1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, Chapter 6.4 The Inclination of Mankind

Table of Contents

The Text

Genesis 6:5-6 (CSB) When the LORD saw that human wickedness was widespread on the earth and that every inclination of the human mind was nothing but evil all the time, the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and he was deeply grieved.

The Chapter

From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions.

The Confession

From this original corruption, whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil

Romans 8:7 (CSB) The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so.

Colossians 1:21 (CSB) Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds as expressed in your evil actions.

We, as humans, as the only sons of Adam, cannot hope on our best day, be able to approach the holy throne of God. We are infected, tinctured, shaped, molded, and developed in sin by sin.

So sin cannot approach God, and God cannot tolerate sin.

John Stott, The Cross of Christ. 107-111

John Stott further expounds five ways in which God and sin cannot coexist together:

  • God is high above our sin - He is above wickedness.
  • God is far from our sin - He is does not tolerate it
  • God is the light that exposes sin - the darkness cannot overcome God's light
  • God is the fire that burns sin - he is a consuming fire that refines his people as many times as he wants to
  • lastly, God is "vomits" and rejects sin - when he comes into his world, sin cannot infect him. His being rejects the thought and vomits it out of himself

In other words, for the children of Adam, we cannot just simply breach the gap between us and God. That distance is infinite. Infinite minus one step or a billion steps is still infinite. That is how far we are from God because of sin.

Sin has broken so much that I am not sure if all the books in the world could adequately describe the complete effects of sin. Only God knows the full, devastating effects of sin upon his creation.

do proceed all actual transgressions

James 1:14–15 (CSB) But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.

Matthew 15:19 (CSB) For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slander.

From this corruption, all we do is sin. Now, you might push back and say, "Unbelievers give and do good works all the time. Are you saying that they are not good?" In terms of salvation and gaining favor with God. No. Not in the least bit.

Isaiah 64:6 (CSB) All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment; all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.

All of our good and righteous acts are filthy rags before a holy God. Why is that? Because whatever good we attempt to do is born out of corruption. It is never done from a pure source of good. Remember, God alone is the pure source of goodness. He alone does good.