure to remember the dead
• Lack of respect to other members of the community
• The spirit of divination and magic may turn mischievous and cause harm
• Use of magic
• Failure to bury the dead properly

​How Solomon turned away from the covenant way of life

• Married foreign wives but was warned not to marry from foreigners
• Killed one of the brothers hence broke one of the commandments
• Used forced labour hence broke the covenant brotherhood
• He practiced nepotism
• Sold part of Israelites territory but this was God’s chosen nation
• Accommodated idol worship I Israel
• Made treaties with foreign nations
• He enslaved fellow Israelites

​Factors for the spread of idolatry 

• weak rulers who could not update the covenant
• Religion schism between Judah and Israel after the division of the kingdom
• Influence from the Canaanite religion
• Marriage of foreign wives
• Choosing of priests randomly ignoring the house ordained to serve as priests
• Failure to effect God’s command of total destruction of alters found in Canaan
• The believe that Yahweh was only powerful in certain areas and that he is a God of history

​Forms of idolatry today

• Wealth
• Power
• Devil worshiping
• Witchcraft
• Personality cult
• Drugs
• Sex 
• Alcohol
  

​Characteristic of Old Testament prophets

• Appointed by God
• Spoke and acted for God without fear
• Received God’s revelation
• Responded to Gods call in faith
• Communicated God’s message
• Did not work for payment
• Led holy lives
• Were opposed by their lovers

​Amos understanding of the day of the lord

• Would be a day of terror and disaster
• Day of darkness and gloom
• Day of mourning
• There will be earthquake
• There would be eclipse of the sun and the moon
• There would be famine of the word of God
• It would be a day of destruction

​How God communicate to people

• Through the bible
• Through vision
• Through dreams
• Through pastors or priests
• Through the holy spirit

​Why Jeremiah is referred to as a prophet of hope

• Wrote a letter of encouragement to the Israelites metile
• He said the people would be restored back to their land
• God would visit the exiles after 70 years
• Their cities would be rebuild
• He said child bearing would be survived
• God would make a new covenant with the Israelites
• God told the exiles that their sins would be forgiven by God
• He promised them that the remnants would have an everlasting kingdom

​Characteristics of Nehemiah prayer

• A prayer of compassion
• Confession of sins
• Interceded for others
• Request to God to avenge his enemies
• Memory of the exodus
• Praises to God for his love
• A reminder to God about his relationship with their ancestor Abraham and the promises made

​Importance of  prayer to Christians 

• To request for favours from God
• Offer thanks giving to God
• To confess and seek forgiveness
• Seek for protection
• Pray for others
• Strengthen their faith in God
• To strengthen their relationship with God 

​Message of God in his letter to the exiles

• God visiting the exiles after seventy years
• To respect their rulers in foreign land
• Cultivate land and eat their produce
• Build houses and settle down
• Mary and have children
• Live in peace and pray for the welfare of their master
• Not to listen to false prophets who told them lies
• To trust in God and not to give up

​Comparison of Nehemiah’s and Jesus’ life

• Both were  prayerful persons
• Both were compassionate
• Both made social reforms
• Both made religion reforms – cleansed the temple
• Both faced opposition
• Both were accused of treason against their governments
• Both condemned social evil

​Why  reforms fail in Kenya

• Everything have been politicized
• Corruption is deeply rooted in our people
• Religions differences
• Lack of government commitment
• Luck of funds
• Individualism is affecting peoples commitment

​Factors that promote harmony and mutual responsibility in A.T.S ​(AFRICAN TRADITION SOCIETY)

• Good morals
• Communal labour
• Political ties
• Division of labour
• Communal worship
• Sharing
• Rites of passage

​Importance of marriage in A.T.S

• To get children
• To get labour
• For the extension of kingship ties
• For the re-incarnation of the dead relatives through naming
• To win acceptance and status in the society
• To bring communities together
• To get legal sexual satisfaction

​Factors that have affected marriage today

• Marriage has been commercialized
• It is no longer compulsory
• White culture
• Marriage is a contract
• Members of the community are no longer involved in marriage
• The breakdown of traditional African values regarding marriage