Article 14 speaks of man’s creation, fall, and resultant depravity. Adam was created of the dust, formed in the image of God. Although capable of obeying God perfectly, he listened to Satan and subjected himself to sin, death and the curse.
Adam lost the image of God in the fall. Though he retained a “few remains” of his excellent gifts, these left him without excuse-and he even held these “remains” in unrighteousness. Man’s will is no longer free, but is bound by sin. Thus, man is incapable of himself to do any good whatsoever.
Article 15 presents the Scriptural teaching concerning “original sin”. This includes “original guilt” as well as “original pollution”. Adam’s sin was extended to all mankind. Baptism does not take away original sin as the Roman Catholics teach, but is a sign of the removal of guilt.
This doctrine does not allow the Christian to “rest securely in sin”, but rather he desires to be delivered fully from sin. We reject the error, then, of Pelagianism which teaches that sin only proceeds from imitation.
QUESTIONS:
1. Describe Adam’s creation and state in what ways it differed from the creation of the animals.
2. What is included in the “image of God” in man? (see Col. 3:10 and Eph. 4:24).
3. What is the image of God in its “wider” and “narrower” sense? (see Reformed Dogmatics, page 206).
4. What must we understand by “total depravity”? “Absolute depravity?”
5. What was Adam’s relationship to his posterity (children)? (see Essentials)
6. What does the theory of Common Grace say concerning fallen mankind?
7. What is original sin? Original guilt? Original pollution?
8. What is the “covenant of works”? (see Reformed Dogmatics, p. 215).
9. How do we explain God’s covenant with Adam before the fall? (see Essentials)
10. What does baptism accomplish for the elect of God?
11. What is Pelagianism? List some who hold to such a view today.