In the preceding chapters it is shown that theological creeds and
teachings maintain the common‐sense system, and at the same time the
contradictory Augustinian system. In other words, it is shown that the
Augustinian theologians contradict at once our common sense, our moral
sense, and themselves.
It will next be shown that the Augustinian theory _is not contained in the
Bible_, and that theologians conflict with each other in regard to this
point also.
There is _only one_ passage in the Bible which was ever claimed by _any_
one as teaching a depraved nature _consequent on Adam’s sin_. That passage
is Romans v., from the 12th to the 19th verse:
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death
by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned:
13 For until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed
when there is no law.
14 Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them
that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression,
who is the figure of him that was to come.
15 But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if
through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of
God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ,
hath abounded unto many.
16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift. For the
judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many
offenses unto justification.
17 For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more
they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of
righteousness, shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.
18 Therefore, as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men
to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one the free gift
came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by
the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
In this passage these things are taught:
1. By one man sin entered and death by sin, and so [_i.e._, by one
man] death passed on all men, _for that all have sinned_.—Verses
12, 13, 14.
2. Through the offense of one many _have died_.—Verse 15.
3. The judgment was by one to condemnation.—Verse 16.
4. By one man’s offense _death_ reigned by one.—Verse 17.
5. By the offense of one, judgment came on all to
condemnation.—Verse 18.
6. By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners.—V. 19.
There are three modes of interpreting this passage, and the question all
turns on whether the _death_ spoken of is _natural_ death or _spiritual_.
Interpretation of the Apostolic Age.
The first interpretation is that of the Apostolic age and onward to the
time of Augustine. It is briefly this:
Adam is a type of Christ, and as by Adam’s sin natural death came on all
who are his _natural children_, (for they all, like Adam, have _sinned_
and suffer death as the consequence,) so by one man, Christ, spiritual
life comes to all who are Christ’s _spiritual children_.
This simply teaches that Adam as the head of a sinning race, who suffer
death in consequence of his sin and their own, is an emblem or type of
Christ, the head of a holy family, who by him receive spiritual life.
Condemnation and natural death come from sinning, both to Adam and to all
the children brought into being by him. Justification and spiritual life
come from Christ to all whom he has caused to become his spiritual
children.
For abundant proof that this was the interpretation of this passage, from
the apostles to the time of Augustine, the author refers to Dr. E.
Beecher’s _Conflict of Ages_, book v., chapter 2.
Augustinian Interpretation.
The Augustinian interpretation is this: The sin of Adam caused a _depraved
nature_ and consequent spiritual death to all his descendants. So also the
obedience and death of Christ have purchased or caused a _holy nature_ and
spiritual life to all who are regenerated.
Princeton Interpretation.
It has been shown that the Princeton theologians teach, that though all
men did not sin _in_ Adam, or sin at all, before they were born, yet God
_imputes_ Adam’s sin to them, and _regards_ and _treats_ them _as if_ they
had committed it.
Their interpretation of this passage then is briefly this:
As by, or on account of, Adam’s sin a _condemning sentence_ came on all
men, so by Christ’s obedience a _sentence of acquittal_ (_i.e._,
justification) came on all who are regenerated.
According to these divines, verse 12 does not refer to a depraved _nature_
nor to _actual sin_, but only to the fact that all suffer the penalty for
Adam’s sin through all time and eternity, unless they are regenerated. The
Princeton school of divines are the most strongly Calvinistic in
maintaining the total depravity of man and his entire inability to perform
any truly virtuous act previous to regeneration.
Here, then, we have these results:
The Augustinian theory of _the depraved nature_ of man, consequent on
Adam’s sin, contradicts the common sense and moral sense of mankind,
contradicts the creeds and teachings that contain it, and is not taught in
the chief passage in the Bible claimed as teaching it, as interpreted by
the whole Christian world in the first four centuries, and by a large body
of Calvinistic divines who teach total depravity at the present time.
Whoever, then, denies that this passage of the Bible teaches this doctrine
is sustained by the whole Church of the Apostolic ages and by a great body
of the highest Calvinistic churches at this day.
There are some other passages that may be referred to as relating to this
subject. The first is Romans, chapter ii., 6 to 16:
“Who will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who
by patient continuance in well‐doing, seek for glory, and honor,
and immortality; eternal life: but unto them that are contentious,
and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation
and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that
doeth evil; of the Jew first and also of the Gentile; but glory,
honor, and peace to every man that worketh good; to the Jew first,
and also to the Gentile; for there is no respect of persons with
God. For as many as have sinned without law, shall also perish
without law; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged
by the law; (for not the hearers of the law are just before God,
but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when _the
Gentiles, which have not the law_, do _by nature_ the things
contained in the law, these having not the law, are a law unto
themselves, which show the work of the law written in their
hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts
the mean while accusing, or else excusing one another;) in the day
when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according
to my gospel.”
Taken in its connection, the word _nature_, as used in this passage,
evidently is used in its primary and chief meaning, to signify the
constitutional powers or organization of mind. “The work of the law
written in their hearts,” “their conscience also bearing witness;” these
are what are referred to when it is said, “the Gentiles do _by nature_ the
things contained in the law.” And it is _doing_ those things which secures
“glory, honor and peace”—“to the Jew first, and _also to the Gentile_.”
Another passage is Ephesians, ii., 1‐3:
“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this
world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit
that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also
we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our
flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and
were _by nature_ the children of wrath, even as others.”
In this passage the apostle is addressing those who in a succeeding verse
are told, “remember that ye being in times past _Gentiles_ in the flesh:”
this being so, they are those who, the same writer says, “do _by nature_
the things contained in the law.”
The signification of nature in this passage must be _that which is
according to ordinary experience_. That is, _according to ordinary
experience_ mankind “are children of wrath,” _i.e._, subject to the
wrathful penalties of disobedience to the laws of God. But by the
influences brought by Christ, “a new life” is secured, which is a life of
intelligent and _voluntary_ obedience to law, an obedience which the
natural penalties of law could not secure, but which the _knowledge_ and
_love_ of God, as manifested by Christ, do secure.
One other text merits attention: 1 Corinthians, chapter ii., 14. “But the
_natural_ man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are
foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned.”
In this passage the “_natural_ man” must signify “man as he is found in
our ordinary experience.” The idea evidently intended, is that mankind, as
a race, do not understand or obey the truth as it is taught by Christ and
the Spirit of God. The fact is affirmed that without Christ and the divine
Spirit to aid, man as a race does not come to such knowledge of and
obedience to the laws of God as secures eternal life.
In reference to most other texts quoted to prove a depraved _nature_, it
will be found that they simply affirm depraved _action_. Men, in the
Bible, are described as wrong‐_doers_ by their own wrong _willing or
choice_ and not by a depraved _nature_. Sometimes they are said to choose
wrong and sometimes right, and their wrong willing no more proves a
depraved nature than the right willing proves a holy nature.