Article XV
The Reality and Remedy of Original Sin
This section defines the nature of original sin as a universal corruption and rejects the Pelagian error that reduces it to mere imitation.
We believe that through Adam's disobedience, original sin spread throughout the whole human race. This sin is a corruption of our entire nature and an inherited defect that stains even infants in their mother's womb. It acts as the root that produces every kind of sin in us, and it is so vile and abhorrent before God that it is enough to condemn the human race. It is not abolished even by baptism or completely uprooted, since its impulses continually rise from it as from a wretched spring. Yet it is not counted against God's children for their condemnation but is forgiven by his grace and mercy—not so that they may grow complacent, but so that their awareness of this corruption may often make the faithful groan as they long to be delivered from this body of death. On this point, we reject the error of the Pelagians, who claim that this sin is nothing more than imitation.
Read the original Latin
Nous croyons que par la désobéissance d'Adam, le péché originel a été répandu par tout le genre humain; lequel péché est une corruption de toute la nature, et un vice héréditaire, duquel même sont entachés les petits enfants au ventre de leur mère: et qui produit en l'homme toute sorte de péché, y servant de racine, dont il est tant vilain et énorme devant Dieu qu'il est suffisant pour condamner le genre humain, et n'est pas aboli même par le baptême, ou déraciné du tout, vu que toujours les bouillons en sortent comme d'une malheureuse source; quoique toutefois il ne soit point imputé à condamnation aux enfants de Dieu, mais pardonné par sa grâce et miséricorde, non point afin qu'ils s'endorment, mais afin que le sentiment de cette corruption fasse souvent gémir les fidèles, désirant d'être délivrés du corps de cette mort. Sur cela nous rejetons l'erreur des Pélagiens qui disent que ce péché n'est autre chose qu'une imitation.
The Belgic Confession companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit