Q21-22. WHEREIN CONSISTS THE SINFULNESS OF THAT STATE WHEREUNTO MAN FELL?

Q21. INTO WHAT STATE DID THE FALL BRING MANKIND?

A21. The fall brought mankind into a state of sin and misery. (Ps. 51:5; Rom. 5:18,19: Is. 64:6) 

I. BECAUSE OF THE FALL, ALL MEN ARE NOW NATURALLY IN A STATE OF SIN. “The fall brought mankind into a state of sin.”Psalm 51:5: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Romans 5:18-19: “Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.” Isaiah 64:6: “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”

II. BECAUSE OF THE FALL, ALL MEN ARE NOT NATURALLY IN A STATE OF MISERY. “The fall brought mankind into a state of…misery.” Romans 3:16: “in their paths are ruin and misery.” Thomas Boston, in his commentary on the Westminster Shorter Catechism, writes, “Man's first sin was the spring of all our woes, the poisonous fountain from whence all our misery flowed. It brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery; a state wherein man can do nothing but sin, wherein every thought, every word, and every action is tainted with sin; wherein enmity to God and his holy nature, and rebellion against and opposition to his righteous law universally reign and prevail.”

Q22. WHEREIN CONSISTS THE SINFULNESS OF THAT STATE WHEREUNTO MAN FELL?

A22. The sinfulness of that state whereunto 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 (Rom. 5:19; 3:10; Eph. 2:1; Is. 53:6; Ps. 51:5; Matt. 15:19).

I. BECAUSE OF THE FALL, YOU ARE GUILTY BEFORE GOD UNLESS YOU ARE FORGIVEN THROUGH CHRIST’S DEATH. “The sinfulness of that estate whereunto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin.”

Romans 5:19: “For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.” Psalm 51:5: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.’ Thomas Boston notes, “Original sin consists in the guilt of Adam's first sin. Guilt is an obligation to punishment. For this sin, which is ours by imputation, we are liable to punishment. This guilt lies on all men by nature (Romans 5:18). And this guilt of Adam's first sin is original sin imputed; of which I spoke in the former discourse. The only remedy for it is in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:22; Ephesians 1:7; Romans 3:24).

See why you and I need a dying Savior to pay for our guilt, so that we can be forgiven by God. We have one in Christ Jesus! God says through Paul, “In [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7).

II. YOU DO NOT HAVE A RIGHTEOUSNESS BY WHICH YOU CAN STAND BEFORE GOD UNLESS YOU ARE COUNTED RIGHTEOUS IN CHRIST. “The sinfulness of that estate whereunto man fell, consists in. . .the want of original righteousness.”

Romans 3:10: “It is written: “None is righteous, no, not one.” Boston writes, “Original righteousness is that righteousness and entire rectitude of all the faculties of the soul wherein man was created. Man's soul was so adorned with it, that it resembled its great Maker. But now man is stript of these ornaments, he is left quite naked.”

See why you and I need a righteous Savior! You and I need not only a Savior who would die for sin, but also live for righteousness, perfectly obeying the Law of God on our behalf. We have this Savior in Jesus Christ! Paul says in Philippians 3:9 “not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.“

III. BECAUSE OF THE FALL, YOUR ENTIRE NATURE IS CORRUPT, UNLESS CHRIST HAS GIVEN YOU A NEW ONE BY THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION. “The sinfulness of that estate whereunto man fell, consists in the. . .the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin.”

Ephesians 2:1: “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins.” Matthew 15:19: “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” This was literally our text in Family Worship this morning with my family in the Baggett household (10/28/22). Thomas Boston notes, “We must not think that original sin lies only in the want of original righteousness. No, man is not only void of good qualities naturally, but he is filled with evil ones.”

See why you and I need a powerful Savior! You need a powerful Savior who would not only live righteous and die to pay your sin debt, but who would also powerfully change your natures, so that you would no longer be a slave to sin. We have such a Savior in Christ Jesus! Paul says in Ephesians 2:5, “even when we were dead in our trespasses, [God] made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved…”

IV. BECAUSE OF THE FALL, ALL OF YOUR ACTUAL SINS FLOW OUT OF YOUR SIN NATURE, THEREFORE YOU NEED CHRIST. “The sinfulness of that estate whereunto man fell, consists in . . .original sin, together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it.”

Thomas Boston, again, writes, “Behold” says David, “I was shapen in iniquity.” He points out original sin as the fountain of all his actual transgressions. For how can a corrupt fountain send out wholesome streams?” Isaiah 53:6a: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way…”

The fall has marred your understanding, what you know. You need a new mind! The fall has distorted your will, what you want to do. You need new desires! The fall has infected your affections, what you love. You need a new heart! On your own, outside of Christ, you are not a sinner because you sin; you sin because you are a sinner. You do not need a moral reformation, you need a mortal resurrection. Isaiah 53:6b: “and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” This is why Christ came to earth, to save sinners, mind, will, affections, and soul.