A Body of Baptist Divinity

Q24. DID GOD LEAVE ALL MANKIND TO PERISH IN A STATE OF SIN AND MISERY? A Baptist Body of Divinity

Q. 24. Did God leave all mankind to perish in the state of sin and misery? A. God, out of His mere good pleasure, from all eternity, having chosen a people to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into an estate of salvation, by a Redeemer. (Eph. 1:3,4; 2 Thess. 2:13; Rom. 5:21; Acts 13:8; Jer. 31:33)

Q23. WHAT IS THE MISERY OF THAT STATE WHEREUNTO MAN FELL?

A. All mankind, by their fall lost communion with God, are under His wrath and curse, and made liable to all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever. (Gen. 3:8,24; Eph. 2:3; Gal. 3:10; Rom. 6:23; Matt. 25:41-46; Ps. 9:17)

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.

Q20. DID ALL MANKIND FALL IN ADAM'S FIRST TRANSGRESSION?

Q. 20. DID ALL MANKIND FALL IN ADAM’S FIRST TRANSGRESSION? A. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself but for his posterity, all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in his first transgression. (1 Cor. 15:21,22; Rom. 5:12,18,19) I. INSTRUCTION I) GOD ENTERED INTO A COVENANT OF WORKS WITH ADAM IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN (The covenant being made with Adam). See Question 16 in the Baptist Catechism. II) GOD ENTERED INTO A COVENANT OF WORKS WITH ALL MANKIND THROUGH ADAM, WHO WAS OUR COVENANT HEAD (not only for himself but for his posterity, all mankind). 1 Corinthians 15:22: “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” You are either in Adam or in Christ. “Adam had all his children in one ship to carry them to Immanuel's land; by his negligence he dashed the ship on a rock, and broke it all in pieces; and so he and his lay foundering in a sea of guilt; Jesus Christ lets out the second covenant as a rope to draw them to the shore” (Thomas Boston). III) CHRIST JESUS HIMSELF IS THE ONLY EXCEPTION, HAVING BEEN BORN NOT SINFUL OF THE MAN’S SEED, BUT HOLY BY THE WORK OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT (descending from him by ordinary generation). Hebrews 7:26: “For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” IV) YOU AND I SINNED IN ADAM WHEN HE SINNED, HIM BEING OUR REPRESENTATIVE IN THE COVENANT OF WORKS (sinned in him). Romans 5:12: “Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” This is known as the Doctrine of Original Sin. Wilhelmus Á Brakel offers three Proofs of this doctrine from Romans 5: “Proof #1: (1) We do not read that all men are sinful, but that all men have sinned. The reference is not to propensity, but to the commission of an act. . . (2) It is clearly stated here that sin is the cause of death, also of [physical] death, and it is therefore not true that death is the result of man's sinful nature, even if no sinful act had been committed. . . (3) It is thus evident that little children prior to birth also must be guilty of sin, for they die. According to verse 14 they are not guilty of actual sin. They are therefore guilty of a sin which has been imputed to them, and no other sin is imputed to them than Adam's covenant breach. (4) [God says, through Paul,] all men have sinned "in him" [Adam]. . . Proof #2: The imputation of Adam's covenant breach is also confirmed. . .It is clear that the references in Romans 5 are to one single sin, and thus to a deed rather than a propensity, and that sin was committed by only one man. By that one sin committed by one man, that is, Adam, judgment to condemnation has come upon all men. Since these are the very words of the text, this point needs no further proof. . . Proof #3: It is clear beyond all controversy that in this chapter the apostle continually contrasts Adam to Christ. Adam is the cause of judgment to condemnation for all who are in him. Christ is the cause of redemption and salvation for all who are in Him. Since justification through Christ occurs by imputation (which we will prove at the appropriate moment), therefore, by virtue of the contrast, judgment to condemnation comes upon all men by imputation of Adam's breach of covenant. . . All men were comprehended in Adam in the covenant [of works], and therefore when he sinned, all men sinned in him by consequence of being in him” (Wilhelmus Á Brakel, The Christian’s Reasonable Service, Volume 1). Understand this: Adam’s sin was imputed to us because he represented us; it was not that we merely inherited a propensity to sin! His guilt is ours as much as if we had committed that first sin in the garden. V) YOU AND I FELL WITH ADAM IN HIS FIRST TRANSGRESSION (and fell with him in his first transgression). Psalm 14:3: “They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.” “Not only is the guilt of Adam's sin imputed to us—but the depravity and corruption of his nature is transmitted to us, as poison is carried from the fountain to the cistern. . .Adam's leprosy cleaves to us, as Naaman's leprosy did to Gehazi in 2 Kings 5” (Thomas Watson). This why David sings in Psalm 51:5, “In sin did my mother conceive me.” APPLICATION I) SEE HOW EVIL AND DESTRUCTIVE SIN IS! Romans 5:19a “For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners.” “What a plague of plagues must this sin be, that has swept away not families, towns, and countries only, but the whole race of mankind” (Thomas Boston)! Believer, the next time you are tempted to sin, fight it partly with this thought: One little sin ruined in the whole race of men; what might this one sin ruin in my life and the lives of others? Do you think your sins are small or do you know sin has destructive power? II) SEE THE FOOLISHNESS OF THOSE WHO SAY THEY HAVE NO SIN! 2 John 1:8: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” “They hold to sinless perfection; they show much pride and ignorance; but we see the seeds of original sin remain in the best. . .Though grace purifies nature, it does not (this side of glory) perfect it” (Thomas Boston). Do you say you have no sin? III) SEE HOW HUMBLE WE SHOULD BE, BECAUSE EVEN WE WHO ARE ALIVE IN CHRIST STILL HAVE THE DEATH OF ORIGINAL SIN CLINGING TO OUR FLESH! Romans 7:22-23: “For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.” “You carry a hell about you, you can do nothing but you defile it; your heart, like muddy ground, defiles the purest water that runs through it. Nay, though you are regenerate, there is much of the old man in the new man. Oh how should original sin humble us” (Thomas Boston)! Do you humble yourself with this reality, that even though you may be a Christian, you still have much sin left in your flesh? IV) SEE HOW YOU MUST LOOK TO CHRIST IN FAITH TO SAVE YOU, NOT ONLY FROM THE ACTUAL SINS YOU HAVE COMMITTED, BUT ALSO FROM THE ORIGINAL SIN THAT WAS IMPUTED TO YOU! Romans 5:17: “For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” Have you looked to Christ in faith, turning from your sin to Him, to save you from both your original sin and your actual sins? V) PARENTS, SEE THAT YOUR CHILDREN DO NOT JUST NEED TO BE FREED FROM THE ACTUAL SINS THEY HAVE COMMITTED; OUR CHILDREN NEED TO BE FREED FROM THE ORIGINAL SIN THAT WAS IMPUTED TO THEM AND THE POLLUTION OF SIN THAT INFECTS THEM! VI) SEE HOW THE PERFECT WORK OF CHRIST IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF THE TERRIBLE FAILURE OF ADAM! 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.” Just as Adam’s sin was imputed to us by breaking the covenant of works, so Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us who believe by his purchasing the covenant of grace. Our sin and guilt was imputed to Christ on the cross so that, in paying our debt, his righteousness would then be imputed to us by faith. VII) SEE HOW YOU SHOULD DAILY CRY OUT TO GOD FOR MERCY! Romans 7:24-25: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Ephesians 6:10: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” “Beg Christ's blood to wash away the guilt of sin, and his Spirit to mortify the power of it; beg further degrees of grace. Though grace [does not] make sin not to be—yet it makes it not to reign; though grace [does not] expel sin, it does repel it” (Thomas Watson). Romans 6:11-13: “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.” Do you cry out to God for mercy for forgiveness and strength for holiness? VIII) SEE HOW WE WHO ARE IN CHRIST SHOULD EARNESTLY LONG FOR THE DAY WHEN WE WILL BE TOTALLY FREE FROM ANY HINT OF ORIGINAL SIN! 1 Corinthians 15:54: “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” Do you long for the day when Christ will make you totally new with Him and like Him? Are you in Adam or in Christ?

Q19. WHAT WAS THE SIN WHEREBY OUR FIRST PARENTS FELL?

Q19. WHAT WAS THE SIN WHEREBY OUR FIRST PARENTS FELL FROM THE STATE WHEREIN THEY WERE CREATED? A. The sin whereby our first parents fell from the state wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit. (Gen. 3:6,12,13) We need to remember questions 18 and 14, to help us realize what is behind question 19. Q18. What is sin? A. Sin is any lack of conformity to, or transgression of, the law of God (1 John 3:4; Rom. 5:13). Q14. How did God create man? A. God created man male and female, after His own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures (Gen. 1:27; Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:24; Gen. 1:28). When these questions are understood, question 19 is rather straightforward. SIX DEVICES OF SATAN FROM GENESIS 3:1-7 I want to make several observations to you from Genesis 3:1-7, so that you may learn from this not only that Adam and Eve fell, but how they were tempted when they fell. Why? First, because we must not be ignorant of Satan’s devices. “We are not ignorant of his designs (devices)” (2 Corinthians 2:11). Second, because we must stand firm against the schemes of the devil. “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). I. One of Satan’s devices is to tempt you to question God’s Word (Genesis 3:1a). “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say. . .?” II. Another one of Satan’s devices is to tempt you to change God’s Word (Genesis 3:1b). “‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” III. Another one of Satan’s devices is to tempt you to add to God’s Word (Genesis 3:2-3). “And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” IV. Another one of Satan’s devices is to tempt you to think that God is all mercy and no justice (Genesis 3:4). “But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die.’” In his book Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices, Thomas Brooks wrote, “Oh! says Satan, you need not make such a matter of sin, you need not be so fearful of sin, not so unwilling to sin; for God is a God of mercy, a God full of mercy, a God that delights in mercy, a God that is ready to show mercy, a God that is never weary of showing mercy, a God more prone to pardon his people than to punish his people; and therefore he will not take advantage against the soul; and why then, says Satan, should you make such a matter of sin?“ I encourage all of you to read and re-read Brook’s book. V. Another one of Satan’s devices is to tempt you to think that God is all justice and no mercy (Genesis 3:5). “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Satan is implying, “The Lord is not merciful enough to you… He does not want to give… He only wants to take.” He is a liar. God already blessed Adam and Even. He showed them lovingkindness from the beginning. VI. Another one of Satan’s devices is to present sin before our eyes as beautiful, showing the bait but hiding the hook (Genesis 3:6). “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” The apostle to the Hebrews calls this “The fleeting pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11). Again Brooks write, “[One of Satan’s devices] to draw the soul into sin is, to present the bait—and hide the hook; to present the golden cup—and hide the poison; to present the sweet, the pleasure, and the profit that may flow in upon the soul by yielding to sin—and to hide from the soul the wrath and misery that will certainly follow the committing of sin. By this device he deceived our first parents.” SIX TRUTHS CONCERNING SATAN AND HIS DEVICES BY THOMAS BROOKS (i) Though Satan has his devices to draw souls to sin, yet we must be careful that we do not lay all our temptations upon Satan, that we do not wrong the devil, and father that upon him that is to be fathered upon our own base hearts. (ii) Satan has a great hand and stroke in most sins. (iii) Satan must have a double permission before he can do anything against us. (iv) No weapons but spiritual weapons will be useful and serviceable to the soul in fighting and combating with the devil. (v) We may read much of Satan's nature and disposition by the diverse names and epithets that are given him in the Scripture (deceiver, adversary, tempter, murderer, accuser, destroyer). (vi) God will shortly tread down Satan under the saints' feet. THOUGH SIN BRINGS SHAME AND CONDEMNATION, CHRIST BRINGS REDEMPTION “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths” (Genesis 3:7). Sin always brings shame and condemnation, but Christ can fix that by His redemption. Right after the fall, God promises Christ will come and have his heel bruised as he bruises the head of the serpent. Then God clothes Adam and Even, covering their nakedness and shame. This is what God does for us in Christ! TEN SPECIAL HELPS AND RULES AGAINST SATAN'S DEVICES BY THOMAS BROOKS (i) The first help. If you would not be taken by any of Satan's devices, then walk by rule of the Word of God. (Prov. 12:24; Gal. 6:16) He who walks by rule, walks most safely; he who walks by rule, walks most honorably; he who walks by rule, walks most sweetly. (ii) The second help. As you would not be taken with any of Satan's devices, take heed of vexing and grieving of the Holy Spirit of God. (iii) The third help. If you would not be taken with any of Satan's devices, then labor for more heavenly wisdom. (iv) The fourth help. If you would not be taken with any of Satan's devices, then make immediate resistance against Satan's first motions. (v) The fifth help. If you would not be taken with any of Satan's devices, then labor to be filled with the Spirit. (vi) The sixth help. If you would not be taken in any of Satan's snares, then keep humble. (vii) The seventh help. If you would not be taken in any of Satan's snares, then keep a strong, close, and constant watch (1 Thess. 5:6). (viii) The eighth help. If you would not be taken with any of Satan's snares and devices, then keep up your communion with God. (ix) The ninth help. If you would not be taken in any of Satan's snares, then do not engage Satan in your own strength—but be every day drawing new virtue and strength from the Lord Jesus. (x) The tenth help. If you would not be taken in any of Satan's snares, then be much in prayer.