3. The Doctrine of the State of Innocence Applied
Human Nature in its Fourfold State
by Thomas Boston
STATE I
THE STATE OF INNOCENCE
Look, this is what I have discovered: God made humans upright, but they have sought out many schemes. - Ecclesiastes 7:29:
There are four essential things that everyone who desires to enter heaven must know: 1. What humanity was like in a state of innocence, as created by God. 2. What humans are like in a state of corrupt nature, as they have undone themselves. 3. What humans must become in a state of grace, being created in Christ Jesus for good works, if they are to partake in the inheritance of the saints in light. 4. What humans will be in their eternal state, as judged by God, either perfectly happy or completely miserable, and that for eternity. These are weighty matters that pertain to practical godliness, which most people, including many professing believers in these times, are completely disconnected from. Therefore, under divine guidance, I intend to explain and apply these things.
I will begin with the first point, the State of Innocence. By considering how humans were once like a perfectly crafted palace, we can better grasp the impact of their fall. We can also appreciate the incomparable Person whom the Father has appointed as the restorer of what was broken. Moreover, we can firmly resolve to follow the path that leads to the city with unshakeable foundations.
In the text, three aspects are presented:
The state of innocence in which humans were created: "God made humans upright." Here, "humans" refers to our first parents, the original couple who are the ancestors of all humanity. They can be found in Genesis 5:1-2, "When God created humans, he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them," and they were known collectively as Adam. The same word is used in our text. In this sense, humans were created perfectly, in harmony with the nature of God, whose work is flawless. There was no imperfection or corruption, neither in their body nor in their soul. They were created "upright," meaning their souls were aligned with the will and law of God, without any irregularity. By their very nature, they were directed towards God as their ultimate purpose. This straight inclination was symbolized by the erect posture of their bodies, a feature unique to humans among all living creatures. Just as David was described as a man after God's own heart in the Gospel, Adam was likewise a righteous and morally good man in the legal sense. God created him in this manner; he did not make him first and then grant him righteousness. Righteousness was an intrinsic part of his creation, so that the moment he became a human, he was also a righteous human—morally good—with the very breath of life infused into him.
The fallen state of humanity: "But they have sought out many schemes." Adam and Eve deviated from their state of rest in God and sought their own means to improve their condition, ultimately leading to their ruin. Their downfall was self-inflicted; they did not remain as God had made them but embarked on a quest for schemes and inventions that only resulted in their own destruction.
The certainty and significance of these matters: "Look, this is what I have discovered." These points are the outcome of thorough investigation and earnest inquiry conducted by the wisest of men. In the preceding verses, Solomon portrays himself in pursuit of goodness in the world, but he found no satisfactory fulfillment in his search. He diligently examined everything, but "Look, this is what I have found," he says. He could not find the true good that would satisfy his inquiry. Goodness was exceedingly rare, like finding one valuable item among thousands. However, even if the experiences of others differ from Solomon's, it does not discredit his discernment or provide a conclusive answer to the question, which will remain unresolved until the final day. Amidst all the uncertainty, one point has been discovered and firmly established: "Look, this," pay close attention to it, for it is a matter deserving deep and serious consideration—the nature of human depravity. This depravity did not originate from God, who "made humans upright," but from humans themselves, who "sought out many schemes."
DOCTRINE—God made humans entirely righteous
This refers to the state of innocence in which God placed humans in the world. The Bible only briefly describes this state compared to the subsequent states since it was short-lived, resulting from humans misusing their free will. I will:
I. Explore the righteousness of this state in which humans were created.
II. Present some of the positive accompanying traits and consequences of this state.
III. Apply the entire teaching.
I. Of Man’s Original Righteousness.
I. Original Righteousness of Humans Regarding the righteousness of this state, we should understand that just as the righteousness of God is the supreme standard and uncreated, all created righteousness, whether of humans or angels, is measured against a law and conforms to it. A creature cannot act morally independently from God any more than it can exist naturally apart from Him. A creature, being a creature, must recognize the will of the Creator as the supreme law, for it owes its existence to Him and must live according to His will. However, no law binds until it is revealed. Thus, we can conclude that there was a law to which humans, as rational creatures, were subject from their creation, and this law was made known to them.
The text declares, "God made humans upright." This implies the existence of a law to which humans conformed at their creation. When something is made regular or according to a rule, the rule itself is presupposed. Therefore, we can understand that this law was none other than the eternal and necessary law of righteousness, which the second Adam fully observed but was opposed by the carnal mind. Some remnants of this law can still be found among the pagans who, even without the law, act according to their own consciences (Romans 2:14). In short, this law is the same one that was later summarized in the Ten Commandments and proclaimed to the Israelites on Mount Sinai—the moral law. Humans' righteousness consisted of conforming to this law. Specifically, two types of conformity were required: habitual righteousness, which involved aligning the faculties and powers of the soul with the law, and actual righteousness, which entailed conforming all actions to the law. God made humans habitually righteous, and it was their responsibility to make themselves actually righteous. God provided the foundation, and humans were to build upon it. In essence, humans' righteousness at their creation consisted of all the faculties and powers of their soul conforming to the moral law. This is what we refer to as Original Righteousness, with three main aspects:
Humans possessed a fully enlightened understanding. They had perfect knowledge of the law and their corresponding duties. They were created in God's image and thus lacked no knowledge, which includes an understanding of the law (Colossians 3:10). Such knowledge was necessary to enable them to obey comprehensively, for obedience can only be true obedience when it arises from an understanding of God's commandments. Although Adam did not have the law written on tablets of stone, it was inscribed in his mind, instilled in him at his creation. God imprinted it upon his soul, making him a law unto himself, as indicated by the traces of this knowledge that can still be seen among the pagans (Romans 2:14-15). Given that humans were appointed to represent creation and glorify God through their works, it is reasonable to believe that Adam possessed extensive knowledge of God's creations. This is evident in Adam's act of naming the animals with names that accurately reflect their nature (Genesis 2:19). To exercise his dominion over the creatures, using them responsibly in accordance with God's will, required a profound understanding of their natures. Furthermore, Adam's perfect knowledge of the law indicates his competence in governing civil affairs, which, in relation to God's law, a righteous person manages with wisdom (Psalm 112:5).
Humans' wills were completely aligned with God's will (Ephesians 6:6). There was no corruption or inclination toward evil within their wills, for that would constitute sin. The apostle Paul states, "I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet'" (Romans 7:7). A propensity for evil would have contradicted the rectitude and uprightness explicitly mentioned in the text. Humans' wills were directed and naturally inclined toward God and goodness, although subject to change. Their original constitution inclined them to follow the Creator's will just as a shadow follows the body. They were not left in a state of equal balance between good and evil, as that would not constitute uprightness or conformity to the law. The law was impressed upon Adam's soul. In the context of the new covenant, which restores the image of God, this consists of two aspects: (1) Having the law in the mind, signifying knowledge of it, and (2) Writing it in the heart, indicating inclinations of the will that align with the commands of the law (Hebrews 8:10). Therefore, just as the will of the regenerate, when renewed by grace, is naturally inclined toward holiness, fulfilling every aspect of the law's demands, Adam's will, in his original state, possessed inclinations aligned with everything commanded by the law. If believers, who partake in the divine nature according to Scripture (2 Peter 1:4), possess a will naturally inclined toward holiness, then it follows that Adam's will, when he was created by God, was endowed with inclinations toward everything commanded by the law. While the Gentiles may show some knowledge of the law in their minds (Romans 2:14-15), their hearts are inclined in a different direction. Therefore, the expression used in the present context must encompass not only notions of the mind but also inclinations of the will accompanying them. These inclinations, though tainted by corruption in the regenerate, were pure and untainted in Adam. In short, Adam knew his Master's pleasure regarding his duties, and his will was inclined toward what he knew.
Adam's affections were properly ordered, pure, and holy—a necessary aspect of the uprightness in which he was created. The apostle Paul petitions, "May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God" (2 Thessalonians 3:5), meaning "May the Lord align your hearts" or make them straight in their devotion to loving God. Our text explicitly states that humans were created upright. Ephesians 4:24 affirms that "the new man is created in righteousness and true holiness." In this context, holiness, distinguished from righteousness, refers to the purity and good order of the affections. For instance, Paul urges men to "pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or disputing" (1 Timothy 2:8). Just as turbulent waters cannot reflect the image of the sun, a heart filled with impure and disorderly affections is not receptive to divine communion. Adam's sensitive desires naturally inclined toward objects pleasing to the senses. Since humans are composed of both body and soul, and since God created humans to glorify and enjoy Him while using His good creations subordinately, it is evident that Adam possessed natural inclinations toward both spiritual and sensory goods, with the recognition that spiritual good—the ultimate good—held primacy. Therefore, his sensual impulses and inclinations were subject to his reason and will, in perfect harmony with God's will, without any contradiction. Otherwise, he would have been internally divided—his soul naturally inclined toward God as the chief end in the higher part and toward creation as the chief end in the lower part—an impossibility since a person cannot have two ultimate ends simultaneously. Hence, Adam's affections in his original state were pure, free from defilement and disorder, as they consistently submitted to his clear reason and holy will. He possessed the power to carry out his will—a power to do the good he knew ought to be done and to fulfill the entire law of God. Otherwise, God would have required perfect obedience from him, for it would be blasphemy to accuse such a gracious and benevolent God of demanding what is unattainable (Matthew 25:24-26).
Based on the preceding discussion, it is evident that the original righteousness described was both universal and natural, albeit mutable.
Universal: This righteousness extended to the entire person and the entire law. It was universal in terms of the person since it permeated every aspect of human nature. No part of their being was flawed when God originally created them, even though it is fragmented now. Adam was holy in his soul, body, and spirit. The soul remained untainted, and its dwelling was kept clean and undefiled. The bodily members were consecrated vessels and instruments of righteousness. A struggle between flesh and spirit, reason and appetite, or even the slightest inclination to sin or carnal desires within the lower part of the soul would have been incompatible with the uprightness in which Adam was created. Such notions have been invented to conceal the corruption of human nature and obscure the grace of God in Jesus Christ. They resemble the words of fallen Adam, who attributed his sin to God, saying, "The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it" (Genesis 3:12). Although this righteousness was universal concerning the person, it also extended to the law itself. There was nothing in the law that contradicted Adam's reason and will as God originally made him. Adam's soul was perfectly conformed to the commandments, which, despite being broad, corresponded to his very nature. Therefore, Adam's original righteousness was not only complete in its various aspects but also complete in degree.
Natural: While this righteousness was natural to humans, it was not supernatural in their original state. It was not essential to their being, for its loss would not have resulted in the loss of their existence. Rather, it was natural in the sense that humans were created with it, and it was necessary for their state of integrity. Nonetheless, it was mutable—a righteousness that could be lost, as evidenced by the tragic outcome. Adam's will was not absolutely indifferent to good and evil; God inclined it solely toward good. However, God did not firmly fix and confirm these inclinations, preventing any alteration. Instead, humans possessed the ability to change, even toward evil, through their own actions. God had given them sufficient power to maintain their integrity if they had chosen to do so. It is inappropriate to question God's works in this matter. If Adam had been unchangeably righteous, it would have been either due to his nature or as a result of a free gift. However, he could not possess this righteousness by nature since that is exclusive to God and cannot be bestowed upon any creature. If it were a free gift, then withholding it from Adam would not have been unjust, as he could not have demanded what was beyond his nature. Confirmation in a righteous state is a reward of grace granted for remaining righteous throughout the period of testing determined by the Creator. Similarly, it is given to believers based on the merits of Christ, who was obedient even unto death. In this regard, believers have an advantage over Adam; they can never completely or finally fall away from grace.
Thus, humans were originally made righteous, created in "God's own image" (Genesis 1:27), which encompasses the positive qualities of knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness (Colossians 3:10, Ephesians 4:24). As God declared, "Everything that He had made was very good" in accordance with their respective natures (Genesis 1:31). Therefore, humans were morally good, fashioned after the image of God, who is good and upright (Psalm 25:8). Without this righteousness, humans would not have fulfilled the primary purpose of their creation—to know, love, and serve God according to His will. Indeed, they could not have been created any other way, for they either had to conform to the law in their powers, principles, and inclinations or not. If they had, they would have been righteous; if not, they would have been sinners—an absurd and repulsive notion.
II. Flowing from Man's Primitive State
II. I will present to you some of the things that accompanied or resulted from the righteousness of man in his original state. Happiness is the outcome of holiness, and as man was holy, he was also in a state of happiness.
Man was a truly magnificent being. We can assume that just as Moses' face shone when he came down from the mountain, man had a bright and pleasant countenance, with a beautiful body, as there was no darkness of sin in him. Since God Himself is "glorious in holiness" (Exodus 15:11), it is certain that the spiritual beauty bestowed upon man by the Lord at his creation made him a truly magnificent being. His holy conduct radiated light, glorifying the Creator. Every action reflected a ray of the glorious and pure light that God had placed within his soul. The lamp of love, kindled from heaven, continued to burn in his heart, resembling the holy place. The law of the Lord, written on his inward parts by God's finger, was faithfully kept within him, akin to the most holy place. There was no impurity visible outwardly, no wandering gaze with lustful intent in his eyes. His tongue spoke only the language of heaven. In summary, "the King's son was all glorious within" and adorned with "clothing of wrought gold."
Man was God's beloved. He shone brightly in the image of God, whom He naturally loves wherever His image is present. Even when man was alone in the world, he was not truly alone because God was with him. He enjoyed communion and fellowship with his Creator directly, as there was nothing yet to turn God's face away from the work of His own hands. By God's favor, man was elevated to being a partner with heaven in the first covenant, known as the covenant of works. God transformed the law He had given in creation into a covenant, with perfect obedience as the condition. Life was the promised reward, and death was the penalty. One significant aspect of the natural law was that man was to believe whatever God revealed and do whatever He commanded. Thus, when God made this covenant with man, He extended man's duty to include "not eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." This extended law became the standard for man's obedience in the covenant. These terms were easy for man, who had the natural law written on his heart and inclined to obey the positive law revealed to him, possibly through an audible voice (Genesis 2:16-17). The requirement was highly reasonable since it focused on the precise point of God's will, demonstrating true obedience in an external matter where disobedience would be evident.
According to this condition, God promised man life: the continuation of natural life in the union of soul and body and spiritual life in the favor of the Creator. He also promised eternal life in heaven, which man would enter after successfully passing the earthly trial and being transported to the upper paradise by the Lord's will. This promise of life was included within the threat of death mentioned in Genesis 2:17. When God said, "In the day you eat from it, you will surely die," it was essentially saying, "If you do not eat from it, you will surely live." This promise of life in heaven is evident in the covenant because the threatening was of eternal death in hell, which man became liable to, and Christ was promised to redeem him from that death through His own death. Jesus Himself interpreted the promise of the covenant of works as eternal life when He presented the condition of that covenant to a young man who sought to enter into life through works, just as Adam was supposed to have done under that covenant (Matthew 19:17).
The penalty for disobedience was death (Genesis 2:17). The death threatened was consistent with the promised life and was justly appropriate: temporal, spiritual, and eternal death. The event confirms this, as on the day man ate from the forbidden fruit, he was legally considered dead, but the execution was postponed due to his future descendants who were in his loins. Another covenant was prepared instead. Nevertheless, that day marked the beginning of his physical death, as his body received a mortal wound. His soul also experienced death, losing its original righteousness and the favor of God, evident in the guilt and shame that made him hide from God. He became liable to eternal death, which would have occurred if not for the provision of the Mediator, who found him bound by the cords of death like a condemned criminal. This summarizes the covenant into which the Lord brought man in the state of innocence.
One may wonder if the earth's alliance with heaven was of little significance to those who have never experienced that holy and happy state. However, it is of great importance to us because Adam was the root of all humanity, our representative and common head. God entrusted to him our inheritance and stock, which he was to keep for himself, his children, and pass on to them. The Lord consolidated all of mankind's stock as if in one ship, appointing our common father as the pilot. He placed a blessing in the root, which was meant to be diffused into all the branches. As our text indicates, when Adam was made upright, so too was man, as all mankind possessed that uprightness in him. "If the root is holy, so are the branches." However, I will elaborate on this further later. If Adam had remained obedient, no one would have disputed the representation.
III. The Doctrine of the State of Innocence Applied
USE I: For information. This teaches us several things. Firstly, it was man himself, not God, who caused his own downfall. God created him upright, but he chose to fall. It was not the Lord's guidance and inclination towards good that led to his tragic choice. Was God so miserly with him that his pressing needs drove him to seek supply in hell? No, man was and is the cause of his own ruin. Secondly, God can justly require perfect obedience to His law from humanity and condemn them for failing to obey it perfectly, even though they now lack the ability to keep it. In doing so, God is merely gathering what He has sown. He gave man the ability to fulfill the entire law, which man lost through his own fault. However, man's sin could never diminish God's right to demand perfect obedience from His creatures and punish them for disobedience. Thirdly, this highlights the immense obligation we have to Jesus Christ, the second Adam, who, with His precious blood, purchased our freedom and freely offers it to us again. Through His sacrifice, we gain everlasting security, and our freedom can never be entirely lost (Hosea 13:9, John 10:28-29). Free grace will establish those whom free will caused to fall into the pit of misery.
USE II: This reproaches three groups of people. Firstly, those who despise genuine religion and take pleasure only in the world and their sinful desires. Such individuals are far from righteousness and hate God (Romans 1:30) because they hate His image. Upright Adam in paradise would have been a great offense to these people, just as he was to the serpent, whose seed they reveal themselves to be through their malice. Secondly, it rebukes those who bring shame to religion or feel ashamed of it when facing an ungodly world. There are those who brazenly ridicule piety and mock seriousness. Against whom do they taunt and jeer? Is it not against God Himself, whose image, partially restored in His creatures, makes them appear foolish? Let us not be mockers, for doing so will only strengthen our own bondage (Isaiah 28:22). Holiness was the glory bestowed upon man by God at creation, but now the sons of men turn that glory into shame because they themselves glory in shameful things. Finally, it reproves the proud and self-conceited professing Christians who admire themselves in garments of rags that they have patched together. Many, after gaining scraps of religious knowledge and making some outward reforms, become filled with self-conceit. This demonstrates how heavily the effects of the fall weigh upon them, as they have not yet come to a true understanding of their own condition (Luke 15:17). They can see their own attainments but fail to recognize their own shortcomings, which should humble them. True knowledge enables individuals to see what they once were and what they are currently, leading to humility and an earnest desire to press forward, forgetting what lies behind (Philippians 3:13). Such individuals are pitiful, like someone glorying in a cottage built from the rubble of a burned-down palace, even though it is so weak that it cannot withstand a storm.
USE III: Lamentation. Here we witness a magnificent structure—man, carved like a splendid palace—now lying in ashes. Let us stand and gaze upon the ruins and shed a tear. This is a cause for lamentation and will surely bring lamentation. Would we not weep if we saw our country in ruins, transformed into a desolate wilderness by the enemy? If we witnessed our houses engulfed in flames and our possessions consumed by fire? Yet all of this falls short of the tragic sight of man, fallen from heaven like a star. Ah, can we not now say, "Oh, that we were as we once were!" when there was no stain in our nature, no cloud in our minds, no pollution in our hearts? If we had never been in a better state, the matter would be less significant. But those who were once clothed in scarlet now embrace dunghills. Where is our original glory now? Once there was no darkness in our minds, no rebellion in our wills, and no disorder in our affections. But alas! "How the faithful city has become a harlot!" Righteousness once resided in it, but now murderers are present. Our silver has become dross, our wine is diluted. The heart that was once the temple of God has turned into a den of thieves. Let our name be Ichabod, for the glory has departed. How low has humanity fallen, we who were created to have dominion and be rulers of the world! "The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned." The creatures that once served him now stand in opposition, and even the least of them, when given permission, proves too powerful for him. Waters flooded the ancient world, fire consumed Sodom, the stars fought against Sisera in their courses, frogs, flies, and lice became executioners in Egypt, and worms devoured Herod. Man must form alliances with beasts and even the stones of the field, fearing that anyone who finds him will harm him. Alas, how we have fallen! How we have plunged into a gulf of misery! The sun has set upon us, death has entered through our windows, and our enemies have extinguished our two eyes, delighting in our suffering. Let us, therefore, lie down in the dust, covered in shame and confusion. Nevertheless, there is hope for Israel in his distress, for we have a Mediator. There is a Physician for our souls, a Savior who can repair our ruins. So, come now, O sinner, turn your gaze to Jesus Christ, the second Adam. Leave behind the first Adam and his covenant; instead, approach the Mediator and Guarantor of the new and superior covenant. Let your hearts declare, "Be our ruler, and let this division be under your control." Allow your eyes to weep continuously, without interruption, until the Lord looks down from heaven and takes notice (Lamentations 3:49, 50).