A Little Time With The 1689: Day 111

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Day 111

Of the fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof.

Chapter 6, Paragraph 3.

“…and by nature children of wrath,…“

Scripture Lookup

Ephesians 2:3

Reflection

Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

-Ephesians 2:3

“Children of wrath.” Doesn’t that phrase initially strike you as a little too much? We’d expect to see it as the title of a horror movie, or the name of a heavy metal band. But to say that we are all children of wrath? Isn’t that just the product of some dour-faced minister from centuries ago? Haven’t we progressed past that?

It won’t be the title of Joel Osteen’s next book, but it is a truthful statement to say that all humanity bear the title of “children of wrath”. Scripture states plainly in Ephesians 2 that without Christ, we all deserve God’s wrath. Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, we inherit a corrupted nature that does not fade away on its own. The child that seems so sweet, the kindly elderly lady, the hardworking man, are all corrupted by sin. Despite how they look to us, they are at enmity with God, and as such are children of wrath.

Realize, then, that the title “children of wrath” is not too strong a statement for mankind. There is something dreadfully wrong with the human race. There is something dreadfully wrong with us. But Scripture does not leave us to stare morbidly at the wretched condition of humanity: it points us to Christ. Because of His work and sacrifice on the behalf of His people, those who turn from sin and trust in Him are no longer “children of wrath”, but are part of God’s household. (Ephesians 2:19)

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are.

-1 John 3:1

Questions to Consider

  • Is it hard to accept that, without Christ, all of humanity are “children of wrath”?

M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan: April 20

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Leviticus 24 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

Psalm 31 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

Ecclesiastes 7 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

2Timothy 3 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 110

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Day 110

Of the fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof.

Chapter 6, Paragraph 3.

“...being now conceived in Sin,…“

Scripture Lookup

Psalm 51:5

Job 14:4

Reflection

Philosophers throughout the ages have pondered the moral state of humans. Are we created as blank slates, which our environment then writes on to our benefit or detriment? Are we naturally good people, who just need a little help to keep from doing wrong? Or are we slaves to our biology, able to act only in accordance with our DNA?

When Adam and Eve transgressed God’s covenant, they plunged humanity into sin and misery. Their human nature, originally upright and able to keep God’s law, was now corrupted. This corruption has been our inheritance ever since. It is there at the moment of our conception, and our nature remains so throughout our time on earth.

Our fallen nature is one reason why the life of Jesus is so amazing. Because we all are now conceived in sin, we had no knowledge of what a human nature free from the effects of the Fall was like – until He came. Jesus was not born by ordinary generation, so He did not have a corrupted nature.  His life was perfectly holy, without any sin whatsoever. When you contrast that with ourselves, you are left marveling at His beauty and majesty.

Questions to Consider

  • What thoughts come to mind when you realize that there was never a time when you did not have a corrupted nature?

M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan: April 19

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Leviticus 23 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

Psalm 30 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

Ecclesiastes 6 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

2Timothy 2 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 109

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Day 109

Of the fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof.

Chapter 6, Paragraph 3.

“They being the root, and by God’s appointment, standing in the room, and stead of all mankind; the guilt of the sin was imputed, and corrupted nature conveyed, to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation,...“

Scripture Lookup

Romans 5:12-19

1 Corinthians 15:21,22,45,49

Reflection

“Legacy” is a popular term nowadays. People are concerned about what kind of legacy they will  leave after they are gone. What deeds will they be remembered for? What family life did they establish? Adam and Eve did leave a legacy behind them, but it is safe to say that what they left, imputation of guilt and a corrupted nature, is not something anyone would desire to have. Yet our first parents definitely had a profound impact on all the generations that have come after them.

Adam represented the human race when he disobeyed God’s command to not eat of the fruit. This standing in our stead is sometimes referred to as Adam being our “federal head”.  He was in covenant with God, and failed to keep that covenant. As our representative, when he fell, we fell with him. His guilt is imputed to us. We are declared guilty due to his transgression, much like how when a leader of a nation declares war, the residents of that country are now considered at war with the opposing nation as well.

Not only are we declared guilty because of Adam and Eve’s sin, the corrupted nature they possessed after they sinned has been transmitted down to us. Every child conceived normally with human parents has this corrupted nature. Notice, though, that the Confession makes note that it is all of Adam and Eve’s posterity who descend from them by ordinary generation that receive this fallen nature. Was there anyone who was a descendant of Adam and was not born by ordinary means? Yes – Jesus! As a descendant of Adam, yet conceived miraculously, Jesus did not have the corrupted nature conveyed to Him.

Questions to Consider

  • If corrupted nature is conveyed by ordinary generation, then is the virgin birth an important doctrine?

M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan: April 18

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Leviticus 22 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

open-biblePsalm 28-29 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

Ecclesiastes 5 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

2Timothy 1 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 108

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Day 108

Of the fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof.

Chapter 6, Paragraph 2.

“…and wholly defiled, in all the faculties, and parts, of soul, and body.“

Scripture Lookup

Titus 1:15

Genesis 6:5

Jeremiah 17:9

Romans 3:10-19

Reflection

When Adam and Eve sinned, their transgression caused death to come upon all of us. There is not one part of our selves that is not affected by the Fall. All parts of our soul and body are defiled by sin.

The world we live in does not want to admit this. “Sure, some people are bad, and nobody’s perfect, but there’s still some good in them too!” they say.  We cling desperately to the idea that we can fix ourselves. Self-help gurus sell thousands of books to their devotees based upon the idea that there is some good in the self. We can make ourselves better; we can overcome on our own strength. If I just think positively enough, if I just do enough good deeds, if I just…

Scripture is clear that no part of the sinner is clean unless covered by the blood of Christ. This is why it is vital to depend wholly on God for salvation. Our very beings are defiled, and are unable to perform any act of righteousness. We are helpless to overcome the sin that infests our whole being. We must look to Christ:

Not the labors of my hands
Can fulfil thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears for ever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and thou alone.

-Augustus M. Toplady

Questions to Consider

  • Is it hard to accept that mankind is wholly defiled?

M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan: April 17

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Leviticus 21 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

couple-lake-biblePsalm 26-27 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

Ecclesiastes 4 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

1Timothy 6 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 107

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Day 107

Of the fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof.

Chapter 6, Paragraph 2.

“…all becoming dead in Sin,…“

Scripture Lookup

Romans 5:12 etc.

Reflection

Why do people die? Death is one of the realities of this world that early on we realize, but why it exists is not a subject on which much conversation is spent.  We waver between realizing the horror of death, to numbly skimming over news of it. But why is death so universal, so horrible? The Bible explains how death entered the world.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden, they created a rift that death rushed in to fill. Physically, their bodies would no longer keep going. They would die. But there was another aspect to death that Adam and Eve brought into the world through their transgression. Sin brought spiritual death. Without communion with God, who “is the alone fountain of all Being” (LBCF 2.2), there can be no spiritual life. We breathe, and eat, and move throughout the day, but our bodies are counting down until they finally stop. Our souls, however, are stillborn until regenerated by the Holy Spirit.

Every death is a reminder that we need Christ. “I am the way, the truth, and the life,…” (John 14:6)  “I am the resurrection and the life;…” (John 11:25) “…Christ, who is our life,…” (Colossians 3:4) Let us not shy away from the reality of death, but use it to point sinners to the One who gives life abundantly.

Questions to Consider

  • Is the truth that all are dead in sin a hard one to accept?

M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan: April 16

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Leviticus 20 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

Psalm 25 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

Ecclesiastes 3 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)

1Timothy 5 (NASB, ESV, KJV, HCSB)