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Adam's Sin and Original Sin in Reformed Theology

Adam, whose name means "man" or "red earth" in Hebrew, is identified in Scripture as the first human, formed from the ground [3, 5]. The narrative of Adam's disobedience, often called the Fall, is recorded in Genesis 2 and 3 and is understood by many traditions as a literal historical event that underpins subsequent theological truths [4, 14].

Reformed theology understands Adam's sin as having profound implications for all humanity, a concept known as original sin. Sin itself is defined as "any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God" [1]. The disobedience of Adam, influenced by the temptation of the devil, resulted in humanity being born "in sin" and becoming "a child of wrath" [2]. This means that humanity inherited a corrupt nature, described as being "very far gone from original righteousness" and "inclined to evil" [15]. The Apostle Paul emphasizes this solidarity between Adam and the human race, noting that "sin entered the world" through Adam, and "death is universal because sin is universal" [14].

John Calvin, a key figure in Reformed thought, describes original sin not merely as an imitation of Adam's transgression but as a "fault and corruption of the Nature of every man, that naturally is ingendered of the offspring of Adam" [11, 15]. This corruption affects all parts of human nature, leading to a depraved mind and an evil heart [2, 11]. The Augsburg Confession, a Lutheran confessional document, similarly states that "original sin" is "this hereditary sickness and vice" that brings "eternal death" to those not born again [16].

The concept of original sin also involves the imputation of Adam's sin. Charles Hodge, an Old Princeton Reformed theologian, notes that while not always explicitly highlighted, the immediate imputation of Adam's sin was generally assumed by Reformers. This is evident in the understanding that "all the evil consequences of Adam’s apostasy, mortality, the loss of original righteousness, corruption of nature or spiritual death, etc., etc., were of the nature of punishment" [9]. Augustine, an influential patristic theologian, also taught that Adam's sin is "contracted by every one at his birth" and is remitted only through regeneration [12]. He even suggested that infants might be involved in the guilt of their immediate parents' sins in addition to those of the first pair [13].

The universality of sin and its consequences is a consistent theme. Psalm 58:3 states that "All human beings are born sinners" [10]. This inherited corruption means that humanity is born with a nature inclined to sin, and this "infection of nature doth remain, yea in them that are regenerated" [15]. The ultimate consequence of Adam's sin is natural death, which entered the world through him and is the "consequence of sin" [7]. However, Christ is presented as the "last Adam," who became a "life-giving Spirit," conquering death and abolishing it [8, 6, 7].

Sources

  1. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Sin — Is "any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God" (1 John 3:4; Rom. 4:15), in the inward state and habit of the soul, as well as in the outward conduct of the life, whether by omission or commission (Rom. 6:12-17; 7:5-24). It is "not a mere violation of the law of our constitution, nor of the system of things, but an offence against a personal lawgiver and moral governor who vindicates his law with penalties. The soul that sins is always conscious that his sin is (1) intrinsically vile and polluting, and (2) that it justly deserves punishment,”
  2. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Fall of Man, The — By the disobedience of Adam -- Ge 3:6,11,12; Ro 5:12,15,19. Through temptation of the devil -- Ge 3:1-5; 2Co 11:3; 1Ti 2:14. Man in consequence of Made in the image of Adam. -- Ge 5:3; 1Co 15:48,49. Born in sin. -- Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5; Isa 48:8; Joh 3:6. A child of wrath. -- Eph 2:3. Evil in heart. -- Ge 6:5; 8:21; Jer 16:12; Mt 15:19. Blinded in heart. -- Eph 4:18. Corrupt and perverse in his ways. -- Ge 6:12; Ps 10:5; Ro 3:12-16. Depraved in mind. -- Ro 8:5-7; Eph 4:17; Col 1:21; Tit 1:15. Without understanding. -- Ps 14:2,3; Ro 3:11; 1:31. ”
  3. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Adam — a city on the Jordan, "beside Zaretan," in the time of Joshua. (Joshua 3:16) Man, generically, for the name Adam was not confined to the father of the human race, but like homo was applicable to woman as well as to man . (Genesis 5:2) (red earth), the name given in Scripture to the first man. It apparently has reference to the ground from which he was formed, which is called in Hebrew Adamah . The idea of redness of color seems to be inherent in either word. The creation of man was the work of the sixth day--the last and crowning act of creation. Adam was creat”
  4. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Fall of man — An expression probably borrowed from the Apocryphal Book of Wisdom, to express the fact of the revolt of our first parents from God, and the consequent sin and misery in which they and all their posterity were involved. The history of the Fall is recorded in Gen. 2 and 3. That history is to be literally interpreted. It records facts which underlie the whole system of revealed truth. It is referred to by our Lord and his apostles not only as being true, but as furnishing the ground of all God's subsequent dispensations and dealings with the children of m”
  5. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Man — (1.) Heb. Adam, used as the proper name of the first man. The name is derived from a word meaning "to be red," and thus the first man was called Adam because he was formed from the red earth. It is also the generic name of the human race (Gen. 1:26, 27; 5:2; 8:21; Deut. 8:3). Its equivalents are the Latin homo and the Greek anthropos (Matt. 5:13, 16). It denotes also man in opposition to woman (Gen. 3:12; Matt. 19:10). (2.) Heb. ish, like the Latin vir and Greek aner, denotes properly a man in opposition to a woman (1 Sam. 17:33; Matt. 14:21); a husband (Gen. 3”
  6. 1 Corinthians “Factus est primus homo Adam in animam viventem, novissimus Adam in spiritum vivificantem. -- 1 Corinthians 15:45”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Death, Natural — By Adam -- Ge 3:19; 1Co 15:21,22. Consequence of sin -- Ge 2:17; Ro 5:12. Lot of all -- Ec 8:8; Heb 9:27. Ordered by God -- De 32:39; Job 14:5. Puts an end to earthly projects -- Ec 9:10. Strips of earthly possessions -- Job 1:21; 1Ti 6:7. Levels all ranks -- Job 3:17-19. Conquered by Christ -- Ro 6:9; Re 1:18. Abolished by Christ -- 2Ti 1:10. Shall finally be destroyed by Christ -- Ho 13:14; 1Co 15:26. Christ delivers from the fear of -- Heb 2:15. Regard, as at hand -- Job 14:1,2; Ps 39:4,5; 90:9; 1Pe 1:24. Prepare for -- 2Ki 20:1. Pray to be prepar”
  8. I Corinthians “I Corinthians 15:45 (LITV) — So also it has been written, "The" first "man", Adam, "became a living soul;" the last Adam a life-giving Spirit. Gen. 2:7”
  9. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 47: one denied, and devote their attention principally to the points which were then in controversy. Rivet, however, clearly shows that although not rendered prominent, the immediate imputation of Adam’s sin as universally assumed. This is plain from the fact that all the evil consequences of Adam’s apostasy, mortality, the loss of original righteousness, corruption of nature or spiritual death, etc., etc., were of the nature of punishment. What the Reformers were anxious to maintain was, that original hereditary depravity (concupiscence, in ”
  10. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 58:3: 58:3 All human beings are born sinners (see 51:5); however, whereas the wicked indulge their sinful nature, the godly fight against it (Rom 7:19-23; Jas 4:1-10).”
  11. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 37: a description of original sin; The same thing appears more clearly from the mode of renovation. For the spirit, which is contrasted with the old man, and the flesh, denotes not only the grace by which the sensual or inferior part of the soul is corrected, but includes a complete reformation of all its parts ( Eph. 4:23 ). And, accordingly, Paul enjoins not only that gross appetites be suppressed, but that we be renewed in the spirit of our mind ( Eph. 4:23 ), as he elsewhere tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind ( ”
  12. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 58.--ADAM'S SIN IS DERIVED FROM HIM TO EVERY ONE WHO IS BORN EVEN OF REGENERATE PARENTS; THE EXAMPLE OF THE OLIVE TREE AND THE WILD OLIVE.: But this sin, which changed man for the worse in paradise, because it is far greater than we can form any judgment of, is contracted by every one at his birth, and is remitted only in the regenerate; and this derangement is such as to be derived even from parents who have been regenerated, and in whom the sin is remitted and covered, to the condemnation of the children born of them, unless these, who were boun”
  13. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 3: Augustine — On the Holy Trinity — CHAP. 46.--IT IS PROBABLE THAT CHILDREN ARE INVOLVED IN THE GUILT NOT ONLY OF THE FIRST PAIR, BUT OF THEIR OWN IMMEDIATE PARENTS.: And it is said, with much appearance of probability, that infants are involved in the guilt of the sins not only of the first pair, but of their own immediate parents. For that divine judgment, "I shall visit the iniquities of the fathers upon the children,"(7) certainly applies to them before they come under the new covenant by regeneration. And it was this new covenant that was prophesied of, when it was said by Ezek”
  14. Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 5:12: 5:12 Adam is both the name of the original man, Adam, and a Hebrew word that means “human.” Paul emphasizes the solidarity of Adam with the human race. • sin entered the world: The significance that Paul ascribes to this act, and the parallel that he draws between Adam’s sin and Christ’s act of obedience on the cross, makes clear that Paul views Adam and his sin in the Garden of Eden as historical fact. • everyone sinned: Death is universal because sin is universal. It is not clear when or how everyone sinned, but Paul later attributes the condemnation of all peop”
  15. Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), Section 225: Original Sin standeth not in the following of Adam, (as the Pelagians do vainly talk;) but it is the fault and corruption of the Nature of every man, that naturally is ingendered of the offspring of Adam; whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the spirit; and therefore in every person born into this world, it deserveth God's wrath and damnation. And this infection of nature doth remain, yea in them that are regenerated; where”
  16. Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), Article II. Of Original Sin.: Article II. Of Original Sin.”
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