Deep Dive into Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin - By the Fall and Revolt of Adam the Whole Human Race Was Delivered to the Curse, and Degenerated from Its Original Condition; the...

According to Calvin, original sin is not merely the imitation of Adam's transgression but a hereditary depravity and corruption inherent in human nature. This corruption is transmitted through inheritance and propagation from Adam, who is considered the root of humanity. When Adam fell, his nature was fundamentally altered, and this fallen, corrupted nature is passed down to all his descendants. Calvin defines original sin as a "hereditary depravity and corruption of our nature, diffused into all parts of the soul". This universal corruption affects every aspect of human beings, including the mind, heart, and will. It is not just a lack of original righteousness but an active inclination towards evil. As a consequence of this inherited depravity, humanity is inherently inclined towards sin and subject to God's wrath and condemnation. Even infants are considered guilty because they possess the "seed" of sin within them. This natural vitiation is crucial to understand as distinct from the nature God originally created. God made humanity upright, but through Adam's fall, human nature degenerated. Therefore, our ruin comes from our own depravity, not from God. Understanding original sin leads to true self-knowledge, where we recognize both our originally intended excellence and our current miserable, fallen state, fostering humility and dependence on God. It highlights humanity's utter inability to achieve righteousness or salvation through its own efforts. Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologian Patreon: patreon.com/edi_reformed