Question
Did God create us unable to keep his law?
Answer
No, but because of the disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, all of creation is fallen; we are all born in sin and guilt, corrupt in our nature and unable to keep God’s law.
No, but because of the disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, all of creation is fallen; we are all born in sin and guilt, corrupt in our nature and unable to keep God’s law.
No, but because of the disobedience of Adam and Eve we are all born in sin and guilt, unable to keep God’s law.
Scripture
—Romans 5:12 (ESV)Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned…
—Romans 5:12 (NIV)Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned…
—Romans 5:12 (NLT)When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
Song
Video
Prayer
Adult
“OUR Father, when we read Thy description of human nature we are sure it is true, for Thou hast seen man ever since his fall, and Thou hast been grieved at heart concerning him…. It has become a wonder to us that Thou shouldst look upon man at all; the most hateful object in creation must be a man, because he slew Thy Son, because he has multiplied rebellions against a just and holy law. And yet truly there is no sight that gives Thee more pleasure than man, for Jesus was a man; and the brightness of His glory covers all our shame; and the pureness and perfectness of His obedience shine like the sun in the midst of the thick darkness. For His sake Thou art well pleased, and Thou dost dwell with us…. And now, Lord, during the few days that remain to us here below, be it all our business to cry, ‘Behold the Lamb!’ Oh! teach our hearts to be always conscious of Thy love; and then our lips, that they may set out as best they can by Thy divine help the matchless story of the Cross…. Lord, forgive us our sins; Lord, sanctify our persons; Lord, guide us in difficulty; Lord, supply our needs. The Lord teach us; the Lord perfect us; the Lord comfort us; the Lord make us meet for the appearing of His Son from heaven!”
Footnote
Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834–1892). An English Baptist preacher, Spurgeon became pastor of London’s New Park Street Church (later Metropolitan Tabernacle) at 20 years of age. He frequently preached to more than 10,000 people with no electronic amplification. Spurgeon was a prolific writer and his printed works are voluminous—by the time of his death he had preached nearly 3,600 sermons and published 49 volumes of commentaries, sayings, hymns, and devotions.
Attribution
From “Prayer VII: Let All the People Praise Thee” in Prayers from Metropolitan Pulpit: C. H. Spurgeon’s Prayers (New York, Revell, 1906), 43–47.
Child
Heavenly Father, ever since the fall and our disobedience your heart has been grieved because of us. As men and women, as boys and girls, we constantly sin against you and break your just and holy law. And yet Jesus was a man; and the brightness of his glory and the perfectness of his obedience covers all our sin. Lord, teach our hearts to be always conscious of your love. Lord, forgive us our sins. Lord comfort us; Lord teach us. Amen.
Attribution
Derived and adapted from Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s prayer in “Prayer VII: Let All the People Praise Thee” in Prayers from Metropolitan Pulpit: C. H. Spurgeon’s Prayers (New York, Revell, 1906), 43–47.
“OUR Father, when we read Thy description of human nature we are sure it is true, for Thou hast seen man ever since his fall, and Thou hast been grieved at heart concerning him…. It has become a wonder to us that Thou shouldst look upon man at all; the most hateful object in creation must be a man, because he slew Thy Son, because he has multiplied rebellions against a just and holy law. And yet truly there is no sight that gives Thee more pleasure than man, for Jesus was a man; and the brightness of His glory covers all our shame; and the pureness and perfectness of His obedience shine like the sun in the midst of the thick darkness. For His sake Thou art well pleased, and Thou dost dwell with us…. And now, Lord, during the few days that remain to us here below, be it all our business to cry, ‘Behold the Lamb!’ Oh! teach our hearts to be always conscious of Thy love; and then our lips, that they may set out as best they can by Thy divine help the matchless story of the Cross…. Lord, forgive us our sins; Lord, sanctify our persons; Lord, guide us in difficulty; Lord, supply our needs. The Lord teach us; the Lord perfect us; the Lord comfort us; the Lord make us meet for the appearing of His Son from heaven!”
Footnote
Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834–1892). An English Baptist preacher, Spurgeon became pastor of London’s New Park Street Church (later Metropolitan Tabernacle) at 20 years of age. He frequently preached to more than 10,000 people with no electronic amplification. Spurgeon was a prolific writer and his printed works are voluminous—by the time of his death he had preached nearly 3,600 sermons and published 49 volumes of commentaries, sayings, hymns, and devotions.
Attribution
From “Prayer VII: Let All the People Praise Thee” in Prayers from Metropolitan Pulpit: C. H. Spurgeon’s Prayers (New York, Revell, 1906), 43–47.
Heavenly Father, ever since the fall and our disobedience your heart has been grieved because of us. As men and women, as boys and girls, we constantly sin against you and break your just and holy law. And yet Jesus was a man; and the brightness of his glory and the perfectness of his obedience covers all our sin. Lord, teach our hearts to be always conscious of your love. Lord, forgive us our sins. Lord comfort us; Lord teach us. Amen.
Attribution
Derived and adapted from Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s prayer in “Prayer VII: Let All the People Praise Thee” in Prayers from Metropolitan Pulpit: C. H. Spurgeon’s Prayers (New York, Revell, 1906), 43–47.
Commentary
“I believe, that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, with all their numerous inhabitants. Last of all, and nobly conspicuous amongst the amazingly diversified productions of his almighty power and infinite skill…he created man, and constituted him lord of this…world. Male and female created he them, after his own image and in his own likeness: upright, innocent, and holy; capable of serving and glorifying their bountiful Creator…. I believe, that man did not long continue in these holy and happy circumstances; but, being left to the freedom of his own will, he transgressed the law which his Maker and Sovereign had given him; in consequence of which he fell into a state of guilt, depravity, and ruin. And as he was not only the natural but federal head and representative of his unborn posterity, he sinning, all his offspring sinned in him and fell with him, the guilt of his first sin being imputed, and a corrupt nature derived, to all who descend from him by natural generation. Hence it is that all men are by nature the children of wrath; averse to all that is spiritually good, and prone to evil; dead in sin, under the curse of the righteous law…. From which state of complicated misery there is no deliverance but by Jesus Christ, the second Adam.”
Footnote
Abraham Booth (1734–1806). An English Baptist minister, Booth served as pastor of Prescot Street Church in Whitechapel, London for 35 years as well as founding what is now Regents Park College for ministerial training in Oxford. He is most known for his work The Reign of Grace.
Attribution
From “Confession of Faith” in Works of Abraham Booth: Late Pastor of the Baptist Church, Volume 1 (London: Button, 1813), xxxi–xxxii.
Further Reading
“The Fall” and “Inability” in Concise Theology, by J. I. Packer.