Proper subject of chapter - “Hereditary, Total Depravity, or Original Sin”
Hereditary=Passing from an ancestor to a descendant
Total Depravity=All of man-the whole being of man-is depraved, sinful
- Man is entirely destitute of holiness, no love for God in his heart.
- Can do things beneficial to society but, in this state, no glory to God.

I. THE FALL OF MAN, OR HOW MAN BECAME A SINNER
Three associated questions: 1)Man’s ability to sin, 2) The cause of sin
which resulted in the fall, 3) The occasion of the fall.
1) Man’s ability to sin,
- Man had free will granting him the ability to sin
- Forced obedience is unacceptable to God. Need freedom to love or to sin.
2) The cause of sin which resulted in the fall,
- Man was created “very good”, Gen 1:31
- Man was under the blessings of God, Gen 1:27-28
- Man was placed under God’s law but was Not forced to obey, Gen 2:16-17
- Though created very good, he was capable of being tempted to sin, Gen 3
- Man was subjected to nothing but the truth of God’s word - until satan
- Satan is the father of lies, John 8:44. He tempted Eve through his lies.
3) The occasion of the fall.
- Adam disobeyed God’s command Not to eat, Gen 3 and Rom 5:12
- As a result, all of Adam’s posterity are born into the state in which he fell
- No one can claim “the devil made me do it” Not even Adam.
4) What is Sin?
- Sin is the transgression of the law, 1 John 3:4
- All unrighteousness is sin, 1 John 5:17
- Sin is the difference between what I was meant to be and what I am.
> God made man sinless; man became sinful
> God made man righteous; man became unrighteous
> God made man perfect (very good); man became imperfect

II. THE EXTENT OF SIN-THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE
[Gal 3:22] But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
[Rom 3:9] What then? are we better [than they]? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
Total depravity = there is No good in man, Not he is as bad as he can be
1. His heart is evil, Jer. 17:9
2. His mind and thoughts are evil, Gen 6:5
3. His understanding and desires are evil, Rom 3:11
4. His works are bad, Rom 3:12
5. His throat is bad, Rom 3:13
6. His tongue is evil, Rom 3:13
7. His lips are evil, Rom 3:13
8. His mouth is full of evil things, Rom 3:14
9. His feet are evil, Rom 3:15
10. His eyes are evil, Rom 3:18
11. His head is evil, Isa 1:5-6
12. He was born evil, Psalms 51:5 and Psalms 58:3

III. THOSE WHO ARE NOT ACCOUNTABLE
“If children are born into the world of sinners, what becomes of them if they die in infancy?”
- Children are born into sin, Ps 51:5
- There is a time when children are Not accountable, Deut 1:39 / Gen 2:17
- The death an infant receives in Adam is removed by the death of Christ.
Matt 19:13, ...brought unto Him little children...of such is the Kingdom…

Questions
1. What is meant by Total Depravity?
2. What three questions are involved in the fall of man?
3. What was the real cause of Adam’s fall?
4. What was the occasion of the fall?
5. What comparison did Paul make between the fall and the Mosaic law?
6. Define sin.
7. How extensive is sin?
8. Is man as bad as he can be, or is he all bad?
9. How many parts of man can you name that are evil?
10. What makes babies who die in infancy safe?

Optional written assignment
In three pages or less, answer the question “How is the fall of man an
example of free will opposed to the view of constrained will found in
predestination?

Audio FIle: https://fisherofmenbaptistic.sermon.net/main/main/21580301

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