Thursday, June 2, 2011

Chapter Six: Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof.

The Westminster Confession of Faith in Plain Language

1. Satan seduced our first parents to sin when they ate the forbidden fruit.* God, who is wise and sinless, allowed this first sin to happen because he knew how to use it to glorify himself.

2. This first sin had horrible results: Adam and Eve fell from their original righteous state and were no longer sinless. They lost the privilege of fellowship with God. They were spiritually dead in sin. Every part of their bodies and souls, including their minds, was corrupted by sinfulness. **

3. Since Adam and Eve were the first parents, All of their descendants are guilty of the sin they committed.*** They also receive the same punishment—they are spiritually dead in sin, and every part of their bodies and souls, including their minds, has been corrupted by sinfulness. This guilt and punishment comes to them simply because they are Adam and Eve’s natural-born descendents.

4. Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, people do not want to and are not able to do good things. In fact, the opposite is true—they want to do evil things. All of the sins they commit are the result of this depravity.

5. Those who are in Christ have had their hearts changed—their sins are forgiven and their sinfulness is being killed off. But that does not mean that they never sin. While they live on this earth, they will always struggle with sin inside them. Even though they are Christians, they are still sinners and they still commit real sins.

6. God holds people accountable for their own sins and for Adam and Eve’s sin. Both are enough to deserve the wrath of God and the curse that comes from breaking God’s Law. Every sinner deserves to suffer and die spiritually, physically, and forever.




*Theological Term: The Fall.


**Theological Term: Total Depravity.


***Theological Term: Original Sin

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