The necessity of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and the proclamation of the Gospel stem from man’s state of utter sinfulness. An essential part of the Gospel message is man’s total inability to come to God on his own merit or righteousness. The doctrine of sin details the origin and existence of man’s sinful nature.

1. I believe the first sin was committed by Lucifer, the anointed cherub. God is not able to sin; only created beings who have a will are able to sin. Sin must therefore be defined in terms of failure to conform to standards imposed by God on His creations—angels and man. (James 1:13-15)

2. I believe sin is the absence of righteousness. God did not cause sin nor is He able to sin. However, God’s sovereign decree accounted for, included, anticipated, and predicted the sinfulness of man. (James 1:13; I Cor. 15:3)

3. I believe man is inherently sinful as a result of the first sinful offense committed by Adam. By knowingly disobeying the command of God, Adam died spiritually, rendering himself and all generations after him totally unable to live righteously or to fully obey God. This inherited sinful disposition is otherwise identified as man’s total depravity. (Rom. 5:19; Gen. 2:17; Rom. 8:7)

4. I believe the guilt of Adam’s first sin is imputed directly to all of his descendants, involving them in the guilt of his sin. Through Adam all participated in his sin, being yet in the body of our ancestor. This first sin could not be atoned for under the old covenant, which would not have removed the guilt, because it was committed with full knowledge of God’s commandment. (Rom. 5:12, 18; Heb. 7:10; Num. 15:30-31)

5. I believe every person beyond the age of total dependence [upon parents] is responsible for personal sinful acts, committed knowingly or unknowingly against the standards of God, for which each individual incurs the wrath of God and the penalty of death. (Rom. 3:23; 2:8; 6:23)

6. I believe the regenerated Christian is not exempt from the sinful nature of man. Although the Holy Spirit enables the believer to overcome temptation, the believer does not consistently choose to obey God’s commands. Sinful acts in no way compromise the believer’s salvation, only the believer’s fellowship with God, which is renewed through confession. (Gal. 5:16-17; 1 Cor. 10:13; 1 Jn. 1:6, 9)