Exposition by Max A Forsythe
Question 18:
Q: Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?
A: 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.
So many experts today doubt the validity of original sin that is hard to even get people to discuss the possibility. One example for discussion that I have used in the past is to present an experiment to test the premise. My experiment is simple, take a random "innocent" child, as many presume them to be, place a full cookie jar within their reach and instruct them not to eat any. Then leave the room to let them play with their favorite toys. Now, a generation ago many children were well enough trained that if a stranger gave such an instruction, they might actually obey it. But fortunately for our experiment we have a generation of children who by and large are uncontaminated by any moral restraints imposed by authority figures. Just as Adam and Eve eventually took the forbidden fruit, so too would a normal random child soon succumb to the temptation of our cookie jar experiment. Of course some would fall sooner than others, but I think that my experiment should prove the point.
If you think this is unfair, then let us change the cookie jar to a sports car, and the child to a teenager with a brand new driver's license and instruct them to keep the car under fifty-five miles an hour! Or turn a student loose on the internet and tell them that there are places that they are not allowed to go! One of my young ladies went for a college day to a nearby institution. The High School seniors were given a demonstration of the world wide web, then left to surf the net for forty-five minutes. The young lady said that it was less than a five minutes before they found a place to visit requiring a credit card number which they conspired to make up so that they could get in.
This doctrine of original sin is so obvious time after time, that we can regularly be amazed at the total depravity of those who do not see or wish to see the substance of God's revelation! This is so serious that I believe the most important lesson that I have learned from twenty years in the public sector is that many otherwise "responsible" people actually do deserve an eternity in hell for no other reason than they are so darned stupid to miss the essence of this doctrine before us today. I guess that that public experience of many years finally forced me to confront any lingering suspicions that original sin, total depravity and actual sin are much more widespread than I once thought twenty years ago.
World magazine this week presented a tongue-in-cheek defense of Dick Morris who was fired for presumed violations of family standards by an administration which has supported anything but family standards! Why the utter hypocrisy on the part of the White House? Mr Morris was only practicing what the liberal legislative agenda has been demanding freedom for, for the last forty years! To do anything with anyone, anywhere, anytime without any lingering moral absolutes to cause even a twinge of guilt! Again, I would think that the White House action in calling for Mr Morris' resignation is proof again of the premise of sin, in this case: actual sin. So, by the long torturous secular route, I have brought us to consider the twin realities of both original and actual sin.
In case you think the present and even past administrations dismiss the relationship between the two, consider how seriously the Secret Service considers threats to the president, any president. Whenever the President plans a major visit to any place, advance teams go in to prepare for any potential security risks. People who have been known to make regular threats against a president are monitored for their whereabouts. Many people whose personal profile is suspicious are denied entrance to any and all speaking engagements as well. In 1980, when I went to Lima to hear candidate Ronald Reagan speak, the Secret Service took out of the audience the strange young fellow next to me. His crime: he wasn't laughing or talking with the many strangers who were busy making new friends during the two hour wait! He just stood there with hardly an expression on his face. I agreed with the Secret Service assessment even as I wondered how anyone could be a threat with a camera from a hundred feet away.
When it is important, even our government operates on the premise that given a chance, someone, almost anyone will act in ways that they ought not to! Then why the publicly encouraged attitude which is at best neutral if not normally opposed to the essential doctrines of Christ Church before us today? Hypocrisy, of course, you see, there is within the legal labyrinth a premise that any exceptions to a theorem thereby prove the point. Thus, if in any way our government and society act as if original sin might be true, than their argument against that idea is undercut!
The Apostle Paul follows a similar line of argument in our New Testament lesson for today. In verse nine, he argues: "What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin." Of course, Paul's argument is personal here, aimed at convincing us that every human being has sinned and that there are absolutely no exceptions except for the Godman, Jesus Christ alone.
Look at the long Old Testament litany pointing out original and actual sin from time immemorial. The worldly examples are very much our own with the exception that we who are set apart by Christ have learned from the law that we do indeed sin. That is the only essential difference between the redeemed and those who remain in their normal worldly condition! If it were not for the new birth instituted by the Holy Spirit, we too would be lost and without any hope for heaven.. This is Paul's final admonition in this section, we see it in verses 21 and 22: "Now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe."
May we bow in humility before the God of heaven and give Him our heartfelt thanks that we truthfully know the meaning of original sin which leads so very often for every human under the sun to actual sin. Thanks are also to be given for the gracious gift in Christ whereby the effects of Adam's generation are set aside so that we might be newborn in and through Jesus who died that we might be free from death and thus be with our Lord for all eternity.
Resources Used:
Green, James B. A Harmony of the Westminster Presbyterian Standards.
Hodge, A.A. The Confession of Faith.
Thomas, Cal. "Victim of a double standard", World (14 Sept 96).
(PCA) The Confession of Faith: The Shorter Catechism.
Williamson, G.I. The Westminster Confession of Faith.
Places Preached:
Christ Covenant REFORMED (Presbyterian Church in America)
Box 132049 -- Columbus, OH 43213-8049
WSC018 15 Sept 96
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