Table of Contents
Preface xiii
1 Introduction 1
My Interest in Sin 1
Structure of the Book 4
Part I Theological Background
2 Traditional African Beliefs 9
Fundamental Theological Beliefs 10
Belief in impersonal powers 10
Belief in spirit beings 11
Belief in many divinities 12
Belief in a Supreme Being 13
Belief in a hierarchy of spiritual beings 13
Fundamental Psychological Beliefs 14
Fundamental Philosophical Beliefs 15
Holism 16
Spiritualism 17
Dynamism 18
Communalism 19
Fatalism 21
Fundamental Moral and Ethical Beliefs 21
Law of harmony 22
Law of the spirit 22
Law of power 23
Law of kinship 24
Summary 24
3 God and Sin 25
God's Nature 26
God is a Trinity 27
God is sovereign 28
God is eternal 28
God is the eternal Word 29
God is eternal spirit 29
God is good 30
God is wise 30
God is holy 31
God is righteous 32
God is just 32
God is angry 33
God is true 33
God is faithful 34
God's Laws 35
God's universal physical laws 35
God's universal moral laws 35
Why a Right Understanding of God Matters 36
4 Creation: Good or Bad? 37
The View of World Religions 37
The View of African Religions 38
The Christian View 39
Why a Right Understanding of Creation Matters 41
5 Evil, Sin and Free Will 42
The Nature of Evil 43
Evil and Free Will 43
Why We Were Created 44
Our Original Condition 45
God's First Covenant with Adam and Eve 46
What Happened in Eden 47
Who was Satan? 47
What was the temptation? 47
The Fall and God's Second Covenant with Adam and Eve 49
Why Understanding Free Will Matters 50
6 The Power of Temptation 52
The Power of Temptation 53
The Context of Temptation 54
The Instrument of Temptation 54
Rebellion and Disobedience 54
The Consequences of the Fall 56
Inherited guilt 58
Inherited corruption 59
God's Judgement and Punishment 59
God's judgement on the serpent 60
God's judgement on Eve 60
God's judgement on Adam 61
Living in exile 62
Conclusion 62
7 Human Nature 64
Traditional African View of Human Nature 64
Biblical View of Human Nature 67
Spirit, Soul and Body 67
Sin and the spirit 69
Sin and the soul 71
Sin and the body 73
Conclusion 74
Part II The Trinity of Sin
8 Self-centredness and Pride 77
Defining Pride 77
The Sin of Pride in Satan 79
Pride and the Fall 79
Self and Sin 81
Heart and sin 82
Flesh and sin 84
Sins Related to Self-Centredness and Pride 85
Dealing with the Sins of Self-Centredness and Pride 87
Summary 87
9 Greed and Lust 89
Denning Greed and Lust 89
Greed, Lust and the Fall 90
Greed 91
Lust 91
Self-centredness and Pride and Greed and Lust 92
Sins Related to Greed and Lust 92
Dealing with the Sins of Greed and Lust 93
10 Anxiety and Fear 95
Anxiety, Fear and the Fall 95
Defining Anxiety and Fear 97
Self-Centredness and Pride, Greed and Lust and Anxiety and Fear 98
Sins Related to Anxiety and Fear 98
Dealing with the Sins of Anxiety and Fear 101
Part III God's Solution to the Problem of Sin
11 Redemption in Jesus Christ 105
The Cross: God's Response to the Fall 106
Adam and the Second Adam 108
God's Plan of Salvation and Redemption 109
All believers are chosen by the Father 109
All believers are redeemed by the Son 110
All believers are sealed by the Spirit 111
Christ's Work of Reconciliation 112
The Resurrection Power of Jesus 113
The Church, the Body of Christ 114
12 Applying the Power of the Cross of Christ 117
Sins and Sin 117
Sins and personal guilt 118
Sin and inherited corruption 119
Spiritual Death and Resurrection 121
Spiritual Death and Remarriage 123
Conclusion 124
13 Self-Centredness, Pride and the Cross 125
Dealing with the Self 125
Denying ourselves 125
Mortifying the flesh 126
Dealing with Pride 127
Confessing our pride 127
Becoming a servant 128
Imitating Christ 128
Summary 129
14 Greed, Lust and the Cross 131
The Holy Spirit and Regeneration 132
Regeneration and faith 132
Regeneration and new life 133
Regeneration and eternal life 134
Nurturing New Life 134
Greed and the bread of life 135
Greed and living water 135
Lust and the light of the world 136
Putting off the works of the flesh 137
Sanctification and Putting on Christ 138
Walking in the Spirit 139
Summary 140
15 Anxiety, Fear and the Cross 141
Realization of Our Creaturehood 141
Restoration and Reconciliation in the Cross of Christ 143
God's Sovereignty 144
Worship of God 146
The Resurrection Power of Jesus 147
Jesus' Teachings on Worry 148
Summary 149
Part IV Sin Issues in Modern Africa
16 Spiritual Idolatry in Modern Africa 153
An African Ancestor in the Garden of Eden 154
Western Neopagan Spirituality 154
Idolatry 156
Syncretism 159
Examples of Modern Spiritual Idolatry in Africa 160
Quest for spiritual and mystical power 162
Quest for life force and spiritual powers 163
Quest to control the spirit world 164
Quest to communicate with the spirit world 165
Quest to maintain harmony with the spirit world 166
Observance of taboos 167
Consultation of African Specialists 168
Joining secret cults 168
Spiritual Powers and Warfare 168
17 Social and Communal Sins in Africa 170
Foundations of Attitudes, Behaviour and Social Practice 170
Kinship and Communal Morality 173
The place of outsiders and strangers 174
Biblical teachings on outsiders and strangers 175
Sin, Shame and Guilt in Africa 176
Creating a Just, Participatory and Sustainable Society 179
Sustainability 181
Justice 181
Participation 182
Application to Africa 183
Summary 184
18 Conclusion 186
Bibliography 187
Notes 191
