Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Original sin makes our heart, feeling, and thought hostile toward God, especially in divine and spiritual things...

Original sin (in human nature) is not just this entire absence of all good in spiritual, divine things.  Original sin is more than the lost image of God in mankind; it is at the same time also a deep, wicked, horrible, fathomless, mysterious, and unspeakable corruption of the entire human nature and all its powers.  It is especially a corruption of the soul's highest, chief powers in the understanding, heart, and will.  So now, since the fall, a person inherits an inborn wicked disposition and inward impurity of heart, an evil lust and tendency.  We all by disposition and nature inherit from Adam a heart, feeling, and thought that are, according to their highest powers and the light of reasons, naturally inclined and disposed directly against God and His chief commandments.  Yes, they are hostile toward God, especially in divine and spiritual things.  For in other respects, regarding natural, outward things that are subject to reason, a person still has power, ability, and to a certain degree understanding--although very much weakened.  All of this, however, has been so infected and contaminated by original sin that it is of no use toward God.
~BOC, FSD, I, 11-12

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