The origin of our depraved nature

6 Did God, then, create man so wicked and perverse?

6 No, on the contrary, God created man good 1 and in his image, 2 that is, in true righteousness and holiness, 3 so that he might rightly know God his Creator, 4 heartily love him, and live with him in eternal blessedness to praise and glorify him. 5

7 From where, then, did man's depraved nature come?

7 From the fall and disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, in Paradise, 1 for there our nature became so corrupt 2 that we are all conceived and born in sin. 3

8 But are we so corrupt that we are totally unable to do any good and inclined to all evil?

8 Yes, 1 unless we are regenerated by the Spirit of God. 2

Footnotes

Question 6 · Footnote 1

Genesis 1:31

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Question 6 · Footnote 2

Genesis 1:26-27

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Question 6 · Footnote 3

Ephesians 4:24

and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Question 6 · Footnote 4

Colossians 3:10

and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Question 6 · Footnote 5

Psalms 8

Question 7 · Footnote 1

Genesis 3

Question 7 · Footnote 2

Romans 5:12

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--

Romans 5:18-19

Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 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.

Question 7 · Footnote 3

Psalms 51:5

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Question 8 · Footnote 1

Genesis 6:5

The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Genesis 8:21

And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.

Job 14:4

Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? There is not one.

Isaiah 53:6

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Question 8 · Footnote 2

John 3:3-5

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Misery