Westminster Confession of Faith 9.3
“Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation: so as, a natural man being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able by his own strength to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.”
In this episode of Confessional Moments, we continue our study of Chapter 9 of the Westminster Confession of Faith by examining the condition of the human will after the fall. The Confession teaches that humanity did not merely lose innocence when Adam sinned — we lost our spiritual ability. Fallen man still possesses a will, but that will is corrupted, enslaved to sin, and unable to pursue the spiritual good that leads to salvation.
Drawing from Scripture and the insights of the Puritan tradition, this episode explains why fallen humanity is described in the Bible as “dead in sin,” why sinners cannot convert themselves, and why salvation must begin with the sovereign work of God in regeneration. The Confession rejects the idea that man can prepare himself for grace, emphasizing instead that even the first movement toward God is the result of divine mercy.
Though this doctrine humbles us, it also fills us with hope. The God who commands sinners to come to Christ is the same God who raises the spiritually dead and liberates the will through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Scripture Reading & References
Ephesians 2:1–3
Romans 5:12–19
Romans 8:7–8
John 6:44
Puritan & Reformed Sources Referenced
Thomas Watson – A Body of Divinity (1692)
John Owen – Works (various treatises on sin and grace)
William Perkins – A Golden Chain (1591)
Thomas Goodwin – Works (Vol. 1)
Stephen Charnock – Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God (1682)
Key Doctrinal Themes
Total Depravity
The doctrine that the fall has corrupted every part of human nature—mind, heart, and will—so that sinners are unable to turn to God apart from His grace.
The Bondage of the Will
The teaching that fallen humanity still possesses a will and makes real choices, but those choices are governed by a sinful nature that is opposed to God.
Spiritual Death
The biblical description of humanity’s condition apart from Christ, meaning we are unable to respond to God spiritually unless He first gives new life.
Regeneration and Sovereign Grace
The work of the Holy Spirit in giving new spiritual life to the sinner, enabling the heart to believe in Christ and freely turn to God.
About the Host
Confessional Moments is hosted by Pastor Tim Beauchamp, teaching elder at Trinity Presbyterian Church (PCA). Pastor Tim is committed to helping Christians grow in doctrinal clarity, spiritual maturity, and confidence in Christ through the riches of the Reformed confessional tradition.
Church Website
Trinity Presbyterian Church (PCA). www.trinitychurchguam.org