Which statements describe the truth of the effect of Adam's sin?

• A. We are guilty because of Imputation.
• B. We are guilty because of Inheritance.
• C. We are guilty because of Imputation, Inheritance, and Involvement and Participation.
• D. We are not guilty.

Answer: (C)

Adam's sin affects all people in a threefold way: our guilt is imputed to us, we inherit a fallen nature, and we are involved through the federal headship of Adam, meaning we participate in his act by being in humanity with him. Imputation means God treats us as guilty because Adam’s sin is credited to us, so judgment and death come because of that guilt. Inheritance speaks of a corrupted human nature passed down from Adam, which makes us prone to sin and under its power. Involvement and participation reflect our union with Adam as the representative head of humanity, so we share in the sin and its consequences simply by being his offspring. Taken together, these three aspects best capture the biblical teaching on the effect of Adam’s sin. The other options miss one or more of these dimensions or deny guilt, making them incomplete.