From Glory to sin
What is it that you have that is your very own, that even God did not give you?
Q13 Did our first parents continue in the estate wherein they were created?
Ans. Our first parents, being left to the freedom of their own will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, by sinning against God.
Sin. God made all things good.
According to the covenant of works Adam was tested in order that if he stood the test he might be established or confirmed in holiness. He was able to stand but free to fall. Freedom of the will is the power to choose one of the different ways that are before one. Adam could eat the forbidden fruit, or he could refuse it. Freedom of his will meant this power to decide. But choosing to eat was disobeying God.
After man sinned and fell from the good estate or condition in which God had made him he was no longer so free as before. Fallen man was free to choose the evil, but he did not have power in himself to come back to God and His goodness—sin barred the way. Unfallen man had full power to obey and live, or disobey and die. Fallen man lost this power. He still has the power to obey his own will. He still has self-will. But the self is now bad.
I am bad and so my will is bad unless and until God by His gracious Holy Spirit gives me a new will for Christ’s sake. When God in His grace creates me anew in Christ, God calls my will to obey Him and do right, but the flesh still pulls it toward evil.
The Christian thus lives with two pulls upon him. When he is glorified he is confirmed in holiness. Then he will do only good. And he will do good freely, of his own will. Since he then is good, his will is good.
“Truly, this only I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.” (Ecclesiastes 7:29)