Understanding the concept of SIN! Is it inherited or is it eliminated for select Christian believers?
Am I a sinner? Do I have flaws in my moral character? Do I transgress the 10 Commandments while living on planet Earth? What about you? What about Trump, Xi, Putin, Zelensky, Melania, or my Spouse? Who is capable of a perfect (sinless) life experience? Has anyone on this planet revealed a PERFECT moral character for a lifetime? My view is absolutely NO! NONE! The perfect human life is yet to happen IMO!
The idea that select believers (say a group of Christians) are totally redeemed for all their sin is not a valid viewpoint IMO. It was Paul of Tarsus, after his visionary epiphany, who developed this idea that select believers could claim ‘atonement’ for their sins (all sins and for a lifetime). This false prophet was a serious sinner for his entire lifetime (by his own admission) and yet he proclaimed a false ‘Gospel’ (for others) that the blood of a dead Jew (Yeshua/Jesus) was total redemption for all sin (if one proclaimed his mantra)…called Salvation by Grace via the Blood of this dead Jew (who died at Golgotha).
Real-time reality reveals the OPPOSITE. Every human being displays some ‘sin’ during their lifetime (some daily). Lies are a sin. Sexual excess is a sin. Gluttony is a sin. Stealing is a sin. Coveting is a sin. Worshiping an idol is a sin (etc. etc. etc.). Sin is any behavior that is LESS than PERFECT. Paul claims that Yeshua/Jesus was ‘perfect’ in his behavior for an entire lifetime. Is this a valid conclusion? My sense is absolutely NO! Yeshua lied to his brothers on one occasion in John 7: 6 – 8. Yeshua says ‘my time is not yet come, you James/Jude/Simon go up to the feast. I am not going for my time has not yet fully come’. Then in hours, Yeshua changes his mind and goes to the feast (in Jerusalem and preaches to many fellow Jews). This lie of Yeshua was an obvious ‘sin’. Yeshua, earlier had gone to his cousin John the Baptist and asked to be baptized (a pure admission that his moral character was less than ‘perfect’). Wow!
Yes, Yeshua/Jesus was a ‘sinner’ during his lifetime and Father God did not let him off the hook (with reference to the consequences of his ‘sins’)…which is DEATH. Did the living Yeshua/Jesus qualify to enter heaven FREE of any ‘sin’? Paul says Yes…but I say No! The character of every human person is affected (from Zygote Stage/conception) with ‘sin’ (and/or imperfections). So where did ‘sin’ originate from? Was it from the disobedience of Eve an Adam? Did these two human creations disobey Father God while in Eden? I think so!
We have inherited ‘sin’ (via the sperm/egg of mankind) from day one. The living cell called the male sperm and the female egg created ME (a Zygote). I then became an embryo, then then a fetus, and then a born baby boy. My inner life involved my invisible ‘consciousness’ which worked with my DNA, etc. to form my physical body/life (all derived from the fertilization/conception produced by my Dad’s sperm and my Mom’s egg). I inherited ‘sin’ from the formation of my life during my origin. Are we all the same?
Since we all originate in the same manner (from conception), it makes sense that ‘sin’ is part of this process which started at the Zygote stage. The perfect Adam and the perfect Eve (in the garden) were infused with ‘sin’ when they ATE the fruit of the TREE of KNOWLEDGE. Both ‘good’ and ‘evil emerged AFTER this disobedience by our first parents. This is what my beliefs comprehend. Sin started with our first parents and we all have ‘inherited’ sin from this start! Wow! It’s all beyond my full understanding!
So how do I deal with my ‘sin’? If ‘sin’ is endemic to human behavior, then is there some positive way to deal with ‘sin’. I say absolutely! God says REPENT (change my thinking) and he will forgive my ‘sin’. The endemic nature of ‘sin’ means that I must deal with my ‘sin’ on a recurring basis (when I become aware of a ‘sin’). I then act with ‘repentance’ and appeal to my Source for forgiveness. My Source (Father God) is willing to allow me to ‘repent’ and change my behavior. The other way is ‘atonement’…but this is not what Yeshua/Jesus advocated during his lifetime. Forgiveness via repentance is the positive way to DEAL with ‘sin’! My way!
The problem of sin is obvious to me as I witness my own behavior and the behavior of others. Huge sin is now displayed by our elected political leaders. We can witness their sins on a daily basis. Our system is built upon human beings with flaws in their behavior. Man’s rule is the real problem. The Kingdom is the solution. But as long as people refuse to deal with their personal ‘sins’, the consequences will continue (in spades). War is a perfect example of ONE consequence of sin’. We all witness many more examples as we watch human behavior in real-time! Give this missive some reflection at your leisure!
I am: Donald Brynolf Swenson, Economist/Philosopher, http:/kingdomecon.wordpress.com.
Ultimate reality cannot be achieved by human beings. Only the Father (our I AM Source) can create reality for the Macro Issues. As ‘agents’ of the I AM Source, we humans are IMPOTENT to create real-time reality for our planet/society. Father God controls the planet and the events which happen. The Iran war and its outcome is not something which Trump can determine. His ego is impotent for the final outcome of this war. His antics will not determine the outcome of this war. Father God is in control (not Trump).
Who gave us the ten commandments at Mount Sinai? Was it our Father God (the I AM God of our universe)? If so, then this means that man (human beings) cannot create ultimate reality for this planet. The God of our universe spoke the 10 commandments to an ‘agent’ (Moses) and this outcome happened for mankind. So who has ultimate control?
Does a Messiah person (say Yeshua/Jesus) create ultimate reality? What happened at the baptism of this Messiah person? Who spoke and who caused the mindset of this Jew to change so that he acted out his vision in real-time? Was it Father God (the God of Israel)? Was it a change in thinking which caused the behavior of this Jew to change? Was Father God the real-time Source that caused this change?
Did this Messiah person know his destiny while he lived on planet Earth? Was he in ultimate control of his life experiences? This idea that human beings (even special human beings) can determine their destiny is a false perception. In reality all ‘ultimate’ issues are determined by the God of our universe (Father God). We humans are IMPOTENT when it comes to the BIG ISSUES of reality! This also goes for our political leaders (Trump, et al). So who should I/You listen to when it comes to ‘ultimate’ issues of reality?
The big issues of reality that we now face are many. The outcome of the Ukraine war and the Iran war is beyond human understanding. The outcome of the mid-term elections in the USA is beyond the control of human beings. The eventual outcome of the stock market bubble is also unknown and beyond the control of human beings. Ultimate reality is beyond the control of all human beings. Ultimate freewill emerges from our invisible Source (who we can call Father God). Destiny happens in accordance with invisible sources and forces! Wow! We humans are ‘agents’…not ‘principals’. This seems obvious to me!
In conclusion, I would suggest that human beings cannot attain ‘ultimate’ reality with their thinking. All events happen for reasons that we humans cannot fully comprehend. This seems to be our situation on planet Earth. We live as ‘agents’ of Higher Powers which are ‘invisible’ to our five senses. But wisdom emerges as we live and discern events! It’s all amazing and much beyond human comprehension! Wow!
King David wrote in the Psalms more than 3,000 years ago: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God'” (Psalm 14:1). Solomon states: “The mouth of fools pours out foolishness” (Proverbs 15:2). Looking back over the last few centuries it is painfully obvious that many of the “enlightened” intellectuals who have molded our modern world were simply wrong! They made foolish assumptions and foolish statements that many people believed! These misguided individuals were essentially the blind leading the blind.
Ultimate reality seems to emerge from our Highest Power, this makes human beings ‘agents’ of this invisible SOURCE! Wow! Reality emerges from critical thinking!
I am: Donald Brynolf Swenson, Economist/Philosopher, https://kingdomecon.wordpress.com.
Human sentiment changes with the availability of MONEY! Watch the Stock Market going forward!
After teaching and preaching about finance, money, and economics for over 50 years, I can confidently conclude with this KEY idea: consumer change happens when general HUMAN ‘sentiment’ changes on issues of money and economic survival. Today, change is needed but nothing has happened on the core issues of reality. My sense is that the ‘availability’ of money (for the many) tends to delay meaningful change! Will anything change going forward?
As I write this missive, our Stock Market has ‘trended’ upward for over 17 years (since the recession of 2009). This is an historic event as we generally have recessions (one year of pain) every 5 – 7 years. We have NOT had this type of economic pain for over 17 years. Wow! Small declines have led to continuing up trends in our stock market indices. Can this type of situation continue ‘indefinitely’?
My sense is that we are now much ‘overdo’ for another serious Recession. The following indices reveal our problem: interest rates are now too high, mortgage rates are too high, commercial real estate must be refinanced (some 1+ trillion), house prices are starting to decline, inflation is too high, gas prices are reducing consumer purchasing power, and our ‘war’ situation is draining consumer sentiment/confidence! Wow!
Our economic situation is reaching a CRISIS level and most thinkers (whom I visit with daily) agree that some event must happen to change these serious trends of finance/money/economics. Money is definitely the ‘lifeblood’ of our human sentiments’. When we all have an ample supply of money in our possession, we generally think positively about reality. I have noticed this relationship with money for all my years of teaching economics. Money is the lifeblood that keeps human sentiment high.
Today, however, there is general agreement that real CHANGE is needed within our economy and our political system. The people I talk to (daily) agree that our current trends are unsustainable. We need a change in ‘direction’ and also in ‘leadership’. The coming midterms in the USA may start this change (if Trump’s policies are mostly rejected). If this does not change and Trump’s policies are generally accepted as positive, then real change may be delayed.
My sense is that Trump’s policies (with our economy, the war situation, the general political situation) will reveal an election sentiment of rejection (by the voters). If this happens after November 3 (the Mid-terms) then we could witness a NEW human sentiment that will change our markets and all political trends going forward. And if our Stock Markets start to decline (significantly) then real change will emerge for America and the world.
The economy and finance are KEY to real change IMO. I have noticed for years that people do not demand meaningful change when their ‘pockets’ are full of MONEY. Money is at the core of human sentiment/confidence. When an economy turns downward (significantly) then people generally reject the status quo. New policies, solutions, and leaders are demanded by the people. Will this emerge in America after November 3? This is likely IMO.
The election that is coming next month will be KEY to real change IMO. I have sensed for months/years that people desire real change. But real change is not demanded as long as everyone is a Stock Puppeteer. Today, most investors and institutions (including our political leaders) are Stock Puppeteers. They demand no meaningful change as long as the Stock Markets go UP and UP. Everyone wants more MONEY and WEALTH to maintain their living standard. As long as MONEY emerges for the many NOTHING meaningful changes. That has been my observation for years.
So what will happen in America and the world when our Stock Markets decline (significantly)? My sense is that people will seek out new leaders and demand real change in the status quo. The coming election scheduled for November 3 in America may be the catalyst that changes our current TRENDS. America is a KEY leader for the entire planet. What happens in America will affect the sentiments globally IMO.
Watch the Stock Markets after this coming election and then watch human sentiment (demand) for change. That is my contribution to our discussion for today. Money is the lifeblood of all economies and human sentiment and confidence is the catalyst for meaningful change. Change is coming soon and MAYBE it will start after the mid-terms (November 3, 2026). Who rules America is one question that I ponder daily!
I am: Donald Brynolf Swenson, Economist/Philosopher, https://kingdomecon.wordpress.com.
Brief ‘timeline’ (evolution) of American dollar! Think of this $ continually ‘changing’ since it’s origin!
America started with 13 colonies (1733 to 1792) and no universal currency for the nation. Foreign coins and bills were the medium of exchange (mostly). Then around 1775, Benjamin Franklin started his ‘printing’ press (in his basement) and started to print Continental notes of various denominations. Our Continental Congress approved these notes as official ‘legal tender’ for the colonies. Notes were printed from 1776 to 1781…then the currency collapsed as hyper-inflation emerged for the colonies. Not worth a Continental was the new mantra.
Thomas Jefferson noticed this chaos with ‘paper’ notes serving as America’s money. He then devised a new monetary system for our nation (based on silver and gold). Thomas defined the American dollar as 371.25 grains of silver (Ag). The gold dollar was defined as 24.75 grains of Au. This new monetary/currency system was approved by our Congress in 1792. A new Mint was build for coining money for the nation. All money must be composed of either silver/gold/copper (no paper notes were allowed). Article I, Section 10, and Article I Section 8 of our Constitution.
American money evolved from this starting point (1792)… it all changed when we experienced the Civil War (1861 – 1865). Abraham Lincoln issued new paper notes called the ‘greenbacks’ which served as our legal tender for some 15 years. Inflation reached some 60% during this period as excess money was issued during the war years for the norther Union. Congress continued to approve new Treasury notes after the war.
Then in 1913 Woodrow Wilson approved the Federal Reserve Act and this resulted in the issuance of Federal Reserve Notes as America’s legal tender. But over issuance of notes was a continuing problem and in 1929 our Stock Market crashed as new hyper-inflation occured for the nation. Then in 1933, a new President, (Franklin Delano Roosevelt), emerged and he mandated that all American’s exchange their gold at the FED for $20.67 per ounce. This policy was meant to create new ‘confidence’ in the Federal Reserve Note going forward.
This agreement lasted until 1971 (some 25 years) when President Nixon noticed that our gold supply had decreased (since 1946) by some 65%. This led Nixon (with the advice of his Treasury Secretary and also Economist Milton Friedman) to CLOSE the gold window to all foreigners (their Central Banks). This resulted in a new international dollar that was called ‘fiat’ (meaning a faith dollar). This faith dollar was changed in 1975 to a Petro Dollar as Nixon and Kissinger were able to create a new pricing agreement with OPEC. This new pricing agreement ‘forced’ all buyers of oil (from OPEC) to use America dollars for their purchase. This agreement lasted until 1924 (50 years) when Saudi Arabia allowed China and the BRICS nations to use their national currencies for the purchase of oil.
Today, 2026, we use (mostly) digital currencies for our international trade and our domestic trade. All this started in 2008 (after the last financial crisis). Digital money (also called ‘virtual’ money) has emerged for nearly 95% of all financial transactions worldwide. This type of money circulates within ‘cyberspace’ (our computer screens) and acts as mere ‘imaginary’ numbers (with currency ‘names’).
Fed policy is now KEY to the growth and stability of our global economies. The Key Central Banks on this planet are that of the U.S. Fed, the Bank of China, the Bank of England, and the Bank of Japan. All currencies are now mostly ‘cyber’ currencies (virtual/digital) and the stability of our global financial system will depend on the policies of our Central Banks (mostly the Central Bank of America). Watch the FED is the new mantra for all citizens who use money in today’s world of algorithms and computers.
The timeline of our American currency system can be assumed as starting in 1775 and probably ending in the next decade or so. Virtual money does create instability and it does not allow our nation to repay any of its accumulated DEBT (now over $115 trillion). You can witness our financial situation here: http://www.usdebtclock.org. Our National Debt is over $40 trillion and our total DEBT is over $115 trillion. None of this can be repaid and our politicians now assume that new DEBT can be added indefinitely. Wow!
Review this ‘timeline’ for understanding of our monetary history. It’s very interesting and enlightening. Money is the ‘life blood’ of our economy and its future will determine the future of us all. Who understands this history? Few to NONE! That has been my experience as a teacher of this history to various students who desire WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING! Watch the Markets for new changes going forward!!!
I am: Donald Brynolf Swenson, Economist/Philosopher, https://kingdomecon.wordpress.com.
ASSUMPTIONS create our ‘reality’! What does this mean in real-time?
Both science and religion now recognize that reality derives from human ASSUMPTIONS. Even materialist scientists who understand quantum physics recognize that human ‘observation’ (via one’s consciousness) collapses the ‘wave function’ when measuring quantum particles. This means that all reality is essentially ‘subjective’ and one’s ASSUMPTIONS create one’s reality in real-time. Wow!
Socrates had it right when he concluded that all reality is subjective and this means that we all should recognize that we essentially ‘KNOW’ nothing (objectively). Objective reality is impossible on planet Earth as human beings derive reality from their subjective mindset (consciousness). I observe some object in nature (say the sunset) and then I derive meaning from this observation. Another person will also derive meaning…but differently!
Who can derive specific ‘objective’ reality from their ‘observations’ or ‘thinking’? I say NONE! Socrates also concluded that human beings do not really KNOW anything when questioned fully. Human beings claim they know objective reality…but this is really an illusion. No human being really KNOWS objective reality. Scientist’s claim (not all) that reality can be measured and discerned ‘objectively’. Most scientists who claim this are ‘materialist’ in their philosophy. But, today, many scientists will admit that reality (at the quantum level) is subjective and unknowable. It’s called the ‘measurement’ problem!
Scientists use math (measurement) to discern reality. But all this is done via their subjective ‘thinking’ (consciousness). This means that they actually cannot ‘measure’ reality (fully) at the quantum level. Philosophers will now admit that human beings have a ‘unique’ mindset and no two human beings will think identically. Even measurement of material objects reveals ‘subjectivity’ at the quantum level. This means that all reality is essentially subjective! Wow!
Assumptions and beliefs are at the core of all human thinking. I ‘think’ prior to my ‘observations’. Thinking is subjective and this makes ‘observation’ also subjective. No two human beings will THINK identically on any issue of reality. What does this mean for human relationships? It means that we all must accept each person as having a ‘unique’ viewpoint about reality. My ‘viewpoint’ will be somewhat ‘different’ from yours (and vice versa).
When I think about the MACRO picture, I witness that all 8.2 billion people on this planet have a ‘unique’ viewpoint about reality. Each person uses ASSUMPTIONS to derive their own viewpoint. Assumptions and Beliefs create our reality in real-time. We all witness this situation when we watch human behavior within our social environment. People reach different conclusions (about most issues) as they THINK differently and adopt different ASSUMPTIONS as they think! I have noticed this situation in my teaching experience!
I will present my viewpoint on economics, politics, or philosophy to a group and then I will notice that each person who listens to my presentation will derive somewhat unique conclusions about my presentation. Questions asked reveal this uniqueness and this difference in ‘viewpoint’. The economic/political/philosophical issues today are complex and confusing. This creates much confusion within a body of thinkers/believers.
The issues within religion are easy to discern as being unique to each person. I also noticed this situation within economics and politics. Science is now also revealing the reality that scientists THINK differently about most issues within science. Is my ‘consciousness’ created by my brain or is it separate from my brain (this is a confusing issues for many). I, personally, am convinced that my ‘consciousness’ is separate. This is why I call myself a DUALIST (philosophically). My brain is a material object (matter) and my consciousness is a non-material reality (spirit). This, for me, is obvious! This makes me a Dualist! A Dualist is one who perceives reality via their ‘consciousness’ (a separate reality from brain activity)! Wow!
We live in a WORLD of diversity and difference. Our cultures are different. Our upbringing is different. Our evolution from Zygote to Human is different. When I watch a video on my origin I notice that all of my being evolves from the unknown issues of DNA, Chromosomes, and Mental issues derived from one’s parent’s sperm/egg. All happens automatically from birth at the Zygote level to human development at the after birth level. DNA provides my material/physical identity. Life within the evolution of my self (from fertilization to birth) is mysterious and mostly unknown! Where did I get my talents from? Etc., Etc.
Life is based on making ASSUMPTIONS about reality (from birth to death). I never KNOW reality fully. All is mostly subjective and mysterious. Questions reveal that we all must learn from our experiences (continually). We never reach FULL understanding of WHY we are here or WHY events play out as they do! All is somewhat mysterious and subjective. But we do learn over time and this means that CHANGE does happen (both positive and negative). Who is behind all this mystery? No-one knows fully! Socrates had it right, we must question everything (continually) and learn as we ‘experience’ reality in the NOW! Assumptions and beliefs are derived from our experience of reality! Wow! Who understands?
This video provides some great ‘wisdom’ on the role that ASSUMPTIONS play within our life experiences. All is not fully objective, however. Listen and then derive meaning from what gives you AWARENESS! The video assumes that there is a LAW about assumptions. This idea is not fully valid IMO. But the greater information within this video is ‘excellent’!
I am: Donald Brynolf Swenson, Economist/Philosopher, https://kingdomecon.wordpress.com.
