Deep Dive into The Doctrine of Original Sin by Jonathan Edwards - Some Observations on the Connections, Scope, and Sense of This Remarkable Paragraph, Romans 5:12 , etc. With Some Reflections on the Evidence Which We Have Have of the Doctrine of Origin Sin

Jonathan Edwards argues that the Apostle Paul’s central design in Romans is to magnify the free grace of Christ by demonstrating the absolute dependence of all mankind on Him for salvation. To achieve this, Paul must first prove the universal scope of human ruin. He dismantles Jewish confidence in their lineage from Abraham and their possession of the Mosaic Law by redirecting their focus to a "higher ancestor," Adam. While Abraham is the father of the Jews, Adam is the common father of the human race, making him the necessary focal point to establish that Jews are by nature as sinful and "children of wrath" as the Gentiles.

Paul validates this claim through the historical reality that death—the judicial punishment for sin—reigned universally even before the Mosaic Law was given. Edwards explains that since "sin is not imputed when there is no law," the existence of death between Adam and Moses proves that mankind was already condemned by a superior, prior "law of nature" established with Adam. The most definitive proof of this is the death of infants, whom Edwards identifies as those who "had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression." Since infants lack personal, actual sin, their subjection to death proves they are legally constituted as sinners solely through the guilt and corruption derived from Adam.

Ultimately, Edwards interprets Adam and Christ as opposing federal heads. Adam is the "type" who conveys sin, guilt, and death to his posterity, while Christ is the "antitype" who conveys righteousness and life. The contrast, however, is not equal; Paul designs the argument to show that the grace of Christ does not merely restore man to innocence but "abounds" beyond the original ruin, granting a glory far superior to what was lost. The Mosaic Law was added merely to expose the depth of the infection, thereby glorifying the sufficiency of the Redeemer.

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

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