Q17 // Into what state did the fall bring mankind?
A // The fall brought mankind into a state of sin and misery.
Genesis 3:16-19, 23; Romans 3:16; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1
Q18 // What is the sinfulness of that state into which man fell?
A // The sinfulness of the state into which man fell includes the guilt of Adam’s first sin,[a] the lack of the righteousness[b] which he had at first, and the corruption every part of his nature,[c] which is commonly called Original Sin; together with all actual sins which flow from it.[d]
[a]. Romans 5:12, 19
[b]. Romans 3:10; Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:24
[c]. Psalm 51:5; John 3:6; Romans 3:18; Romans 8:7-8; Ephesians 2:3
[d]. Genesis 6:5; Psalm 53:1-3; Matthew 15:19; Romans 3:10-18, 23; Galatians 5:19-21; James 1:14-15
Q19 // What misery did the fall bring upon mankind?
A // The fall brought upon mankind loss of communion with God,[a] and his wrath[b] and curse,[c] so that we are justly liable to all miseries in this life,[d] to death[ea] itself, and to punishment in hell for ever.[f]
[a]. Genesis 3:8, 24; John 8:34, 42, 44; Ephesians 2:12; Ephesians 4:18
[b]. John 3:36; Romans 1:18; Ephesians 2:3; Ephesians 5:6
[c]. Galatians 3:10; Revelation 22:3
[d]. Genesis 3:16-19; Job 5:7; Ecclesiastes 2:22-23; Romans 8:18-23
[e]. Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 5:12; Romans 6:23
[f]. Matthew 25:41, 46; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 14:9-11
Our sinful state is hard for us to define because we have become accustomed to the misery that accompanies the Fall. We don’t think we are that bad because we don’t know what good is. God tells us how He sees our sin in Genesis 6.5:
The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Not exactly a growing endorsement; because of sin we are tainted at the point of intention (inward), to a level that deserves death (great), and we are this way all of the time (continually). This all leads to a doctrine known as total depravity or total inability. This means that because of sin we are fully sinful and unable to do good. This is often rejected because: ‘of course there is good in the world.’
This argument is rejecting a false version of total depravity. To be totally depraved does not mean that we are as bad as we could possibly be (degree), it means that every part of us is touched by sin (extents). A way of saying this would be: no part of is purely good, while no parts are fully evil either.
Most discussions of sin focus on the limitations that we have for good, but I want to look at why things are not worse than they are. What keeps us from reaching the full degree of sin to which we are bent? The answer is grace. God has chosen to restrain sin through His common grace in the world. He does this by giving us a conscience which gives us a basis for morality; He instills authority in both the familial unit and government to punish sin; He has created an order by which there are consequences to sinful actions which cause us to weigh the costs. In all of this, the grace of God keeps us from experiencing the full weight of sin.
There are very real consequences, however. This life is filled with misery, death is always looming, and beyond death is the just punishment of eternal suffering in hell. The only hope in that face of all of these is once again God’s grace offered to us in Jesus Christ. Jesus takes away misery by giving life purpose, takes away the sting of death through resurrection and makes eternity a hope by offering us a renewed relationship with His perfection. Sin is our natural state, but it does not have to define us; thanks be to God.