2/27/12- The Human Condition

6- 2/27- WSC 17-(2012 version) 

What was the condition of human beings brought by the fall?
A. Human beings fell into a condition of sin and misery.

Ruin and misery mark their ways (Romans 3:16)

¹⁶ To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” ¹⁷ To Adam he said, “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life…until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”  (Gen. 3)

 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ² in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. (Ephesians 2:1,2)

Thoughts: Something changed when sin entered the world.  The pollution of sin has spread for it has been passed down into every human heart.  We are naturally selfish and proud, and such selfishness and pride separate us from God, from each other, and even from ourselves. The image of God is still there, but it is tarnished over so that it is hard to see.  Yet we experience the misery of life.  Murphy’s Law is basically that things go wrong.  While we cringe at the pessimism of such a law, we also know the reality- the universal experience of sin, of tears, of frustration, of grief, of death. 
      This makes the good news of Christ that much more good!  The end of the story is that God did not leave us in our misery- though we deserve it.  But He came and made a way out for us- at great cost to Himself.

Prayer: Lord, my misery and sin are great.  Have mercy on me for I am your child- made by you, claimed by you in baptism, and I seek to follow you.  Use me, O Lord, to make this world more hopeful, less sinful, and less miserable.  Help me to make a difference for you, O Lord.

(Expulsion of Adam and Eva- Mossacio- Brancini Chapel)

1986 Q. 17. What happened to man in the fall?

A. Man fell into a condition of sin and misery.

1647 Q. 17. Into what estate did the fall bring mankind?
A. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery