Original Sin: Adam’s Fall and Humanity’s Ruin | John Calvin

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 Doctrine of Original SinJohn Calvin asserts that attaining true self-knowledge requires a dual understanding: we must first recognize the original excellence and nobility bestowed upon humanity by God at creation, and secondly, we must acknowledge the miserable, ruined condition we now experience following the fall of Adam. While fallen human nature eagerly seeks flattery and naturally inclines toward a deluded self-admiration that breeds false pride, a genuine examination according to divine truth strips away all our boasting and leads to profound humility.The universal ruin of mankind originated with Adam, whose initial transgression was not merely an act of gluttony, but a profound unfaithfulness, pride, and obstinate disobedience toward God's command. Because Adam served as the foundational root of all human nature, his rebellion perverted the established order and brought a severe curse upon his entire lineage. Calvin strictly rejects the Pelagian argument that sin spreads merely through imitation, arguing instead that it is inherited through natural propagation. This hereditary corruption, identified as original sin, infects all descendants from the very moment of their conception, establishing that even infants possess an innate seed of sin and carry this condemnation.Calvin defines original sin as a pervasive, inherited depravity that diffuses into every faculty of the soul, including both the mind and the heart, leaving humanity utterly devoid of its original righteousness. This total corruption makes all people justly liable to the wrath of God and continuously generates sinful behaviors known as the works of the flesh. Crucially, Calvin clarifies that while this depravity is now a natural condition for mankind by hereditary right, it is a derangement of our nature rather than the original design. Consequently, the blame for human destruction rests entirely upon mankind's own acquired depravity, absolving God of any responsibility for our sinful state.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReformedExplainerWorship Music: https://suno.com/playlist/3a498d0f-c90e-4981-8aa7-59834e7239f7https://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730