Man in the State of Sin : The Consequences of Sin.

Notes from Louis Berkhof and Myer Pearlman

Introduction.

Sin is both an act and a state when Adam sinned he rebelled against the Law and limitation God had placed on him. This was an act of  his own will. Then he was separated from God to live in a sinful state.

Man Driven from the Garden of Eden because of Sin and Rebellion.

There is a twofold consequence from sin: The sinner brings evil on Himself through his own wrong-doing and he incurs guilt in the sight of God.

Two things are consequential upon an act of sin:

1. The evil consequences and
2. The Penalty that will be visited in judgment.

Illustration

A father forbids his young  son to smoke cigarettes, and warns him of the consequences. First smoking will make him sick, and in addition he will be punished for his disobedience.

The youngster disobeys and takes his very first smoke. The nausea which follows would represent the evil consequences of his sin, and the subsequent beating would represent the punishment or penalty for guilt.

The two effects of sin upon the Guilty.

1. The disastrous Spiritual Consequences.

1. The Marring of the Divine Image in man.Man did not loose the divine image completely for even as a fallen creature he is regarded as made in the image of God. Gen 9:6  Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

Jas 3:9  Therewith bless we the Lord and Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the likeness of God:

Jas 3:10  out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

The Divine Image in man is badly marred. Jesus came into this world to make it possible for man to regain the full Divine image by being recreated in the Image of God.  Gal.3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one which continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.

      

2. Inborn or Original Sin. The effect of the Fall was so deep-seated in human nature that Adam as the Father of the Human Race, passed on to all his descendants a tendency or dias to sin. Psa 51:5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. This spiritual and moral Handicap under which all men were born is known as original sin. The acts of sin which follow during the age of accountability are known as “actual sin”.

Christ the Second Adam came into the world to deliver us from the effects of the Fall.

Rom 5:12  Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned:––

Rom 5:13  for until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Rom 5:14  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam's transgression, who is a figure of him that was to come.

Rom 5:15  But not as the trespass, so also is the free gift. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound unto the many.

Rom 5:16  And not as through one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment came of one unto condemnation, but the free gift came of many trespasses unto justification.

Rom 5:17  For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, even Jesus Christ.

Rom 5:18  So then as through one trespass the judgment came unto all men to condemnation; even so through one act of righteousness the free gift came unto all men to justification of life.

Rom 5:19  For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous.

Rom 5:20  And the law came in beside, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly:

Rom 5:21  that, as sin reigned in death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Rom 5:12  Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned:––

Rom 5:13  for until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Rom 5:14  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam's transgression, who is a figure of him that was to come.

Rom 5:15  But not as the trespass, so also is the free gift. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound unto the many.

Rom 5:16  And not as through one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment came of one unto condemnation, but the free gift came of many trespasses unto justification.

Rom 5:17  For if, by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; much more shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, even Jesus Christ.

Rom 5:18  So then as through one trespass the judgment came unto all men to condemnation; even so through one act of righteousness the free gift came unto all men to justification of life.

Rom 5:19  For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous.

Rom 5:20  And the law came in beside, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly:

Rom 5:21  that, as sin reigned in death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.