BC 4.2
Belgic Confession
4.2. The Doctrine of Original Sin
We believe that by the disobedience of Adam original sin has been spread through the whole human race. (Rom. 5:12-13) It is a corruption of the whole human nature- an inherited depravity which even infects small infants in their mother's womb, and the root which produces in humanity every sort of sin. It is therefore so vile and enormous in God's sight that it is enough to condemn the human race, and it is not abolished or wholly uprooted even by baptism, seeing that sin constantly boils forth as though from a contaminated spring. Nevertheless, it is not imputed to God's children for their condemnation but is forgiven by his grace and mercy- not to put them to sleep but so that the awareness of this corruption might often make believers groan as they long to be set free from the body of this death. (Rom. 7:24) Therefore we reject the error of the Pelagians who say that this sin is nothing else than a matter of imitation.
Proof texts
- Rom. 5:12-14, 19 — [12] 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 — [13] for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. [14] Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. [19] For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.
- Rom. 3:10 — [10] as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;
- Job 14:4 — [4] Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one.
- Ps. 51:5 — [5] Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
- John 3:6 — [6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
- Eph. 2:3 — [3] among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
- Rom. 7:18-19 — [18] For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. [19] For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.
- Eph. 2:4-5 — [4] But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, [5] even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved —
For discussion
- The Assembly cited Rom. 5:12-14, 19 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
- 8 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
- HC Q3 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?