Bible on Man in the State of Sin

Memorization verses on the nature and predicament of sin.

Author: adapted from Berkof's "Summary of Christian Doctrine" BerkhofSummaryChristianDoctrine

That sin is guilt:

asv@Romans:5:18. "So then as through one trespass the judgment came unto all men to condemnation; even so through one act of righteousness the free gift came unto all men to justification of life."

asv@1John:3:4. "Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness."

asv@Ephesians:2:3. "Among whom we also all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest."

That sin is pollution:

asv@Jeremiah:17:9. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?"

asv@Romans:7:18, "For I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing; for to will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not."

asv@Romans:8:5. "For they that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit."

That sin has its seat in the heart:

asv@Jeremiah:17:9. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?"

asv@Matthew:15:19. "For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings."

asv@Hebrews:5:12. "Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God."

That Adam's guilt is imputed to us:

asv@Romans:5:12. "Through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned."

asv@Romans:5:19. "For as through one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous."

asv@1Corinthians:15:21-22. "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive."

That man is totally depraved:

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?"

asv@Romans:7:18 "For I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing; for to will is present with me, but to do that which is good is not."

asv@Romans:8:5 "For they that are after the flesh mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit."

That sin is universal:

asv@1Kings:8:46. "For there is no man that sinneth not."

asv@Psalms:143:2. "And enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight no living man is righteous."

asv@Romans:3:12. "They have all turned aside, they are become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not so much as one."

asv@1John:1:8. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."