THE DOCTRINE OF SIN

Chapter 1

THE DOCTRINE OF SIN

1. The Fall Of Man.

"Original sin in the human family was the willful deviation of the Federal head of mankindfrom the perfect law of his Creator who placed him on probation. Through this act of disobediencehe fell from original righteousness and became dead in sin, depraved in mind and corrupt in heart."

The fall of man "into sin was internal and external; the sin first of the human spirit and thenof the human flesh. Separation from the supreme will was consummated within before it wasexhibited in the act; the inmost principle of sin is the severance of the self from God; theentertainment, therefore, of the question, 'yea, hath God said,' was the beginning of human evil.This was the first formal sin, though not alluded to in the Scripture as such. The outward act wasthe look of concupiscence towards the tree, which had in itself the guilt of partaking, and wasfollowed by partaking itself. Hence in all New Testament references to the original sin, itsprinciple of disobedience is made prominent. The woman being deceived was in the transgression.And when Adam yielded to the enticement of Eve, he only proved that he had already consented toher act: he also was in the transgression. His sin was disobedience." -- Christian Theology by W.B. Pope. 41 Tim. 1:14; Rom. 5:15, 19; Gen. 2:19; 3:8).

2. Inbred Sin: Individual And Universal

Inbred sin is that hereditary moral corruption common to all men since the fall of Adam. Itis a "bias of human nature toward evil" (Pope). It is our corrupt nature (Eph. 4:22). It is "the bodyof this death" (Rom. 7:24.). It is an indwelling foe in human personality (Rom. 7 :20). It is "an evilheart of unbelief" (Heb. 3:2). It is "enmity against God" (Rom. 8:7), religious anarchy in the humansoul, and the source of actual sin. (Jer. 17:9; Ps. 51:5; Rom. 6:6; Gal. 5:19.21).

The fall of man affected the whole man and the whole race, (Isa. 1:5, 6; Psa. 51:5 Rom.5:12; 7:17).

3. Actual Sin.

Actual sin is the willful transgression against the moral law of God, and may either be a sinof omission, i. e., failing in duty, or a sin of commission, 1. e., doing something against or contraryto the spirit and the Word of God. (1 John 1:10; 5:17; 3:4; Matt: 25:40; Psa. 51:3; Rom. 14:23).

4. Distinctions.

Original Sin belongs to Adam as the primary transgressor. Inbred Sin is Adam's fallennature transmitted to his posterity. Actual Sin is man's own which he actually commits. Willfultransgressions involve the concurrence of the will. Involuntary transgressions do not involve theconcurrence of the will and therefore do not bring guilt.

5. Sin Two-Fold.

Sin, then, is two-fold. It is in what we do and in what we are; in act and in principle. Thusthe necessity of a two-fold cure, pardon for the act and purification for the principle.