The Westminster Larger Catechism

Questions 21—29: On the Broken Covenant of Works,

the Fall of Man, and Sin

Q. 21. Did man continue in that estate wherein God at first created him?

A. Our first parents being left to the freedom of their own will, through the temptation of Satan, transgressed the commandment of God in eating the forbidden fruit; and thereby fell from the estate of innocency wherein they were created^a.

^a Gen. 3:6-8,13; Eccl. 7:29; 2 Cor. 11:3 

Q. 22. Did all mankind fall in that first transgression?

A. The covenant being made with Adam as a publick person, not for himself only, but for his posterity, all mankind descending from him by ordinary generation^a, sinned in him, and fell with him in that first transgression^b.

^a Acts 17:26 ^b Gen. 2:16,17 compared with Rom. 5:12-20 and with 1 Cor. 15:21,22 

Q. 23. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?

A. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery^a.

^a Rom. 5:12; Rom. 3:23

Q. 24. What is sin?

A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, any law of God, given as a rule to the reasonable creature^a.

^a 1 John 3:4; Gal. 3:10,12 

Q. 25. Wherein consisteth the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?

A. The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consisteth in the guilt of Adam's first sin^a, the want of original. righteousness wherein he was created, and the corruption of his nature, whereby he is utterIy indisposed, disabled, and made opposite unto all that is spiritually good, and wholly inclined to all evil, and that continually^b; which is commonly called Original Sin, and from which do proceed all actual transgressions^c.

^a Rom. 5:12,19 ^b Rom. 3:10-19; Eph. 2:1-3; Rom. 5:6; Rom. 8:7,8; Gen. 6:5 ^c James 1:14,15; Matt. 15:19

Q. 26. How is original sin conveyed from our first parents unto their posterity?

A. Original sin is conveyed from our first parents unto their posterity by natural generation, so as all that proceed from them in that way are conceived and born in sin^a.

^a Ps. 51:5; Job 14:4; Job 15:4; John 3:6 

Q. 27. What misery did the fall bring upon mankind?

A. The fall brought upon mankind the loss of communion with God^a, his displeasure and curse; so as we are by nature children of wrath^b, bond slaves to Satan^c, and justly liable to all punishments in this world, and that which is to come^d.

^a Gen. 3:8,10,24 ^b Eph. 2:2,3 ^c 2 Tim. 2:26 ^d Gen. 2:17; Lam. 3:39; Rom. 6:23; Matt. 25:41,46; Jude 7 

Q. 28. What are the punishments of sin in this world?

A. The punishments of sin in this world are either inward, as blindness of mind^a, a reprobate sense^b, strong delusions^c, hardness of heart^d, horror of conscience^e, and vile affections^f; or outward, as the curse of God upon the creatures for our sakes^g, and all other evils that befall us in our bodies, names, estates, relations, and employments^h; together with death itselfⁱ.

^a Eph. 4:18 ^b Rom. 1:28 ^c 2 Thess. 2:11 ^d Rom. 2:5 ^e Isa. 33:14; Gen. 4:13; Matt. 27:4 ^f Rom. 1:26 ^g Gen. 3:17 ^h Deut. 28:15-18 ⁱ Rom. 6:21,23 

Q. 29. What are the punishments of sin in the world to come?

A. The punishments of sin in the world to come, are everlasting separation from the comfortable presence of God, and most grievous torments in soul and body, without intermission, in hell-fire for ever^a.

^a 2 Thess. 1:9; Mark 9:43,44,46,48; Luke 16:24