On Original Sin in Vol I of the Works - Edwards - VIII - Chapter 4 of Part II

Required reading
The great Christian doctrine of original sin defended in Volume I of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 4 of Part II.

My summary.

Now Edwards refutes Dr T.'s twisting of Romans 5:12ff to deny original sin.

In Section I, Edwards object's to Dr T.'s teaching that:

(i) death means only temporal death;

(ii) sin entering the world means Adam began transgression;

(iii) causal particles have no bearing on the matter;

(iv) death only means favour, not punishment;

(v) personal sins do not bring mortality

(vi) the free grace of God means restoring mankind to that life which they lost in Adam;

(vii) judgement, condemnation, justification and righteousness should be redefined;

(viii) all men becoming sinners means all men are brought into a state of suffering.

Then in Section II, Edwards look at the general context of Romans 5:12ff, showing that is thoroughly connected with the rest of the book.

What grabbed me

I liked the emphasis Edwards placed on the need to understand original sin rightly when one reads Romans: 'Another thing observable in the apostle's grand scope from the beginning of the epistle, is, that he endeavours to show the greatness and absoluteness of dependence on the redemption and righteousness of Christ, for justification and life, that he might magnify and exalt the Redeemer; in which design his whole heart was swallowed up, and may be looked upon as the main design of the whole epistle. And this is what he had been upon in the preceding part of this chapter, inferring it from the same argument, even the utter sinfulness and ruin of all men. And he is evidently still on the same thing from the 12th verse to the end; speaking of the same justification and righteousness, which he had dwelt on before, and not another totally diverse. No wonder, when the apostle is treating so fully and largely of our restoration, righteousness, and life by Christ, that he is led by it to consider our fall, sin, death, and ruin by Adam; and to observe wherein these two opposite heads of mankind agree, and wherein they differ, in the manner of conveyance of opposite influences and communications from each.'

If we understand our sin, we can understand how marvelous our Redeemer is!

Next week's reading

Read Part III.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.