FAQs Mondays: What Went Wrong?

"FAQs Mondays" is an ongoing series of posts based on an adaptation of The Baptist Catechism.  You can view the original documents from which it is drawn: here, here, and here.  Previous posts include: "the Introduction", "What Is the Chief End of Man?", "Who Is God?", "What is the Word?", "What is God?", and "How Does God Work within His Creation?". Reflecting on how God works within his creation drives us to ask, "If God created a perfect world, and has the ability to sustain it, what went wrong?".

Did our first parents continue in their original condition?

Our first parents having been left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the innocent condition in which they were created, by sinning against God by eating the forbidden fruit.  Genesis 3:1-7, recounts the events of the fall.  The serpent beguiles Eve into eating the forbidden fruit, and she in turn provokes Adam to eat.  When they ate, "The eyes of both were opened, and they knew they were naked.  And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths" (Gen. 3:7, ESV).  Solomon shares his take on the situation with these words, "See, this alone I have found, that God made man upright, bu they have sought out many schemes" (Eccl. 7:29, ESV). Paul states, "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all have sinned" (Rom. 5:12, ESV).  Thus, Adam's sin unlocked the doors of death and destruction upon all mankind.  But what is "sin?"

What is Sin?

Sin is any lack of conformity to, or transgression of, the law of God.  John states it succinctly, "sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4b, ESV).  Peter expresses what conformity looks like with these words: "Since it is written, 'You shall be holy, as I am holy'" (1 Pet. 1:16, ESV).  Thus, we are to be as holy as God is himself, and yet we are far from it.  Our lives are to be lived solely for the glory of God.  As Paul reminds us, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31).  Yet, daily we fail to do so.  See also: Romans 5:13; 14:13; and Matthew 5:48.  Sin is disobedience to God, but how has Adam's sin affected us?

Did all mankind fall in Adam's first sin?

All mankind, descended from Adam by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell in his first sin.  Meditating on the effects of Adam's sin Paul states,

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned . . . as on trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.  For as by one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. (Rom. 5:12, 18-19, ESV).

He also states, "For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Cor. 15:21-22).  It is clear from Scripture that Adam, as the appointed head of the human race, brought his descendants under the just condemnation of God by his sin.  So we have fallen with Adam, but what does that mean?

Into what condition did the fall bring mankind?

The fall brought mankind into a state of sin and misery.  David laments, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me" (Ps. 51:5, ESV).  David is not lamenting the illegitimacy of his birth (because he wasn't illegitimate), but the fact that he is and always has been a sinner to the core.  He is expressing the reality that sin is nature. Isaiah states, "We all like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isa. 53:6).  See also: Romans 5:18-19; 7:18; Ephesians 2:1-3, and 1 Corinthians 2:14.  We are driven to inquire what does that state of sin look like?  And what about the state of misery?

What is the sinfulness of that condition into which all mankind has fallen?

The sinfulness of that condition into which man fell is the guilt of Adam's first sin, the lack of original righteousness, and the corruption of our whole nature (which is commonly called original sin), together with all actual transgressions which come from his nature.  Romans 3:10 sums it up, "None is righteous, no, not one."  Paul paints it in bleaker tones with these words:

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience--among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind (Eph. 2:1-3, ESV).

This condition is at the core of humanity.  James says, "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire" (Jam. 1:14; ESV).  But why?  Jesus declares, "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander" (Matt. 15:19, ESV).

What is the misery of that condition into which all mankind has fallen?

All mankind, by their fall, lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever.  After the fall, Adam and Eve hid from God, and ultimately they were cursed and driven out of Eden (see Gen. 3:8, 24).  Paul tells us we are, apart from Christ, by our nature "children of wrath" (see Eph. 2:3).  Paul reminds us, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 6:23). Paul also reminds us that, as law breakers, we are under a curse.  He states, "For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them'" (Gal. 3:10, ESV).  Of the wicked, Jesus states, "Then he [the King/Jesus] will say to those on his left [the goats/false believers], 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels' . . . and these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life" (Matt. 25:41-46, ESV). In this parable about the sheep and the goats, Jesus is speaking about his second coming and the judgment of the nations.  Within that context, the wicked are said to be consigned to hell for their lawless ways.

Conclusion

Adam's sin set into motion a chain of events that has brought his descendants into slavery to sin, death, and hell.  We inherit a sin nature from our ancestor, Adam, and a fallen environment which feeds our corruption.  But is that all she wrote?  Does the story end there?  That question is the one we will try to answer next Monday.

Doctrinal Precision

This article was originally published here, on February 6, 2009.

Have you ever needed a dohicky? How about a thingamajig? Often when we are doing work that falls outside of our normal daily routine, terminology gets loose. You may not know or care what that tool that will aid you in loosening that bolt is called. You just want to get the bolt loosened. However, you would not want a brain surgeon working on you to turn to his assistant and say, "Could you hand me that thingamajig? No, not that dohicky, that one!" Repairing a toilet, while important, is not the same as brain surgery. Brain surgery requires precision. and brain surgery, while important, is not as important as leading others to Christ.

As Ezekiel was set apart as a watchman for Israel (Ezek. 33:1-9), so we, too, have been set apart to warn our generation of the coming judgment and to call them to turn to our Lord Jesus Christ. Ezekiel was instructed to sound the trumpet (warn of impending judgment) so the sinner could know to repent, but if he failed to warn the people God would hold him accountable. If we fail to call sinners to repentance, we will be held accountable, also.

If our call is not clear and certain, it will not be heard. Paul instructs the Corinthians, "Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?" (1 Cor. 14:8). Paul's is saying that if we speak in a way that cannot be understood (in this context, by a foreign language) it does not do anybody any good. Applied to sharing the message of Christ, if we fail to clearly define our terms biblically and precisely our message will be misunderstood. Numerous cults and false religions use the same terminology as Evangelical Christianity: saved, faith, grace, Jesus Christ, the Spirit, God, prayer, etc. However, they purposely use these terms to confuse those who do not know the difference.

Paul instructed Timothy, "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save yourself and your hearers" (1 Tim. 4:16). Doctrine matters. It mattered to Christ and it mattered to the apostles. It should matter to us. We lack the authority to define ourselves. God defines us as he reveals his will and ways to us through his Word. The Church did not establish the Word, but by the Word, God established the Church. If we do not truly understand God, as he reveals himself in the Scriptures, then we are not truly worshiping God. If our Jesus is not the Jesus of Scripture, then he is not Jesus. We must be precise in our understanding of the teachings in the Bible.

Misunderstanding the person and work of Jesus has major consequences. It is like the difference between a being locked in a burning building by the arsonist and being rescued from the building by a firefighter. An unbiblical Jesus may be able to offer ethical advice, but he cannot redeem the sinner from hell. An unbiblical Jesus may be able to inspire or motivate, by he cannot rescue the sinner from death. Imprecision in our doctrines of God, Jesus, and salvation and lack of clarity in the gospel message leads to eternal death. If a do-yourself plumber messes up, he can always call in a real plumber and a cleanup crew. If a surgeon messes up, people are either maimed or die. If we mess up the gospel and doctrine, people die, in their sin, and go to hell.

The grave consequences for wrong theology should move us to be diligent students of the Word. We should seek to understand it correctly and to present it carefully to others. We should be careful that they understand what we are saying and careful that they understand that it applies to them. Friends, heed Paul's admonition to watch your life and doctrine closely.

Doctrinal Precision

Have you ever needed a dohicky? How about a thingamajig? Often when we are doing work that falls outside of our normal daily routine, terminology gets loose. You may not know or care that that tool that will aid you in loosening that bolt is called a 3/4 inch crescent wrench. You just want to get it done. But, would you want a brain surgeon working on you to turn to his assistant and say, "Could you hand me that thingamajig? No, not that dohicky, that one!" Repairing a toilet, while important, is not the same as brain surgery. Brain surgery requires precision.

Brain surgery, while important, is not as important as leading other to Christ. Just as Ezekiel was set apart as a watchman for Israel (Ezek. 33:1-9), so to have we been set apart to warn our generation of the coming judgment and to call them to turn to our Lord Jesus Christ. Ezekiel was instructed to sound the trumpet (warn of impending judgment) so the sinner could know to repent, but if he failed to warn the people God would hold him accountable. If we fail to call sinners to repentance, we too, will be held accountable.

If our call is not clear and certain it will not be heard. Paul instructs the Corinthians, "Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?" (1 Cor. 14:8). Paul's is saying that if we speak in a way that cannot be understood (in this context by a foreign language) it does not do anybody any good. Applied to sharing the message of Christ, if we fail to clearly define our terms biblically and precisely our message will be misunderstood. Numerous cults and false religions use the same terminology as Evangelical Christianity: saved, faith, grace, Jesus Christ, the Spirit, God, prayer, etc. However, they purposely use these terms to confuse those who do not know the difference.

Paul said it well when he instructed Timothy, "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save yourself and your hearers" (1 Tim. 4:16). Doctrine matters. It mattered to Christ and it mattered to the apostles. It should matter to us. We do not define ourselves. God defines us as he reveals his will and ways to us through the Word. The Church did not establish the Word, but by the Word, God established the Church. If we do not truly understand God, as he reveals himself in the Scriptures, then we are not truly worshiping God. If our Jesus is not the Jesus of Scripture, then he is not Jesus. We must be precise in our understanding of the teachings in the Bible.

Misunderstanding the person and work of Jesus has major consequences. It is like the difference between a being locked in a burning building by the arsonist and being rescued from the building by a firefighter. An unbiblical Jesus may be able to offer ethical advice, but he cannot redeem the sinner from hell. An unbiblical Jesus may be able to inspire or motivate, by he cannot rescue the sinner from death. Imprecision in our doctrines of God, Jesus, and salvation and lack of clarity in the gospel message leads to eternal death. If a do-yourself plumber messes up, he can always call in a real plumber and a cleanup crew. If a surgeon messes up people are either maimed or die. When someone messes up the gospel and biblical doctrine people die in their sin and go to hell.

The reality of grave consequences for sloppy or wrong theology should move us to be diligent students of the Word. We should seek to understand it correctly and to present it to others. We should be careful that they understand what we are saying and careful that they understand that it applies to them. Friends heed Paul's admonition and watch your life and doctrine closely.