The Proper Way to Describe God, the Fall, and our Corrupted Soul?

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ClayPot

Puritan Board Sophomore
What is the proper way to describe the relationship between God, the Fall, and our corrupted souls? Why is the charge that "God creates us evil" illegitimate? I have some thoughts about this, but was hoping to clarify my thoughts.

The context for this question is that my father-in-law was listening (in disgust) to a rant by a "perfectionist" teacher and the teacher was saying, "Calvinists believe God creates man evil." The teacher's conception (I think) is that since the historic reformed position is that children are born with original sin, then we must believe God creates man evil.

The WCF says this about the topic:

Chapter VI

Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and the Punishment thereof

III. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed; and the same death in sin, and corrupted nature, conveyed to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation.
 
Joshua,

Mankind's sin is imputed through Adam, not God. God is not the author of sin, although He allows sin to exist for His purposes. God created man for good (Gen. 1:26-31). Adam's sin plunged the entire human race into a state of sin (Rom. 5:12). The denial of original sin is a denial of the clear teaching of scripture (Rom. 5:12; 1 Cor. 15:22). This perfectionist teacher seems to misunderstand that Calvinists believe the Father sent His Son, the second Adam, to restore man's ability to have right standing with God:

Romans 5:17 17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
 
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Also, the doctrine of "the Fall" and "original sin" as the cause of depravity, sin, our corrupt soul, and evil in mankind is not unique to Calvinism or the WCF. It is the testimoney of the church at large. The perfectionist preacher in the OP is preaching against historic orthodox Christianity, not Calvinism.
 
We born spiritually dead, but when Jesus saves us we born again ande then our spirit is alive because God makes us alive. The fall of Adam caused that we are corrupted and unable to search God and salvation.

Some teaches that we born spiritually alive, but later sin corrupts our souls and we somehow die or be spiritually sick and need help or something. I think that arminian view.
 
Joshua: might seem obvious, but from the direction of the discussion, it seems helpful to me to remember how God created man, in a state of moral innocence (free from sin), yet capable of falling from that state.

WCF 4.2 After God had made all other creatures, He created man, male and female,(1) with reasonable and immortal souls,(2) endued with knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, after His own image,(3) having the law of God written in their hearts,(4) and power to fulfill it;(5) and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject unto change.(6) Beside this law written in their hearts, they received a command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil;(7) which while they kept, they were happy in their communion with God, and had dominion over the creatures.(8)

(1)Gen. 1:27.
(2)Gen. 2:7; Eccl. 12:7; Luke 23:43; Matt. 10:28.
(3)Gen. 1:26; Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:24.
(4)Rom. 2:14,15.
(5)Eccl. 7:29.
(6)Gen. 3:6; Eccl. 7:29.
(7)Gen. 2:17; Gen. 3:8,9,10,11,23.
(8)Gen. 1:26,28.
 
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