*For other installments from this series, see here.

Introduction

In previous installments, we considered the relationship God had with Adam in the garden, Adam’s breaking of the covenant, the fact that Adam represented his natural seed, and the state in which Adam’s sin brought man into. The next question focuses on the sinfulness of that state.

Q. 21. Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell

A. 21. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin; together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it (Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1–3; James 1:14–15; Matthew 15:19).

Body

Exposition

1. Man has fallen into the guilt of Adam’s first sin.

Guilt is an obligation to bear the punishment for offenses committed. Adam was a covenantal representative of all his physical offspring. When he violated the covenantal demands given to him, he became liable to suffer the curses of the covenant, including death: both spiritual and physical. The fact that the guilt of Adam’s sin is imputed to his natural offspring is affirmed by the apostle Paul in Romans 5:12-20. The representative role of Adam is confirmed when Paul compares Adam and Jesus. As Jesus represents His people in His holy life and death for the justification of His people, so Adam represents his people in his sin. Jesus earned life through obedience for himself and his spiritual offspring. Adam earned death through disobedience for his physical offspring. The existence of death amongst all humanity—even amongst children before committing actual sin—is evidence that in Adam, we all stand condemned for his first sin.

Paul says, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come” (Romans 5:12-14). 

Man has fallen into the guilt of Adam’s first sin.

2. Man has fallen from original righteousness.

This second point communicates, at a minimum, what was said in the previous one. However, it goes further in teaching that after Adam fell, he and his natural offspring lost the inclination to do what pleases God. Therefore, humanity can no longer earn life through obedience to the law. Righteousness before God is possessed by none of Adam’s natural seed at birth.

Quoting many Old Testament texts, Paul writes, “None is righteous, no not one… By works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:9-20). The loss of original righteousness is also confirmed in the words of Isaiah, “from before birth you were called a rebel” (Isaiah 48:8). Furthermore, Paul says that we are both dead in trespasses and sin, and are children of wrath (Ephesians 2:1, 3). As created in God’s image, man had that image defaced in sin so that he no longer relates to or pleases God as he should. Such is true of every one of Adam’s natural offspring. 

Man has fallen into the guilt of Adam’s first sin and from original righteousness.

3. Man has fallen into the corruption of his whole nature.

Man not only has no inclination to earn life through obedience, but he also has the inclination to disobey. This inclination to disobey is called corruption. Not only is a part of man corrupted by sin, but his whole nature has been plagued by sin. What Isaiah says of Judah is true of all of Adam’s natural offspring, “Why will you be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint” (Isaiah 1:5).

• The mind is vain in its thoughts (Jeremiah 4:14) and calls evil good (Isaiah 5:20).
• The heart is deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9), only evil (Genesis 6:5; 8:21), and overcome by madness (Ecclesiastes 9:3).
• The will is depraved (Romans 3:10-18), enslaved (Titus 3:3), and (Romans 1:21-22).

Man cannot undo the corruption of the whole nature. Consider the proclamation of Jeremiah, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his own spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil” (Jeremiah 13:23). This corruption is universal (Romans 3:10-18; Ephesians 2:1-3, 1 John 5:19), as Paul says, “None is righteous, no, not one” and John writes, “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” It begins in the womb, as David declares, “The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies” (Psalm 58:3).

Man has fallen into the guilt of Adam’s first sin, from original righteousness, and into the corruption of his whole nature.

4. Man has fallen into actual transgressions.

These three truths are commonly called original sin, and relate to actual sin as a spark does to a fire or a seed to a tree. Actual transgressions are committed when one either transgresses or does not conform to the law of God. It is out of the corrupted heart that Jesus says, “come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, and sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander” (Matthew 15:19). Certainly, what Paul says of the Ephesians is true of all: “And you were dead in trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath like the rest of mankind” (Ephesians 2:1-3).

Transition

In summary, what we have learned is this: Guilt is the imputed standing we have in Adam, want of original righteousness is the loss of the inclination towards what pleases God (or the moral aspect of the image of God in man), and corruption is the infusion of an inclination towards actual sin. Actual transgressions are attitudes and actions that transgress or don’t conform to God’s Law.

Original sin is the general term to cover guilt, want of righteousness, and corruption. Actual sins are what flow from these.

Man has fallen into the guilt of Adam’s first sin, from original righteousness, into the corruption of his whole nature, and into actual transgressions. Now consider some applications of the answer to this question.

Applications

1. None of us can say that we are without sin.

2. None of us can save ourselves from sin.

3. Look and point others to the Second Adam, Jesus Christ.

4. Mortify indwelling sin with faith, watchfulness, and diligence.

5. Be patient with your children and labor for their conversion.

6. Pray for the grace of regeneration.

Conclusion

We have considered question 21 of the Baptist Catechism. Which is:

Q. 21. Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?

A. 21. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin; together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it (Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1–3; James 1:14–15; Matthew 15:19).

Now that we have considered the sinfulness of our natural state in Adam, we will consider the misery of that state in the forthcoming installment.