The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology - Saint Mary ...

treats of God in His essence, and in His creation or creative work. The
Third Article treats of Christ, and of His redemptory work. These two
Articles are naturally, and indeed necessarily, connected by the Second
Article, which shows how the creature of God, formed originally in the
moral likeness of God, comes to need a Redeemer.
This Article of the Confession, if analyzed, will be found to present
either in so many words, or by just inference, the following points:
I. The doctrine of original sin is taught with great UNANIMITY by
our Churches.
II. The true doctrine of sin presupposes a right ANTHROPOLOGY,
a true doctrine of man.
III. The TIME of the operation of original sin is the whole time
subsequent to the fall of Adam.
IV. The PERSONS affected by it are all human beings born in the
course of nature.
V. The MODE of the perpetuation of original sin is that of the natural
extension of our race.
VI. The great FACT asserted in this doctrine is this, that all human
beings are conceived in and born with sin.
VII. This sin RESULTS or reveals its working in these respects:
1. That all human beings are born without the fear of God.
2. That they are born without trust and love toward God.
3. That they are born with concupiscence, i. e., that from their birth
they are full of evil desire and evil propensity.
4. That they can have by nature no true fear, nor love of God, nor
faith in God.
VIII. The ESSENCE of original sin involves that this disease or vice
of origin is TRULY SIN.
IX. The natural CONSEQUENCE of this original sin is this, that it
condemns and brings now also eternal death.
X. The natural consequence is actually incurred by all who are not
BORN AGAIN.
XI. When the new birth takes place it is invariably wrought by the
HOLY SPIRIT.