Deep Dive into The Doctrine of Original Sin by Jonathan Edwards - Observations on Romans 3:9-24

The Apostle Paul’s foundational proposition in Romans is that salvation is achieved only through the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ. He establishes the necessity of this redemption by proving that all mankind, in their native or "first state"—the state in which they come into the world—are characterized by universal, total, and desperate wickedness. This condition confirms that men are born exceedingly depraved.

Scripture, particularly Romans 3:9-24, sets forth this wicked character with the utmost precision. Paul intended to demonstrate three specific points about humanity's condition: first, that corruption is universal, applying to every individual of the whole race, ensuring that "ALL are under the sin" and "there is NONE righteous, NO, NOT ONE"; second, that it is total, meaning everyone is altogether corrupt and depraved in every part; and third, that it is of an exceeding degree, signifying a most extreme and desperate wickedness of heart.

The totality of corruption is proven by explicitly denying any spiritual capacity—such as understanding, seeking after God, or doing good—and by enumerating the corruption of the body’s chief instruments of external action. Examples include describing the throat as an "open sepulchre," the lips as holding "the poison of asps," and the feet as being "swift to shed blood."

Because of this universal guilt, the law ensures that "ALL THE WORLD may become guilty before God," necessitating justification without the deeds of the law. The justification discussed is fundamentally personal, focusing on the individual believer, such as "him that believeth in Jesus" and concluding that "a man is justified by faith."

This focus on individual redemption refutes interpretations that attempt to limit the condemnation to mere "collective bodies" or a "strong party." Paul’s argument requires that the subject condemned for universal guilt must be the same subject offered personal justification, proving that the depravity is absolute across all individuals.

Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologian

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