Original Sin - A short review of Calvin and Wesley
Having discussed Original Sin - Where O death is your sting? (A study of 1 Corinthians 15) and Original Sin - Romans 5:12 - We Inherit Spiritual Death, I would like to now discuss how previous Christian Theologians have addressed it. In particular, I would like to address Calvin and Wesley. I am admittedly no expert in them, but I want to address two quotes of theirs that I found on Wikipedia.
First, to rehash my own position, I believe that when God breathed life into Adam, He was giving Adam something to believe, much as He did Abram. Adam believed it, and God saw him as righteous. God then gave Adam something to obey, and Adam obeyed, living in his righteousness.
Later, when Eve gave Adam the forbidden fruit, he ate of it. Not only did he disobey God, but for just a split second second, it would seem that Adam may have even disbelieved him. This (perhaps irreparably) damaged Adam’s relationship with God. God expelled him and Eve from the garden, as two beings who could never be truly righteous on their own. It is unknown whether Adam’s initial righteousness was that of Justice, like God’s, or simply accounted to him as righteousness, like Abram’s. But I am certain after he fell, Adam could only have righteousness credited to him now, and could never be truly Just, only Just-ified… just as it is for us today. We inherited that from Adam: his Original Sin.
Now, here are the two quotes by Wikipedia that I mentioned above:
John Calvin defined original sin in his Institutes of the Christian Religion as follows:
“ Original sin, therefore, seems to be a hereditary depravity and corruption of our nature, diffused into all parts of the soul, which first makes us liable to God’s wrath, then also brings forth in us those works which Scripture calls “works of the flesh” (Gal 5:19). And that is properly what Paul often calls sin. The works that come forth from it–such as adulteries, fornications, thefts, hatreds, murders, carousings–he accordingly calls “fruits of sin” (Gal 5:19-21), although they are also commonly called “sins” in Scripture, and even by Paul himself. †The Methodist Church, founded by John Wesley, upholds Article VII in the Articles of Religion in the Book of Discipline of the Methodist Church:
“ Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the 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 of his own nature inclined to evil, and that continually. †Â
 Let me take Calvin’s quote first. I will break it up into parts:
“Original sin, therefore, seems to be a hereditary depravity and corruption of our nature, diffused into all parts of the soul…”
It would indeed appear to be so. However, I do not believe that Adam introduced these tendencies… he introduced their sinfulness. Remember, that the tree with the forbidden fruit is referred to as the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil”. How can there be knowledge of that which does not exist? Mankind already had characteristics that would eventually be considered depraved. However, he was never told that these were wrong… in fact, God had never told them anything. Adam was the first: the first righteous man, and the first sinful one, because no one else even had knowledge of good or evil. Once Adam sinned, all of mankind would be forever changed. However, the change was not in his natural tendency to do what is wrong, but to do it knowing that is wrong. That is the real depravity of mankind.
“which first makes us liable to God’s wrath, then also brings forth in us those works which Scripture calls “works of the flesh” (Gal 5:19).”
Though men killed before Adam, they had no knowledge of it being wrong. Perhaps they only thought it was necessary… but now with the knowledge of good and evil, it brought such deeds to a whole new level, introducing temptation that before was never there. If it is not sin, it is not a temptation, or at least not one you need to worry about in regards to your stand with God. However, this all changed with Adam. What were previously normal actions in the eyes of man because “works of the flesh.” Killing became murder. Simple reproduction became adultery. And so on.
“And that is properly what Paul often calls sin.”
Agreed. He often does.
“The works that come forth from it–such as adulteries, fornications, thefts, hatreds, murders, carousings–he accordingly calls “fruits of sin” (Gal 5:19-21), although they are also commonly called “sins” in Scripture, and even by Paul himself.”
Agreed. He does.
And so, taking this quote in isolation, I would appear to agree with it as stated, though I realize my interpretation is different that others’.
The other quote is from Wesley. Here it is:
“Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the 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 of his own nature inclined to evil, and that continually.”
Again, I agree with this quote, as it is written, though perhaps not precisely as it is meant. I especially like the phrase “original righteousness”, an accurate description of my view on Adam before he fell. I was unaware that Wesley wrote this when I suggested that before Adam was sinful he was righteous… therefore Original Sin preceded by Original Righteousness. I wish I had thought of the phrase on my own!
Like Calvin, Wesley contends that sinful nature comes from the corruption we inherit from Adam… his knowledge of good and evil I would say. This knowledge surely corrupts me… songs I never realized were wrong until another Christian points the content; speech I didn’t know was gossip; and the list goes on. The more knowledge I have of what is good and what is evil, the more corrupt I am, because now my tendency to do these things is no longer just a tendency toward fleshly conduct; it transforms into knowing disobedience of God… and I appear programmed for it! To not disobey requires resolute intention.
Wesley describes man as “inclined to evil, and that continually.” It is clearly what Paul meant of himself in 1 Cor 15:31, when he says he dies every day… but he also says that he is just as redeemed.Â
Christ has come to clean away my sin: both sin committed, and sin inherited; both physical nature and physical deed. And when I yet die physically in Adam (not becuase I have not been cleaned, for I have been; but because I am still flesh), I will rise spiritually in Christ (not because I am redeemed, but because I will be spirit, brought before God for judgement, as all people will). At that point, I will be **judged** clean, and live with God Heaven forever more. Again, Original Sin did not introduce physical death, but its sting; my redemption in Christ will remove, not death, but its sting.