Practical Implications from the Radical Nature of the Fall

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Human rebellion against God has resulted in separations that cover every aspect of our human existence, and the radical corruption of human nature. Human beings were not designed to function properly outside the context of a relationship with God. As Christians, we should not expect others to be perfect nor demand that they should be; but we do expect ourselves to be humble and quick to recognize our own failings, being quick to repent. We are also to be quick to overlook failings in others, if appropriate, and quick to forgive. When we make judgments about the behaviour of others we recognize in ourselves the same weakness. We also expect that, as a result of the Fall, things will not always go as we have planned, that we will meet resistance in ourselves and others. We recognize that we will fail in thought, word and deed. We do not set our faith or hope on other human beings. The work of God in overcoming the separation Christ, in His death and through His substitutionary atonement on the cross, and in His triumphant resurrection, has overcome, is overcoming, and will fully overcome all these aspects of separation. Apart from the effectual work of the Spirit, no one would come to faith, because all are dead in trespasses and sins; we are hostile to God, and morally unable to submit to God or please Him because the pleasures of sin appear greater than the pleasures of God. For God’s elect, the Spirit triumphs over all resistance, wakens the dead, removes blindness, and manifests Christ in such a compellingly beautiful way through the gospel that He becomes irresistibly attractive to the regenerate heart. The divine saving work of the Trinity is the ground of our hope that our proclamation is not in vain in the Lord. The Spirit binds His saving work to the gospel of Christ, because His aim is to glorify the Christ of the gospel. Therefore we do not believe that there is salvation through any other means than through receiving the gospel by the power of the Holy Spirit. The work of the Father in election, the work of the Son in atonement, and the work of the Spirit in regeneration is the empowerment of the proclamation of the gospel to peoples everywhere. The Holy Spirit does this saving work in connection with the presentation of the gospel of the glory of Christ.