The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-03-24
What is Presbyterianism
No. 6.
Original -Depravity- Efectual
Calling


All men are sinners Such is the
teaching of universal experience and OBJ
servation, as well as of Gods word, which
declares, There is none that doeth
good Romans iii II; "There is not
q Just man upon earth, that doeth good
and sinneth not Ecclesiastes vii 90
The origin of this sinful nature, the work
of its development, and the possibility Of
Its eradication, as we'll as the extent and
power of its operation, are subjects on
which much diversity of opinion has al
ways existed a diversity not confined to
speculative philosophers, who reject Rev
citation, but existing also among those
who profess to receive revealed religion.
The {" Confession of Faith teaches, on
the authority of the Holy Scripture as
interpreted by its compilers, that this
estate of sin is derived from mans
connection with Adam, the progenitor of
the race, and that the estate of misery"
equally the common lot of all mankind,
IS due to the same relation " By one
man sin entered into the world, and death
by sin and so death passed upon all
men, for that all have sinned"- Rom.
v: II; see verses II, 49, The curse
pronounced on Adam Gen. lii 1910
has fallen upon all his posterity. Not
one of all the myriads of the human fam
lily preceding those now living has es-
capped the penalty of sin, which is lin
part) death of the body; save only Enoch
and Elijah and all now alive, the only
one future thing which can be affirmed
with moral certainty, is that each must
die. But the wages OF sin is death of
the soul
Spiritual death in 'trespasses and sins
is perpetuated in eternal death, with
which eternal life is contrasted- Rom. vi :
%. That spiritual death is the want of
all right or holy affections to God, and
enmity to his law, which is irreconciable
Rom. viii 7. This is known as de-
pravity of nature. No systems of teach
ing in moral philosophy, no methods Of
training, no authority of law, divine or
human, sustained by the most certain and
awful sanctions, however such means have
modified its development, have availed
to destroy this evil nature. Even the
best men have acknowledged and be-
walled its power, in expressions such as
those Of Paul, When | would do good,
evil is present with me" the good that
! would | do not and the evil that |
would not, that do Rom. vii 1919.
The whole world lieth in wickedness OF
course this depravity differs in degree, in
modes of development, in influence on
conduct, and in obstinacy of resistance,
in different persons, but all are, by ma
ture, utterly indisposed, disabled, and
made opposite to all good, and wholly in
chned to all evil The differences lust
mentioned may proceed from education,
the restraints or constraints of conscience,
Of associations in life, of the word of
God, or Of the ordinary work of Gods
Spirit
But strong in mans degenerate blood
The old corruption regns."
It is from this sinful nature all actual
transgressions proceed Our Lord teaches.
Out Of the heart proceed evil thoughts.
murders, adulteries. fornications thefts.
false witnesses, blasphemies Matt XIV
I9. Read as commentary on our Lord s
saying, the terrible catalogue of the sins
Of the natural man. in Rom /: 24-3I :.
] Cor. vi 9, 10; Gal V 1921.
How sin entered we are told in the
account Of the fall-Gen. iii: l-l3
I Tim. ii IA Why it was permitted by
God has not been clearly revealed
though from Rom ii %, it is inferable
that it was for manifesting the glory of
Gods mercy in them, He has been
pleased. to redeem But no man can say,
when he sins, that he is conscious of any
power outside his own lusts, by which he
is enticed, or that he is forced to do
evil against his own will. Adam was
free to obey or disobey, at what precise
point in the process Of Satan's temptation