A. The first subject that is treated in this article is man’s creation. There are several points which the article mentions although it is quite brief.
1. Man was created by God out of the dust of the earth.
a. By virtue of this aspect of man’s creation, he is and remains of the earth. From the earth he was taken; to the earth he must return. He was emphatically of this earthly creation, and not as the angels.
1) This means that man must live in this creation, cannot escape from it, and is dependent upon it for his earthly existence. He must fulfill the purpose of God here below.
2) Nevertheless, even this earthly aspect of man contains something which makes him a creature higher than any other in the universe. For he was created even from an earthly point of view as a king. This is evident from his regal bearing, from his ability to look upwards, from his face which reveals intelligence and understanding.
b. But there was another aspect to man’s existence; and that was due to the fact that God breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life. It is true that man is a creature of this earth, but he possesses the ability to transcend this creation. It is true that he is related to the world about him; but he can no less stand in contact with heavenly and spiritual realities. Bound by the creation, he is yet free from it; dependent upon it, he can soar above and beyond it. Created from the dust, and yet with the breath of the Almighty in his nostrils he was a living soul!
2. The article further mentions that man was created in God’s image,
a. We may notice in this connection first of all that man was created with a nature capable of bearing the image of God. It is only man that can be an image bearer, never any other creature.
1) This means that man’s nature was rational and moral. He was created with a nature that could perceive, think, comprehend, understand, apprehend, and so come to a knowledge of the creation about him. But he was also created with a moral nature, capable of knowing and understanding his relation ethically and spiritually to his Creator, He knew and could know the difference between good and evil, the obligation to serve his God in love.
2) This is what the Confession later refers to as “excellent gifts”. Cf. also Canons III and IV, 4.
b. But he also was created in the image of God. He was created in true knowledge of God, righteousness and holiness. He could come to a saving knowledge of friendship and fellowship with God, walk before Him in truth and uprightness, loving Him and serving Him with his whole being.
c. Thus Adam was God’s friend-servant; king of the creation, but servant of God. And the lines of the whole creation ran through the heart of Adam to God, Creator of all. Thus he could will agreeably to the will of God.
B. But the article also treats of the fall and its results:
1. Concerning the fall it says:
a. Man’s disobedience was willful transgression. Willfully he chose the way of error and transgression, “Being in honor, he understood it not, neither knew his excellency, but willfully subjected himself to sin…”, “For the commandment of life which he had received, he transgressed…”
1) This does not deny the sovereign control of God over sin; for God always deals with man as a rational and willing creature, even though He retains His own sovereignty.
2) Adam was created so that he could either choose the good or the evil. In glory it will be no longer possible for the saints to choose the evil.
b. Men fell by bending his ear to the temptation of the devil. Sin originated in heaven where Satan and a host of angels transgressed and were banished. It was Satan through the agency of the serpent that approached Eve and through (Missing text)
1) In connection with this, the article says, “being in honor, he understood it not, neither knew his excellency…”
2) This means that he chose the lie of the devil as more to be desired than the high estate in which he stood by virtue to his creation.
c. In passing we may make reference to what is sometimes called the covenant of works. This is usually explained as consisting of 1) a condition: perfect obedience of love; 2) a promise: eternal life; 3) a threat: death. But many and serious objections can be raised against this view; and it is not mentioned in any of our confessions.
2. The consequences of the fall.
a. He corrupted his whole nature.
1) He lost the image of God.
a) This the article defines in the following phrases: “he hath lost all his excellent gifts, which he had received from God…” “for all the light which is in us is changed into darkness…” (Proof is quoted from John 1:5) “For there is no will nor understanding, conformable to the divine will and understanding”.
b) This all means that man lost all the gifts of God’s image. Only, he did not merely lose the image of God, but it was changed into its very opposite. His knowledge was changed to darkness so that he could only lie; his righteousness was changed into unrighteousness; his holiness into corruption. He cannot know the truth with any saving knowledge, for he changes it into the lie, holding the truth under in unrighteousness. He cannot will the good and will not will to do what God demands. All his excellent gifts were lost. He is “wicked, perverse and corrupt in all his ways.”
2) He retained only a few remnants thereof,
a) This phrase is used to prove the whole philosophy of common grace. It is often said that man, with these few remnants, can still know God, can still walk in righteousness and do that which is holy. Thus he is capable of doing many things in God’s creation of value also for eternity. He can develop culture and learning, and subject the creation to God’s purpose.
b) But this is not the teaching of this article. This simply means that man retained some remnants of his rationality and morality. He can still know the difference between good and evil. He can still come to some knowledge of God through the things that are made. But notice in the first place, that even these are only remnants, very small elements of what Adam possessed. And notice in the second place, that they are only in order that man may be without excuse. For knowing the difference between right and wrong, knowing that there is a God, he nevertheless always changes the truth into the lie, changes the glory of the incorruptible God into an image like unto corruptible man, is an enemy of God in all his way, deliberately hates the good and chooses the evil. He is wicked, corrupt and perverse in all his way.
b. The punishment for sin.
1) Because of his terrible sin he is grievously punished. He becomes “subject to sin”. Sin is his master, and he is its slave. He can only serve sin in all that he does.
2) Consequently he is subject to death and the curse,
a) He separated himself from God who is the fountain of his life. He lives in that curse and under it all the days of his life; and thus in misery, suffering and despair.
b) Thus he is subject to death both corporal and spiritual. He comes into this world a spiritual corpse, with the seeds of death in his body which finally bring him to the grave and to hell.
C. This all the article teaches against Pelagian free-willism, and thus prepares the way for salvation by grace alone.