Doubting the Goodness of God

Genesis 3:1-6

INTRODUCTION

Over 20 years ago, there was a very famous psychiatrist, Karl Menninger, who wrote a book called Whatever Became of Sin? It shocked an awful lot of people. In it, he called the country to a revival of a conscious sense of guilt and repentance. He writes, “I am calling for a revival of the concept of sin. ‘And what would be the good of that?’ some would ask. Shall we add depression to the already-mentioned gloom and world uneasiness? Why not a “no-fault” theology … no one to blame? Things just happen?’” He continues this way:

“Here’s why. The assumption that there is sin in it somewhere implies both a possibility and an obligation for intervention. Hence sin is the only hopeful view. When evil appears around us, and no one is responsible, and no one is guilty … then no moral questions are asked, and then there is, in short, nothing to do about it. So we sink into a despairing hopelessness. Therefore the consequences of my proposal for a revival of the consciousness of sin wo…