These notes delve into the relationship between Adam’s transgression, and how it affects the human race (if at all). Are we really held responsible for Adam’s transgression? If so, what are the consequences of our guilt?
Leadership Training and Development
Systematic Theology
The Doctrine Of Sin
1. Adam’s Sin:
A. The Covenant Of Works:
1) Adam Is Created Holy & Able To Obey God: Eccl.7:29
2) Adam Is Placed Under A Covenant Of Works: Hos.6:7
3) Adam Is Put Under Probation & Made The Representative Of All Mankind: Rom.5:12-21
4) Obedience To God Results In Life For Himself & Mankind: Gen.2:16-17
5) Disobedience Results In Death For Himself & Mankind: Gen.2:16-17
B. Various Views Of The Fall:
1) The Myth Theory Of The Fall: There was no factual, historical fall. Adam & Eve are mythological symbols to explain man’s corruption. Genesis 3 is a parable teaching a moral lesson. All men are born neutral, but like Adam choose sin.
2) The Realist View Of The Fall: (sometimes called the Augustinian or Seminal View). Since Adam contained the seed of all his descendants, when he sinned, all actually sinned. Mankind was not just represented by Adam, but actually organically joined to Adam. When Romans 5:12 says “all sinned,” it means that all humanity was a participant in Adam’s sin (Heb.7:9-10).
3) The Representative View Of The Fall: (sometimes called the Federal View). Adam was the representative (federal head) of the whole human race so that when Adam sinned his sin became the ground of condemnation of his race. In the “Covenant of Works” God entered into an agreement with Adam whereby if he passed the test the entire human race would have eternal life; if he failed he would bring suffering to the entire race. As a result of his failure, sin was imputed to each of his descendants.
2. The Consequences Of Adam’s Sin:
A. The Imputation of His Sin To The Entire Human Race: imputation means to reckon or ascribe something that belongs to one person to another; to transfer accounts.
1) Three Basic Imputations In Scripture:
a. The Imputation of Adam’s Sin To The Human Race (Rom.5:12-19)
b. The Imputation of The Elect’s Sin To Christ (2 Cor.5:21)
c. The Imputation of Christ’s Righteousness To Believers (Rom.5:18-19)
B. The Total Depravity Of The Entire Human Race: (sometimes referred to as Radical Corruption or Original Sin. It refers to the sinful state and condition into which all people are born.
1) What Total Depravity Does Not Mean:
a. Sinners are as bad as they can possibly be. (not utter depravity)
b Sinners do not have a conscience.
c. Sinners are incapable of performing actions that are good in the sight of others
d. Sinners do not admire virtuous character and actions in others
e. Sinners will indulge in every form of sin
2) What Total Depravity Does Mean: Sinners are depraved in their totality. Every part of man has been affected by the Fall.
a. His Mind: Gen.6:5; Rom.3:11; 1 Cor.2:14; 2Cor.4:4; Eph.4:17-18;
b. His Affections: Gen.6:5; Jer.17:9; Ezek.36:26; Jn.3:19;
c. His Will: Jn.5:40; Jn.6:44,65; Rom.3:11; Rom.8:7-8
C. The Total Inability Of The Entire Human Race: This refers to the doctrine that man as a result of the Fall is so enslaved to sin and Satan that he has no desire or power to turn to God. He cannot repent, believe on Christ, or do good without the sovereign efficacious work of God.
1) He Is A Slave To Sin: Jn.8:34, Rom.6:20; Titus 3:3
2) He Is A Slave To Satan: Jn.8:44; Eph.2:2; 2 Tim.2:25-26; 1Jn.5:19;
3) He Is Spiritually Dead: Eph.2:1-4; Col.2:13
4) He Cannot Change His Nature: Jer.13:23; Jn.3:6
5) He Cannot Come To Christ: Jn.6:44,65; Rom.5:6
3. Various Views Of Original Sin:
A. Pelagian View: Adam’s sin affected him alone, except as a bad example to us. Infants are born in the same moral condition in which Adam was originally created. Every man possesses absolute ability to repent and obey whenever he wills. Ability is always the measure of responsibility — in other words God can’t hold man responsible for what he is unable to do. Pelagians deny that Adam’s sin was imputed to the human race, and that men are born with a sinful nature. Through the work of Augustine, the teachings of Pelagius were condemned as heretical in the early 5th century. They were revived in part during the Middle Ages in a milder form in Semi-Pelagianism (closely related to Arminianism). MAN IS SPIRITUALLY WELL! (view held by modern liberals)
B. Armianian View: (Methodists, Wesleyans, Pentecostals) Adam’s sin was not imputed to the human race. A corrupt nature is transmitted to all men at birth, but the possession of this sinful nature does not make us guilty before God, since God can only punish men for their own actual sins consisting of voluntary transgressions. Though man does not possess original righteousness, he is not totally depraved but can by his own will choose God and good. God gives prevenient grace to all men, enabling them to repent & believe if will only choose of their own free will. The ultimate determining factor in a man’s salvation is his choice of Christ. The human will takes the initiative; God responds in regeneration. Infants are guiltless until they reach the “age of accountability.”
MAN IS SPIRITUALLY SICK!
C. Reformed View: The guilt of Adam’s sin is imputed to the whole human race. Additionally, original sin is transmitted from one generation to the next. We inherit it from our parents and pass it on to our children (Gen.5:1-3; Ps.51:5; Ps.58:3; Eph.2:3). Consequently, man has been so seriously affected by the Fall that he is spiritually dead, unwilling and unable to come to Christ, helplessly & hopelessly lost. Unless God in His matchless mercy comes to the sinner in sovereign grace and imparts spiritual life, he will be lost for all eternity.
MAN IS SPIRITUALLY DEAD!
4. God’s Punishment For Sin:
A. Spiritual Death: loss of communion with God, freedom of will, power to do good, knowledge of God (Gen.2-3)
B. Physical Death: including sickness, suffering, calamity in this life (Gen.3:19)
C. Eternal Death: eternal separation from God and eternal torment in hell (Rev.14:10-11)
5. Objections To The Reformed View Of The Fall:
A. How Can God Hold Man Responsible For That Which He Is Unable To Do? (repent & come to Christ). Must make a distinction between moral ability and natural ability. All men possess natural ability (they possess a mind, conscience, and will — the faculties necessary to repent & believe). They do not have moral ability – a desire to please God, obey His commands, repent and believe. (Illustration of God commanding gardener to trim bushes by 3:00 p.m. but warning to stay away from pit.) Is it just for God to hold men less responsible the more enslaved to sin (inability) they become? Hardly! God holds men responsible for the way He created them. Their depravity is their own fault – not His.
B. How Can God Hold Us Responsible For The Sin Of Another? You ought just as well ask yourself “How can God save a man by the righteousness of Another?” God justifies men on the same basis that they are condemned. All are condemned by the sin of Adam, their representative. We had nothing to do with that. But the elect are justified by the righteousness of Christ, their representative. We had nothing to do with that! If we complain about imputed sin, we had better complain about imputed righteousness!
APPLICATION OF THE BIBLICAL DOCTRINE OF SIN:
1. See the helpless state of lost sinners! Pity them, pray for them, preach to them!
2. Marvel at the superabounding grace of God! He saved you when you didn’t have a human hope in this world!
3. Give God all the Glory for your Salvation!!!
4. Be Careful Not To Implement UnBiblical Methodology In Evangelism: Human manipulation, altar calls emphasizing decisional regeneration.
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