Chapter 6  The Fall of Mankind

 'Our first parents, being seduced by the subtilty and temptation of Satan, sinned, in eating the forbidden fruit. This their sin, God was pleased, according to His wise and holy counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to His own glory.
 By this sin they fell from their original righteousness and communion, with God, and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the parts and faculties of soul and body .
 They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed; and the same death in sin, and corrupted nature, conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation.
 From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions.
 This corruption of nature, during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated;  although it be, through Christ, pardoned, and mortified; yet both itself, and all the motions thereof, are truly and properly sin.
 Every sin, both original and actual, being a transgression of the righteous law of God, and contrary thereunto, doth, in its own nature, bring guilt upon the sinner, whereby he is bound over to the wrath of God, and curse of the law, and so made subject to death, with all miseries spiritual, temporal, and eternal'.

Question: In what state did God create Adam and Eve?

 He created them holy, yet capable of falling. In this state he subjects them to a moral test for a time. If they stand the test, the reward is that their moral characters are confirmed and rendered infallible, and they are introduced into an  inalienable blessedness forever. If they fail, they are judicially excluded from God's favor and communion forever, and hence morally and eternally dead. 1

Question: Did Adam and Eve continue in the state in which God created them?

 Our first parents being left to the freedom of their own will, through the temptation of Satan, transgressed the commandment of God in eating the forbidden fruit; and thereby fell from the estate of innocency wherein they were created.
  -Gen. 3:6–8, 13; Eccl. 7:29; 2 Cor. 11:3.

Question: What specifically was their sin?

 The dreadful sin committed by Adam and Eve seems to have been twofold. Their unbelief induced them to doubt the wisdom of God's prohibition and the certainty of the divine threatening; and their disobedience to God's will manifested their sin of unbelief. 2

Question: What does it mean that 'it pleased God, according to His wise and holy counsel, to permit, having purposed to order it to His own glory.'?

 God did certainly foreknow that if such a being as Adam was put in such conditions as he was, he would sin as he sinned. Yet, in spite of this certain knowledge, God created that very being and  put him in those very conditions; and having determined to overrule the sin for good, he sovereignly decreed not to intervene to prevent, and so he made it certainly future.

 On the other hand, God did neither cause nor approve Adam's sin.  He created Adam holy and fully capable of obedience, and with sufficient knowledge of his duty, and then left him alone to his trial.

 If it be asked why God, who abhors sin, and who benevolently desires the excellence and happiness of his creatures, should sovereignly determine to permit such a fountain of pollution, degradation, and misery to be opened, we can only say, with profound reverence, "Even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight." 3

Question: Into what state did the Fall leave Adam  and Eve?

 Sin/death and separation from God
  -Rom. 3:23.

Question: What is Sin?

 Sin is any transgression  or deviation of or rebellion to the law of God, Scripture.
  -1 John 3:4; Gal. 3:10, 12.

Question: What is the nature of the fallen or sinful state?

 The guilt of sin, the removal of  original righteousness necessary for obedience, the corruption of our created  nature, making man and woman incapable of any spiritual good, wholly inclined to all evil, a slave to this new sin nature.
  -Rom. 5:12, 19, Rom. 3:10–19; Eph. 2:1–3; Rom. 5:6; 8:7–8; Gen. 6:5.
   James 1:14–15; Matt. 15:19.

Question: What is the name given to this fallen state by Calvin?
 Total Depravity.
      -John 15:5; Rom. 8:7; 1 Cor. 2:14; cf. Mt. 6:2, 5, 16; Mk. 7:6-7,; Rom. 13:4; 1 Cor. 10:31; 13:3; Tit. 1:15; 3:5;
       Heb. 11:4, 6

Question: Did All Mankind Fall in Adam and Eve's sin?
     Yes.

Question: Why?

 The covenant between God and Adam  was not for himself only, but for his posterity, all mankind descending from him.
      -Acts 17:26, Gen. 2:16–17; Rom. 5:12–20; 1 Cor. 15:21–22

Question: This sin state that is passed down from Adam and Eve to all humanity is called what?

 Original Sin

Question: How is Original Sin passed down to succeeding generations?

 Original sin is passed down by our parents in birth.  Therefore we are all born in sin.
      -Ps. 51:5; Job 14:4; 15:14; John 3:6.

Question: What is the difference between Adam's Seminal and Federal Headship of humanity?

 Seminal headship is related to physical birth. We are in Adam because we area ll physical descendents from him.
      -PS. 51:5

 Federal headship is related to Adam's representative leadership of humanity.
      -Rom. 5:12-20

Question: What did the Fall of Adam and Eve bring upon humanity?

 The fall brought  to humanity physical and spiritual death, the loss of communion with God, God's displeasure and curse; we are by nature children of wrath, slaves to sin and Satan, and justly liable to all punishments for this sin.
      -Gen. 3:8, 10, 24, Eph. 2:2–3, 2 Tim. 2:26, Gen. 2:17; Lam. 3:39; Rom. 6:23; Matt. 25:41, 46; Jude 7.

Chapter 7  God's Covenant with man

 'The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto Him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of Him as their blessedness and reward, but by some voluntary condescension on God's part, which He hath been pleased to express by way of covenant.
 The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam; and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.
 Man, by his fall, having made himself incapable of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second, commonly called the covenant of grace; wherein He freely offereth unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ; requiring of them faith in Him, that they may be saved, and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto eternal life His Holy Spirit, to make them willing, and able to believe.
 This covenant of grace is frequently set forth in Scripture by the name of a testament, in reference to the death of Jesus Christ the Testator, and to the everlasting inheritance, with all things belonging to it, therein bequeathed.
 Under the gospel, when Christ, the substance, was exhibited, the ordinances in which this covenant is dispensed are the preaching of the Word, and the administration of the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper: which, though fewer in number, and administered with more simplicity, and less outward glory, yet, in them, it is held forth in more fullness, evidence, and spiritual efficacy, to all nations, both Jews and Gentiles; and is called the new Testament. There are not therefore two covenants of grace, differing in substance, but one and the same, under various dispensations.'

Question: What is the nature of the distance between God and man?
        What can man do to bridge the gap?

    The distance is insurmountable. God must first act on our behalf.  John 15:5

Question: What is a Covenant?

 It is a transaction between God and men.
 There are 4 parts: the parties, the promise, the conditions, the penalty.

Question: What was the Covenant of Works?

 God dealt with Adam as the representative of all his descendants. The parties, therefore, are God and Adam, the latter representing the human race. The promise was life, the condition  was perfect obedience, and the penalty was death.

 It is called the Covenant of Works because perfect obedience was its condition. It is also called a "legal covenant," because it demanded the literal fulfillment of the claims of the moral law as the condition of God's favor. It was this covenant that Adam broke when he sinned in the Garden of Eden.4
      -Luke 17:10; Rom. 3:23, Rom. 5:12-20, Gal. 3:10

Question: Did God leave all humanity to perish in the state of sin?

     No.

Question: What did He do? What was the next Covenant God made with humanity?

 God did not leave humanity to perish in the estate of sin  and death. which was the result of the disobedience to the first covenant, commonly called the Covenant of Works. But, God by His love and mercy made a way to restore repentant sinners to relationship with Himself. This way is the second covenant, commonly called the Covenant of Grace.
      -John 3:16, Rom. 5:8-10, 15

Question: What is the Covenant of Grace?

The Arminian view
 Adam  lost the promise and incurred the penalty of the covenant which demanded perfect obedience. Christ's perfect life and sacrificial death  was consistent with the necessity of absolute justice. God for Christ's sake, introduces a new covenant of grace, offering to all men individually the eternal life forfeited by Adam based on the condition of faith and obedience to the Gospel.

 According to this view, the new covenant is just as much a  covenant of works as the old one was; the only difference is that the works demanded are far less difficult, and we are graciously aided in our endeavors to accomplish them.

 According to this view, also, faith and obedience to the Gospel secure eternal life in the new covenant in the same way that perfect obedience did in the old covenant.5

The Calvinist view
 God having determined to save the elect out of the mass of the race fallen in Adam, appointed his Son to become incarnate in our nature; and as the Christ, he appointed him to be the second Adam and representative head of redeemed humanity; and as such entered into a covenant with him and with his seed in him.

 In this covenant the Mediator assumes in behalf of his elect seed the broken conditions of the old covenant of works precisely as Adam left them.

      -Adam had failed to obey, and therefore forfeited life; he had sinned, and therefore incurred the endless penalty of death.
      -Christ therefore suffered the penalty, and extinguished in behalf of all whom he  represented the claims of the old covenant; and at the same time he rendered a  perfect vicarious obedience, which was the very condition upon which eternal life     had been originally offered.

     All this Christ does as a principal party with God to the covenant, in acting as the representative of his own people.6

     According to this view the work of the covenant is done by Christ  for the Elect.

Question: What is meant by ' the ordinances in which this covenant is dispensed'?

     The means by which the Covenant of Grace...salvation, is effected or distributed.

Question: What is meant by 'means of grace'?

     The means or manner in which God's (saving and sustaining) grace is given to humanity.

Question: According to the WCF, what are these means of grace?

     Preaching of the Word of God, Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Chapter 8  Christ the Mediator

 'It pleased God, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, to be the Mediator between God and man, the Prophet, Priest, and King, the Head and Savior of His Church, the Heir of all things, and Judge of the world: unto whom He did from all eternity give a people, to be His seed, and to be by Him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.
 The Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance and equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon Him man's nature, with all the essential properties, and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin; being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance. So that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion. Which person is very God, and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.
 The Lord Jesus, in His human nature thus united to the divine, was sanctified, and anointed with the Holy Spirit, above measure, having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell; to the end that, being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth He might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a Mediator and Surety. Which office He took not unto Himself, but was thereunto called by His Father, who put all power and judgment into His hand, and gave Him commandment to execute the same.
 This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake; which that He might discharge, He was made under the law, and did perfectly fulfill it; endured most grievous torments immediately in His soul, and most painful sufferings in His body; was crucified, and died, was buried, and remained under the power of death, yet saw no corruption. On the third day He arose from the dead, with the same body in which He suffered, with which also he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth at the right hand of His Father, making intercession, and shall return, to judge men and angels, at the end of the world.
 The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience, and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit, once offered up unto God, has fully satisfied the justice of His Father; and purchased, not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father has given unto Him.   Although the work of redemption was not actually wrought by Christ till after His incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefits thereof were communicated unto the elect, in all ages successively from the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices, wherein He was revealed, and signified to be the seed of the woman which should bruise the serpent's head; and the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world; being yesterday and to–day the same, and forever.
 Christ, in the work of mediation, acts according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself; yet, by reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one nature is sometimes in Scripture attributed to the person denominated by the other nature.
 To all those for whom Christ has purchased redemption, He does certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same; making intercession for them, and revealing unto them, in and by the Word, the mysteries of salvation; effectually persuading them by His Spirit to believe and obey, and governing their hearts by His Word and Spirit; overcoming all their enemies by His almighty power and wisdom, in such manner, and ways, as are most consonant to His wonderful and unsearchable dispensation.'

Question: What is a mediator?

     A mediator is one who intervenes between contesting parties for the sake of making reconciliation. The Scriptures apply the term, in a higher sense, to Christ. They teach that he intervenes between God and man, not merely to plead for peace, but, armed with the power of his death and resurrection, to effect peace for the elect.

Question: Who is the mediator of the Covenant of Grace?

     The only Mediator of the covenant of grace is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, of one substance and equal with the Father, in the fullness of time became man, and so was and continues to be God and man, in two entire distinct natures, and one person, for ever.7
          -1 Tim. 2:5,  John 1:1, 14; 10:30; Phil. 2:6, Gal. 4:4,  Luke 1:35; Rom. 9:5; Col. 2:9;     Heb. 7:24–25.

Question: What is Christ's principal role as mediator?

     Christ maketh intercession, by his appearing in our nature continually before the Father in heaven, in the merit of his obedience and sacrifice on earth, declaring his will to have it applied to all believers; answering all accusations against them, and procuring for them quiet of conscience, notwithstanding daily failings, access with boldness to the throne of grace, and acceptance of their persons and services.
     -Heb. 9:12, 24; 1:3; 4:16, John 3:16; 17:9, 20, 24, Rom. 8:33–34; 5:1–2; 1 John 2:1–2; Eph. 1:6, 1 Pet. 2:5.

     It is absolutely necessary, in order to secure reconciliation, that the Mediator should propitiate the just displeasure of God by expiating the guilt of sin, and that he should offer himself in our behalf, and that he should actually introduce our persons and services to the acceptance of the Father.8

Question: To whom are the benefits of Christ's mediation given?

    Those who believe in Christ as Savior (the Elect)

Question: Are there any other mediators between God and Man who can effect salvation?

       No.   1 Tim. 2:5

End Notes

1  Hodge, A. A., Commentary on the Westminster Confession, (Escondido, CA: Ephesians Four Group) 1999.
2  Hodge, A. A., Commentary on the Westminster Confession, (Escondido, CA: Ephesians Four Group) 1999.
3  Hodge, A. A., Commentary on the Westminster Confession, (Escondido, CA: Ephesians Four Group) 1999.
4  Hodge, A. A., Commentary on the Westminster Confession, (Escondido, CA: Ephesians Four Group) 1999.
5  Hodge, A. A., Commentary on the Westminster Confession, (Escondido, CA: Ephesians Four Group) 1999.
6  Hodge, A. A., Commentary on the Westminster Confession, (Escondido, CA: Ephesians Four Group) 1999.
7  Smith, Morton H., The Larger Catechism of the Westminster Standards, (Escondido, CA: Ephesians Four Group) 1999.
8  Hodge, A. A., Commentary on the Westminster Confession, (Escondido, CA: Ephesians Four Group) 1999.

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