Understanding Original Sin: Guilt, Pollution, and Redemption

 

Summary

In our exploration of the doctrine of original sin, we delve into the profound consequences of Adam's transgression, which not only affected him but also the entire human race. This doctrine is divided into two main aspects: original guilt and original pollution. Original guilt refers to the imputation of Adam's sin to all humanity, making us all guilty before God. Original pollution, on the other hand, describes the inherent sinful condition that we inherit from Adam, characterized by the absence of original righteousness and the presence of positive evil within us.

This pollution is not merely a disease but a sinful and guilty condition that affects every part of our being. It manifests in what is known as total depravity and total inability. Total depravity does not mean that every person is as evil as they can be, but rather that sin affects every part of our nature, leaving no spiritual good in us. Total inability refers to our incapacity to do anything that meets God's approval or to change our sinful nature on our own.

The Bible uses various terms to describe this condition, such as "flesh," "concupiscence," and "carnal mind," all of which highlight the estrangement of human nature from the divine life. This state of depravity results in a life lacking balance, where the spirit no longer controls the body and mind, leading to self-centeredness and misuse of our faculties. Ultimately, we become slaves to sin and Satan, unable to appreciate spiritual truth or change our condition.

Despite this bleak picture, there is hope. God, in His infinite love, provided a promise of deliverance through the seed of the woman, who would bruise the serpent's head. This promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who bore our sins and offers us salvation, restoring us to a state even greater than before the fall.

Key Takeaways:

- Original Sin's Dual Aspects: Original sin comprises original guilt and original pollution. While original guilt makes us accountable for Adam's sin, original pollution describes our inherent sinful nature, characterized by the absence of righteousness and the presence of evil. This duality highlights the depth of our fallen state. [01:24]

- Total Depravity Explained: Total depravity does not imply that every person is as evil as possible but that sin affects every aspect of our being. It means there is no spiritual good in us, and our natural state is at enmity with God. Understanding this helps us grasp the severity of our condition. [10:04]

- Total Inability's Implications: Total inability refers to our incapacity to perform any act that meets God's approval or to change our sinful nature. Despite our ability to perform natural or civic good, we cannot achieve spiritual good or salvation on our own. This underscores our need for divine intervention. [31:34]

- The Role of the Flesh: The term "flesh" in Scripture often refers to the principle in human nature that resists God's law and wars against the Spirit. It represents our estrangement from divine life and highlights the internal struggle between our sinful nature and the Spirit's influence. [20:38]

- Hope in Divine Promise: Despite the dire consequences of original sin, God provided a promise of redemption through Jesus Christ. This promise, given immediately after the fall, assures us of deliverance and restoration, demonstrating God's unfathomable love and grace. [40:07]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:13] - Introduction to Original Sin
- [00:30] - Consequences of Adam's Sin
- [01:01] - Original Guilt
- [01:44] - Original Pollution
- [02:19] - Absence of Original Righteousness
- [03:13] - Positive Evil Within Us
- [05:06] - Sin as Positive Presence
- [06:09] - Total Depravity
- [09:40] - Definition of Total Depravity
- [10:52] - Enmity Against God
- [13:23] - Scriptural Descriptions
- [15:06] - Understanding Our Condition
- [20:38] - The Flesh and Its Meaning
- [31:19] - Total Inability
- [39:01] - Hope and Promise of Redemption

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 6:5 - "The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time."
2. Psalm 51:5 - "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me."
3. Romans 8:7 - "The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so."

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Observation Questions:

1. What are the two main aspects of original sin as discussed in the sermon, and how do they affect humanity? [01:01]

2. How does the sermon describe the concept of "total depravity," and what are some common misconceptions about it? [06:44]

3. According to the sermon, what does the term "flesh" signify in the context of human nature and sin? [20:20]

4. What promise of hope does the sermon highlight, and how is it fulfilled according to the speaker? [40:07]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of original guilt and original pollution help us understand the depth of humanity's fallen state? [01:24]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that total depravity affects every aspect of human nature, and how does this understanding impact our view of human goodness? [10:04]

3. How does the sermon explain the role of the "flesh" in resisting God's law, and what implications does this have for our spiritual lives? [20:38]

4. What does the promise of redemption through Jesus Christ mean in the context of original sin, and how does it offer hope to believers? [40:07]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on the idea of original guilt. How does understanding that we are all held accountable for Adam's sin change your perspective on personal responsibility and grace? [01:24]

2. The sermon describes total depravity as affecting every part of our being. Can you identify areas in your life where you see this depravity manifesting, and how can you seek God's help in those areas? [10:04]

3. Considering the concept of total inability, how can you rely more on God's strength rather than your own efforts in your spiritual journey? [31:34]

4. The sermon mentions the internal struggle between the flesh and the Spirit. What are some practical steps you can take to strengthen the Spirit's influence in your life? [20:38]

5. How does the promise of redemption through Jesus Christ inspire you to live differently, knowing that you are offered a new life beyond the fall? [40:07]

6. In what ways can you actively remind yourself of God's promise of deliverance when facing the reality of sin in your life? [40:07]

7. How can understanding the depth of our depravity lead to a greater appreciation of God's love and grace in your daily life? [15:06]

Devotional

Day 1: The Depth of Original Sin's Impact
Original sin is a foundational doctrine that explains the profound consequences of Adam's transgression, affecting not only him but the entire human race. This doctrine is divided into two main aspects: original guilt and original pollution. Original guilt refers to the imputation of Adam's sin to all humanity, making us all guilty before God. Original pollution, on the other hand, describes the inherent sinful condition that we inherit from Adam, characterized by the absence of original righteousness and the presence of positive evil within us. This duality highlights the depth of our fallen state and our need for redemption. [01:24]

"For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:19, ESV)

Reflection: How does understanding the dual aspects of original sin change the way you view your need for God's grace today?


Day 2: Understanding Total Depravity
Total depravity is a concept that does not imply that every person is as evil as possible but that sin affects every aspect of our being. It means there is no spiritual good in us, and our natural state is at enmity with God. This understanding helps us grasp the severity of our condition and the extent to which sin has corrupted our nature. It is a reminder that without divine intervention, we are incapable of achieving righteousness on our own. [10:04]

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways do you see the effects of total depravity in your own life, and how can you seek God's help to overcome them?


Day 3: The Reality of Total Inability
Total inability refers to our incapacity to perform any act that meets God's approval or to change our sinful nature. Despite our ability to perform natural or civic good, we cannot achieve spiritual good or salvation on our own. This underscores our need for divine intervention and the transformative power of God's grace. It is a humbling reminder that we are utterly dependent on God for our salvation and spiritual growth. [31:34]

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air." (Ephesians 2:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel spiritually powerless, and how can you invite God's power to work in that area today?


Day 4: The Struggle with the Flesh
The term "flesh" in Scripture often refers to the principle in human nature that resists God's law and wars against the Spirit. It represents our estrangement from divine life and highlights the internal struggle between our sinful nature and the Spirit's influence. This struggle is a daily reality for believers, reminding us of the need to rely on the Holy Spirit to overcome the desires of the flesh and live a life pleasing to God. [20:38]

"For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do." (Galatians 5:17, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a specific area where you feel the tension between the flesh and the Spirit. How can you actively choose to follow the Spirit's leading today?


Day 5: Hope in the Promise of Redemption
Despite the dire consequences of original sin, God provided a promise of redemption through Jesus Christ. This promise, given immediately after the fall, assures us of deliverance and restoration, demonstrating God's unfathomable love and grace. Through Christ's sacrifice, we are offered salvation and the hope of being restored to a state even greater than before the fall. This hope is a source of strength and encouragement as we navigate the challenges of life. [40:07]

"He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: How does the promise of redemption through Christ give you hope in your current circumstances, and how can you share this hope with others today?

Quotes



Original guilt we are all guilty held guilty for that first sin of Adam it is imputed to us put to our account we are held in that way responsible for it now we come to consider the second aspect of this doctrine of original sins and that is what is known as original pollution because you remember the moment Adam sinned two things happened at once one was that he became guilty the second was that a change took place in him he was not the same as he was before changes took place in him which we have considered now the doctrine of original sin says that both those consequences that happen to Adam devolve upon us also so that we are guilty of original pollution as well as original sin. [00:01:09]

This pollution from which we all suffer as the result of Adam's sin is not merely a disease it is a sinful and therefore a guilty condition it is merely that we are suffering from a disease but we are guilty because we are polluted it is something which must be regarded therefore partly in that legal manner another thing we must be careful to observe about it is this we must not say that it mean that it means that there has been a change in the substance of the Soul you may ask me what you mean by substance of the soul I mean by that it's Constitution we don't know what that comes stitution is as we have seen but we must speak very careful not to say that it means any change in the soul as such uh it isn't a kind of substantial change in that way but it is rather a change along the lines which I shall proceed to elaborate. [00:03:14]

The Bible says that sin is positive it isn't the absence of goodness it is the positive presence of evil and of Badness man not only is not what he ought to be he is what he ought not to be and that is something which we must emphasized because it's emphasized constantly as I'm going to show you in a few minutes in the scriptures themselves now then how does this condition this absence of original righteousness and the presence of of positive evil manifest itself in Fallen men how does it manifest itself in all of us and here again there is a two-fold division which is taught and emphasized right through the scriptures the terms generally used are these first it shows itself in what is called total depravity. [00:05:27]

Total depravity does not mean that men is incapable of admiring virtue or incapable of disinterested feelings and actions you notice you see why I'm emphasizing these negatives ah says your modern psychologist and as I say unfortunately many Christians I can't abide this doctrine of total depre it it can't be right to say look at many men who are not Christians they've got ideas of virtue they try to do good they may be idealistic quite so I say total depravity does not mean that a man doesn't recognize virtue or that he's incapable of disinterested feelings and actions it's not a part of the definition of total depravity at all and the last negative is this we do not mean by total depravity that every unregenerate person will indulge in every form of sin it doesn't mean that either. [00:08:49]

Well positively it means this that Fallen men or man in his Fallen condition has an inherently corrupt nature which extends to every part of his being every faculty of his soul and body it means that man as the result of the sin of adamant of the Fall has this corrupt condition which applies to every faculty of his soul and of his body another thing it means is this that there is no observe the adjective there is no spiritual good in it oh yes there's a a good deal of natural good there's a good deal of natural morality he can recognize Pagan virtue yes but there is no spiritual good whatsoever in him that's what it does mean or if you like to elaborate it a bit more you can put it like this men in a state of total depravity every unregenerate men is at enmity against God that's a great characteristic always of total depravity he is naturally at eny against God and God's holy law. [00:09:41]

The term flesh in Scripture often refers to the principle in human nature that resists God's law and wars against the Spirit. It represents our estrangement from divine life and highlights the internal struggle between our sinful nature and the Spirit's influence. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit lusteth against the flesh it's that principle in Fallen men which Wars against the spirit and resists the law of God or if you like a still simpler definition you can describe it as human nature in its estrangement from the Divine life and I think that's as good as any but but perhaps strangely enough the best way to understand this term the flesh is to take that famous statement which our Lord made to Nicodemus you'll find it in John 3:6 that which is born of the flesh is flesh that which is born of the spirit is Spirit. [00:20:38]

Men in this fleshly condition in this uh state of depravity is one isai who has become utterly lopsided Paul describes him you remember in the second chapter of the epistle to the Ephesians and in the second verse is saying that he is guilty of being controlled by lusts of the Flesh and of the Mind something which people forget everybody recognizes lusts of the flesh but according to the Apostle Paul lusts of the Mind are as bad as lusts of the flesh for men was never meant to be controlled by his mind anymore than he was meant to be controlled by his body he was meant to be controlled by the spiritual but that I say has been lost as the result of sin and the fall and man if feel like has become exentric he's not at home he's not balanced he's lopsided he hasn't got his balance some men are controlled entirely by their bodies eating and drinking and various other things yes but others you see who are not guilty of that can be equally in a state of lust and equally In the Flesh because they're controlled by their Earthbound Minds by their own Thoughts by the philosophies of men and not by God's revelation and not by God's spirit. [00:26:44]

The Bible teaches that man is totally incapable I'm emphasizing both terms man is as the result of sin totally incapable what do I mean by that well again I don't mean that he cannot perform any natural good of course he can it's obvious it doesn't mean that he's incapable of civil or Civic good and righteousness of course he is his history proves that even though it doesn't even mean that he's not capable of an external kind of religion he is capable of that a man can be very religious and yet we still serve him that he's totally depraved and totally incapable well how do you show it well like this he is totally incapable in this sense that all his actions are defective good though they may be in many ways because they are not prompted by a love of God and a love to God and because they're not prompted by a concern about the will and the glory of God so though they may be ethically and morally good in and of themselves they're useless because their motive is not true. [00:31:34]

He cannot do any act which fundamentally meets God's approval he cannot do anything which fundamentally meets the demands of God's law there is none righteous know not one all have sinned and come short of the glory of God you read the third chapter of the epistle to the Romans and there you'll find it stated very clearly all the goodness of the world is as filthy RS all the goodness is as dung and refug and lust ultimately it has no better because it cannot satisfy God's ultimate approval or his law but we also mean this by total incapacity or total incapability that men cannot change his fundamental preference for sin and self he cannot change his own nature I go further he cannot even make an approach to such a change men cannot get rid of the depravity I've been defiling he can't even make an approach to getting of it fundamentally he can do nothing about his forign condition his fundamental total depravity and inability. [00:32:47]

Despite this bleak picture, there is hope. God, in His infinite love, provided a promise of deliverance through the seed of the woman, who would bruise the serpent's head. This promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who bore our sins and offers us salvation, restoring us to a state even greater than before the fall. Into that awful condition there came a promise and the thing I think that will Fascinate us and charm us throughout eternity is this is that the promise came from the very God against whom men Rebel and still more amazing and remarkable is that it came almost immediately after man had rebelled for the promise was given to men even before he was Thrust out of Paradise The Promise was given to him even in the very Garden where in his utter Folly he listened to the devil and and fell and brought all these horrible consequences upon himself even then without any delay this amazing God whom we worship and adore in his Everlasting and eternal love gave the promise the seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpent's head there is going to be a Deliverance a savior as salvation and God's Universe men supremely shall not only be restored to what it was before but even something Beyond it. [00:40:07]

The Son of God gave himself and bore our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sins should live unto righteousness let us pray great God of Wonders all thy ways are Godless Godlike matchless and divine but the fair glories of thy Grace oh God they stagger us and stand out in a more matchless manner than anything else who is a pardoning God Like thee or who has Grace so rich and free oh Lord we pray thee to enable us to see this more than ever before Oh God we thank thee for even the searching of Thy word which humbles us and humiliates us to the dust and strips us of all our self-righteousness and selfreliance and reveals us unto ourselves in all our wretchedness and vess and hopelessness we thank thee for it all because it is only as we realize that we realize something of that love so amazing and so Divine that gave itself even unto the death of the cross that we might be rescued and redeemed we would say thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift Lord accept our unworthy praise and adoration. [00:41:39]

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Transcript
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