Humankind (WCF 4, 6, 9; WLC 14-17, 21-29; WSC 8-10, 13-19) Flashcards
What is the chief end of man?
WSC 1: Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.
What is the supreme activity of man? (Catechism: what does God require of man?)
WSC 39: Obedience to his revealed will
What does the Bible teach about the creation of human beings?
WSC 10: God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures.
In what way is man created in the image of God?
- Knowledge – understand God’s revelation of himself in the world. Prophet – see the truth of God and speak the same benefit for others.
- Righteousness – Obedience to God. King – someone who rules.
- Holiness – wholly consecrated to God.
Are all men in the image of God? If so, to what extent?
Yes, after the fall, the image of God is distorted, but not destroyed (Gen. 9:6).
This image is partially restored in conversion and sanctification (Rom. 8:29) and fully restored in the consummation (1 John 3:2)
How does the doctrine of the image of God influence debates about gender roles?
God created both genders, male and female, in his image.
So both genders uniquely reflect the image of glory.
This creates a dignity and equality to both genders. Both are needed.
Where did man’s soul come from? When?
The impartation of the soul to Adam happened by the direct, supernatural work of the Holy Spirit at creation.
What is sin? (WSC 14). Include Scripture.
WSC 14: Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.
Lev. 5:17, James 4:17, 1 John 3:4
Discuss the guilt and the corruption of sin.
WSC 18 – the guilt of Adam’s first sin
– We are guilty of our sin against God, deserving the penalty/punishment of death that sin deserves.
WSC 18 – corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin
– We are not just sinful people, but sinners. Our nature is sinful and corrupt, therefore even the good things we do is tainted with the sin of our pride and selfishness.
Define and discuss original sin (include Scripture).
Original Sin is a term that defines the nature of mankind’s sinful condition because of Adam’s fall. It teaches that all people are corrupted by Adam’s sin through natural generation, by which—together with Adam’s imputed condemnation—we all enter the world guilty before God. Original Sin shows that we sin because we are sinners, entering this world with a corrupt nature and without hope apart from the saving grace of God in the gospel.
Original Sin teaches that all mankind is joined to Adam in both the guilt and the corruption of his first sin.
Romans 5, 1 Cor. 15:22 – all guilty in Adam, all die in Adam
How can original sin be reconciled to the canons of justice, either human or divine.
Representative Principle – Rom. 5:19
The covenant was made with Adam and all his descendants; Therefore all Adam’s sin was the transgression of all men (Romans 5, 1 Cor. 15).
To reject the original sin of the first Adam, is also to reject the righteousness of the 2nd Adam (Romans 5, 1 Cor. 15)
Is there any good remaining in a fallen, sinful man? Explain.
Total Depravity or Original Sin means that human beings are corrupt in extent, not in degree. (Ex. Drop of poison in water that has corrupted every part of the clean water).
- We are totally depraved in extent (their whole nature is corrupted by sin), not in degree (evil has not gone as far as it can, yet).
- He is free to do good, but he is not able to do good (Humans were always free to fly, we just couldn’t until the invention of the airplane)
Summary: Original Sin or Total Depravity does not mean that man is as sinful as possibly can be. God restrains the sin in us. This does mean that man, without the regeneration power of the Holy Spirit, is sinful in all his thoughts, words, and deeds. From the womb his heart is inclined only to evil. While men are by nature capable of doing some “good” things in common areas of life (feeding children, paying taxes), man is completely unable to do spiritual good (faith in Christ) apart from God.
In what ways does man sin?
WSC 18: “Consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin, together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it.”
or
Omission (not doing good) - lack of conformity unto
Commission (doing bad) - or transgression of the law
What are some of the consequences of sin?
WSC 19: “All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever.”
Is the will of man free? Explain. (include Scripture)
Free = yes; Moral ability = no
Man is free to act consistently with his nature, but apart from Christ, his nature is in bondage to sin (Jer. 17:9)
4 Fold State of Man:
i. Pre-Fall : Able not to sin, able to sin (free to do good, able to do good)
ii. Post-Fall: Not able not to sin (free to do good, unable to do morally good)
iii. Regenerate: Able not to sin
iv. Consummation: Not able to sin
He is free to do good, but he is not able to do good (Humans were always free to fly, we just couldn’t until the invention of the airplane).
