1. What Happens When Authority Breaks Down?

3. Without righteous authority chaos, anarchy and evil would prevail. Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people. Proverbs 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. Psalms 12:8 The wicked prowl on every side, When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

4. Authority maintains peace and harmony by righteous controls and boundaries. Romans 13:3-4 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.

5. God created us free moral agents Genesis 1:26-27 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

6. Consequence Free volition means a choice Genesis 2:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.“ Obliged Permission Restricted Choice Authority Rightful Power

7. Free volition means a choice Basic principles of authority established at Creation God has absolute authority, but authority is empty without exercising the right and power of rule.  Laws given and boundaries set  Blessings for obedience and consequences for rebellion

8. A basic sense of right and wrong Genesis 3:7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. The beginning of moral laws as we know them

9. Evil is the offspring of a perverted heart. Genesis 6:5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

10. There is no excuse for moral depravity. Romans 1:20-21 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

11. There is no excuse for moral depravity. Romans 1:26-28 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

12. Sin Ushered in Worship Genesis 4:4-5 …And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. Genesis 4:7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."

13. “If” Conditional “If you do well, will you not be accepted” Obey God and He will elevate you. “If you do not do well, sin lies at the door” The result of disobeying God is sin.

14. What is sin? “To miss the mark” Two necessary components to sin:  God must set the mark  Man must miss the mark How does God set the mark? COMMUNICATION

15. Nothing is known by silence 1 Corinthians 2:11-13 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

16. Where there is no “mark” or law there is no sin Romans 4:15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "YOU SHALL NOT COVET."

17. What is sin? “To miss the mark” Two necessary components to sin:  God sets the mark  Man misses the mark How does man miss the mark? OmissionCommission

18. The sin of omission James 4:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. James 2:15-17 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

19. The sin of commission 1 John 3:4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 1 John 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin… Romans 14:23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

20. Wondering from truth is sin James 5:19-20 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. 2 John 1:9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.

21. If sin is missing the “mark” established by God, then we must conclude Cain transgressed God’s Law. Yet we find no specific and prior command concerning the nature of an acceptable sacrifice. Does this mean God gave no command?

22. Cain’s heart was not pure and right as shown by his offering and subsequent actions. There is only one possible and reasonable answer. God reveals that His disapproval was with Cain and his offering.

23. Actions reveal the heart Matthew 7:16-20 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

24. Without law there can be no sin because without law there can be no evil heart. It is true God knows the heart before a sin is committed, but law provides a mechanism to show one’s heart.

25. An evil heart is a response to God’s authority over us. Psalms 78:8 And may not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not set its heart aright, And whose spirit was not faithful to God.

26. Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. “persuasion, that is, credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher)” (Strong)

27. How is saving faith achieved? Romans 10:16-17 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "LORD, who has believed our report?" So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Sacrifice and worship are in response to sin, and provide a means to God’s grace.

28. While the power of forgiveness was not in the animals, faithful obedience expresses a heart suitable for God’s grace. Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

29. Mark 11:28-30 And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?" But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: The baptism of John--was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me." Only two possible sources for religious authority

30. Mark 11:31-32 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men' "-- they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. Only two possible sources for religious authority