Chapter 3: The Nature of Man

Article IX

OF ORIGINAL OR BIRTH-SIN^[1]

Original Sin standeth not in the following of Adam^[2] (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world, it deserveth God’s wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in them that are regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh, called in the Greek phronema sarkos, which some do expound the wisdom, some sensuality, some the affection, some the desire, of the flesh, is not subject to the Law of God. And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized, yet the Apostle doth confess that concupiscence and lust hath of itself the nature of sin.

^[1]One of the Forty-two Articles of 1553. Some think it is based on the Second Article of the Augsburg Confession (1530) and came through the Thirteen Articles; others, however, consider the resemblance is too slight, and merely indicates the general consensus of reformed opinion (Gibson, The Thirty-nine Articles, p. 358).

^[2]The Article assumes a literal interpretation of Genesis 1-3. Many scholars prefer to regard these chapters as an allegory, but whichever view is taken, the spiritual truth suggested is that no man is known to have lived (save Jesus) who did not manifest a tendency towards sin. The doctrine of Original Sin is an attempt to explain the fact of the universal sinfulness of human nature.


	The Nature of Man
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Title Contents Preface Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Site Search: powered by FreeFind Copyright & Credit	Article IX OF ORIGINAL OR BIRTH-SIN^[1] Original Sin standeth not in the following of Adam^[2] (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world, it deserveth God’s wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea, in them that are regenerated; whereby the lust of the flesh, called in the Greek phronema sarkos, which some do expound the wisdom, some sensuality, some the affection, some the desire, of the flesh, is not subject to the Law of God. And although there is no condemnation for them that believe and are baptized, yet the Apostle doth confess that concupiscence and lust hath of itself the nature of sin. ^[1]One of the Forty-two Articles of 1553. Some think it is based on the Second Article of the Augsburg Confession (1530) and came through the Thirteen Articles; others, however, consider the resemblance is too slight, and merely indicates the general consensus of reformed opinion (Gibson, The Thirty-nine Articles, p. 358). ^[2]The Article assumes a literal interpretation of Genesis 1-3. Many scholars prefer to regard these chapters as an allegory, but whichever view is taken, the spiritual truth suggested is that no man is known to have lived (save Jesus) who did not manifest a tendency towards sin. The doctrine of Original Sin is an attempt to explain the fact of the universal sinfulness of human nature.
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