Article 8

Of the restoration or justification of man. We confess that Adam and Eve, having thus fallen under the wrath and disfavor of God, and into death and eternal condemnation, together with all their descendants, so that no remedy or deliverance was to be found in heaven or earth, among any created beings, who could help and redeem them, and reconcile them to God, the Creator of all things, who is the Almighty God (against whose majesty they had sinned, and who alone could heal them), who is rich and abounding in all grace and mercy, had compassion on Adam and his descendants, and therefore promised them His only begotten Son as a comforting Redeemer and Savior, whom He would put as enmity between Satan and the woman and their seed, to the comfort and help of fallen mankind, in order thus to bruise the head of Satan, and to deprive him of his power; and in this manner to deliver Adam and his descendants from the prison of sin, the power of the devil, and eternal perdition, and to reconcile them to God.

And even as God the Lord, through this promise, clothed Adam and his seed inwardly, according to the soul, with His grace and mercy, He, in token of this, also covered the outward shame and nakedness of the body, making coats of skins and clothing them with these.

And even as Adam, through this his first, single sin, brought not only himself, but with him also all his descendants, without exception of persons, and without any actual evil works of their own, into eternal death and condemnation; so also God Almighty, through this promise of the only Savior Christ Jesus, redeemed, delivered, and justified from condemnation, and placed into the state of grace and reconciliation, all men, without exception of persons, without any of their good works, only out of pure grace and mercy. Seeing that Adam's race was not born of him when he stood under disfavor and condemnation before God; but since all men proceed from Adam as being in a state of grace, peace, and reconciliation with God, he could bring forth none but such as stand with him in the same reconciliation.

Thus none of Adam's race are created or born to condemnation, but all are born and brought forth into the world in the same state of grace and reconciliation with God. Hence we hold it to be contrary not only to the holy Scriptures, but also utterly contrary to the nature of God, which is just, righteous, holy, and merciful, that God should punish with eternal death and damnation, simply on account of Adam's sin, so great a number of Adam's race, who die in their infancy in a state of innocence, before they have followed Adam in sin; seeing that the good God, through Christ and for Christ's sake, so graciously forgave Adam (who had himself committed the sin) and placed him in a state of grace.

But when men have attained the knowledge of good and evil, and, through the lust of the flesh and their own desire, have been drawn away from the path of virtue and innocence, so that they follow Adam in sin, so it comes about that they separate themselves from their Creator; and consequently they do not perish, nor are they condemned, on account of Adam's transgression, but because of their own unbelief and evil works.

But the righteous God, who does indeed forgive sin, yet often does not let it go entirely unpunished, allowed the temporal, bodily punishment to remain upon Adam and Eve and their descendants, by which they ought to learn to know, fear, and serve their Creator, and to shun sin; such as this, that from their infancy they are by nature inclined to sin and evil, against which they have a continual warfare; that they are shut out from the beautiful paradise, and must cover their nakedness; that the women must subject their power and will to their husbands, and must bring forth their children in pain and anguish; and that all must eat all the days of their life, with sorrow, of the corrupted earth, until they return to the dust of the earth, from which they have come.

But all believers receive in this life the restoration or justification of Christ only through faith, in hope; and afterwards, in the resurrection of the dead, they shall receive it truly and actually, and shall enjoy it forever.

Concerning these glorious and comforting promises of salvation, read: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head." Genesis 3, verse 15; Ephesians 2, verses 14 and 15.

As to how this promise was renewed in the seed and race of Adam, read: "The Lord your God will raise up to you a prophet from among you, of your brothers, like me; to him you shall listen." Deuteronomy 18, verse 15; Acts 7, verse 37. To Abraham: Genesis 12, verse 3; Genesis 22, verse 18; Acts 10, verse 43.

Concerning the fact that this promise of justification does not extend only to a particular class of persons, but to all men without distinction, read

"Therefore as by the offense of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." Romans 5, verses 18 and 19.

"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." First Corinthians 15, verses 21 and 22.

"That was the true Light, which lights every man who comes into the world." John 1, verses 9 and 29.

"And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." First John 2, verse 2.

"For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell; and, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things to himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." Colossians 1, verses 19 and 20.

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men." Titus 2, verse 11. Read also

Romans 3, verse 24; Romans 11, verse 32; First Timothy 4, verse 10; Second Corinthians 5, verse 19; First John 4, verse 10; Isaiah 53, verse 6; First Peter 2, verse 24.

As to how the kingdom of heaven is promised by Christ to infants, without respect of persons, read: "Then little children were brought to him, that he should put his hands on them and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and do not forbid them, to come to me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 19, verses 13 and 14; Matthew 18, verse 3; Mark 10, verse 13; Luke 18, verse 15.

Concerning how God, the righteous judge, will not punish infants for the sin of their parents, or of Adam, but will repay each one with righteousness, according to his own works, read: "For since you yourself are righteous, you order all things righteously: not thinking it agreeable with your power to condemn him who has not deserved to be punished." Wisdom of Solomon 12, verse 15.

"The soul that sins, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, nor shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him." Ezekiel 18, verses 20 and 4. "The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin." Deuteronomy 24, verse 16; Jeremiah 31, verse 29.

"Because he has appointed a day, in which he shall judge the world in righteousness." Acts 17, verse 31; Psalm 7, verse 11; Second Timothy 4, verse 8.

"But he who does not believe shall be damned." Mark 16, verse 16. "Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that does evil." Romans 2, verse 9.