We believe that man was created in holiness, under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy and happy state; in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint but choice; being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, positively inclined to evil; and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin, without defense or excuse.
Introduction: We cannot afford to think wrongly about ourselves. Misunderstanding the nature of humanity, our great need, and how to fix it is of the utmost importance. Many today wrongly think that humanity’s problems can be solved through technology, but our problem is not a technological one. Others think we can solve humanity’s problems with education, but intellectual ignorance is far from our greatest need. Others may suggest politics is our hope, but public policy cannot get to the heart of our problem. If we diagnose the problem incorrectly, we will prescribe insufficient medicine.
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said that preaching is the primary activity of the church because God never changes, and man’s need never changes.
“…the moment you consider man’s real need, and also the nature of salvation announced and proclaimed in the Scriptures, you are driven to the conclusion that the primary task of the Church is to preach and proclaim this, to show’s man’s real need, and to show the only remedy, the only cure for it.”
This article clearly explains humanity’s problem in our confession. Only by understanding the nature of man’s true need can we accurately see that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the sole solution.
I.) Humanity was created in Holiness
We believe that man was created in holiness, under the law of his Maker
The opening pages of Scripture testify that all of God’s creation was good. Genesis records God’s positive judgment on what he has made with the refrain, “And God saw that it was good” (Gen. 1:10, 12, 18, 25).
God’s creation of humanity continues this pattern but in escalation. Humanity is the pinnacle of God’s creation. Only humans are created in God’s image (Gen. 1:26-27; 5:1), and only after the creation of man does God see that all he has made is “very good” (Gen. 1:31).
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them. (Ge 1:26–27)
Unfortunately, the text in Genesis does not explain what it means to be created according to the image and likeness of God. Nor does the confession articulate a particular understanding of the image of God. It simply rightly affirms that man was “created in holiness.”
Christians have postulated several interpretations, attempting to locate the image in the capacity for reason, the ability to have a relationship with God, and the function of rule and dominion (Gen. 1:28). Although all of these may relate to what it means to be created in God’s image, they do not constitute the essence of the image itself.
I want to humbly suggest that the image and likeness refer to a royal status that every person possesses as God’s representative on earth. As God’s image and likeness, humanity’s presence on earth marks that God created and thus exercises dominion over all of creation. It is true of everyone regardless of ethnicity, gender, age, mental capacity, or social status. Therefore, every person has an inherent dignity, worth, and value as God’s image bearer.
This understanding of the image is reflected in the Psalmist’s interpretation of Genesis 1:26-28: “What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet.” (Psalm 8:4)
Note that crown, glory, and honor are descriptors of royalty. The rule and
dominion humanity was meant to possess over creation resulted from
being in God’s image, but it’s not the image itself. Of course, to be God’s
royal representative, one also has the capacity to relate to God and other
creatures.
This interpretation parallels how the word “image” was used throughout the culture of the ancient Near East. “In ancient near East, the setting up of the king’s statue was the equivalent to the proclamation of his domination over the sphere in which the statue was erected.”
Furthermore, in the ancient world, kings and pharaohs were believed to be the “image” and adopted “sons” of their particular deities. The Egyptian Pharaoh was called the “Image of Re,” and the Assyrian Kings were called the “Image of Bel” or “Image of Marduk.”
“However, unlike the ancient Near East background, where the concept is applied only to the king, Scripture teaches that all humans (“man” collectively) is created in the image of God, and under Adam’s headship, all humans were created to be rulers over creation.”
Adam was created to be a priest-king over God’s creation and meant to exercise dominion over it. He was created good and in holiness, capable of fulfilling God’s commands and living rightly in communion with God. At creation, there was no sin or disruption of fellowship with God.
Even though Adam was good and created in holiness, he was not free to live and do as he pleased. The confession rightly states that humanity was created”…under the law of his Maker.”
God is holiness, justice, and righteousness. Being created by God means being under the law of our maker. Adam was obligated to God and his holiness. We can and should distinguish between two types of law: natural (moral) law and positive law.
Samuel Renihan helpfully clarifies the difference between the two, “Natural law refers to the universal moral law of God impressed on the mind of men. Positive law refers to indifferent things prescribed or proscribed for a particular period, place, and people.”
When the confession states that man was created “…under the law of his Maker,” it means that Adam was under God’s moral law and particular positive laws because of God’s covenant with God in creation.
What positive laws did God give Adam as part of their covenant relationship?
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Ge 2:15–17)
Some have attempted to suggest that God did not make a covenant with Adam in creation because the word “covenant” does not appear in Genesis 1-2. However, the context of Genesis 1-2 and later biblical texts referring to Genesis 1-2 make it clear that God made a covenant with Adam in creation.
Evidence for the Covenant of Works/Covenant of Creation
1.) In Genesis 2:4, the name LORD (YHWH) is used. As later Israelites read Genesis, they would have most certainly understood this as the name of the covenant Lord (Exodus 3:13-15).
2.) Adam is given commands, promises for obedience, and curses for disobedience. Had Adam obeyed God in the garden, it would have resulted in eternal life (Gen. 3:22-24; Rev. 2:7), but disobedience brought the curse of death (Gen. 2:17; 3:16-19).
3.) Later Biblical texts refer to Adam transgressing God’s covenant,But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me. (Ho 6:7)
4.) In the New Testament, Paul consistently and repeatedly compares Adam and Jesus as two representatives of humanity. It is difficult to think of Christ as the head of the new covenant without Adam also being the head of a covenant in creation.
For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. (Romans 5:15)
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. (Ro 5:17)
21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Co 15:21–22.)
God created humanity in goodness and holiness. Adam was God’s image-bearer in a covenant relationship who was meant to bear fruit and multiply, extending God’s reign and rule over all of creation.
Unfortunately, Adam failed at his task and broke God’s covenant. The result was dire for him and for the humanity whom he represented.
II.) Humanity fell in Adam
but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy and happy state; in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint but choice
As Genesis 3:6-24 records, Adam transgressed God’s covenant, and as a result, all of humanity are now sinners, “in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners.”
It is important to note that in Adam, humanity sins not by constraint but by choice. There has never been anyone who forced us to sin. From the moment we are born, our sinful choices are our own, and we are accountable for each one. We are born into sin because Adam is our representative head, but our sin is ultimately our own free choice.
12 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 (Ro 5:1)
THE Scriptures teach that the fall of Adam involved also that of his posterity. In the covenant, under which he sinned, he acted not merely as an individual man, the sole one of his kind, or one isolated from all others of his kind, but, as the head of the race, for his posterity as well as himself. The condition of mankind shows that they have all participated with him in the evils which resulted. The Scriptures teach that this is due, not merely to his natural headship, but to a representative or federal headship, because of which his act of sin may justly be considered as theirs, and they may be treated as though they had themselves done that act, each man for himself.- James P. Boyce
III.) Humanity is depraved in Adam
being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, positively inclined to evil
The human condition after the fall is dire. Humanity maintains the image of God, but in a tainted and imperfect way (Gen. 9:6). There are no proper representatives of God and his rule on earth because all humanity is in sin with a nature “…utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, positively inclined to evil.”
The Bible’s description of humanity’s post-fallen condition supports the confessions article.
David refers to himself in Psalm 51:5 as having been born in sin, Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. (Ps 51:5)
When Paul describes human nature in Romans 3, he weaves together several Old Testament passages to show that both Jews and Gentiles are in need of a savior because their nature is totally depraved.
9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Ro 3:9–18)
When we speak of total depravity, we don’t mean people are as sinful as they could be. We mean that every part of a person is bonded to sin: body, soul, mind, and will. This is such the case that Paul can describe life before Christ as being dead in trespasses and sin (Ephesians 2:1). In other words, the sinful nature of humanity isn’t simply wounded, somewhat good, or a little good. Humanity is by nature opposed to God, void of all holiness, and positively inclined toward evil.
IV.) Humanity is under God’s righteous judgment
and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin, without defense or excuse.
God’s holiness and righteousness cannot allow for lawbreakers to go without justice. To be in Adam, as a sinner, is to be under the wrath and judgment of God that will be fully realized in the age to come.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (Ro 1:18–20)
32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. (Ro 1:32)
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (Jn 3:36)
The importance of these doctrines is articulated well by my friend, Jake Stone.
“If God did not pour out His wrath upon lawbreakers, then He would cease to be God. His essence demands that His holiness be vindicated. Eternal ruin is what awaits all those who die in Adam. Do you see why a grasp of the gospel must include a real knowledge about what Adam’s fall did to us and what our condition is? This is not a mere intellectual debate to have but the souls of men are doomed because of their natural condition. The reason that Paul speaks in Gal. 3:10 about cursed are those who rely on the works of the law is because none of us can keep that covenant of works. If I try to, all I am is cursed and all I will know is judgment from God.”
Nathaniel R. Martin 