The Westminster Shorter Catechism
Q16. Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first
transgression?
A. The covenant being made with
Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity;
all mankind,—descending
from him by ordinary generation,—sinned
in him,
and fell with him, in his first
transgression.[1]
[1] Genesis 2:16–17; Romans 5:12, 18–19; 1 Corinthians 15:21–22.
Adam was no ordinary person when he was placed in the Garden of Eden. He was there on probation under a covenant of works, on behalf of himself and his posterity. Thus, when Adam fell, all who descended from him by natural generation sinned in him and fell with him. They sin in him virtually and representatively. Virtually (or seminally), because all his posterity was in his loins. Levi is said to have given tithe to Melchizedek because “he was yet in the loins of his father [Abraham], when Melchisedec met him” (Heb 7:5–10). Representatively, because Adam was the common head of all mankind (by natural generation), and so was appointed by God to be the representative of all man (Rom 5:12; cf. Isa 43:27). All men descending from him by ordinary generation (i.e., apart from Christ Jesus who was born of a virgin—Matthew 1:18) are therefore accounted as sinners in the eye of God. This may appear, at first sight, to be unfair, but when we consider that today we do elect leaders to represent us too, and when our leaders declare war with a different country, we are at war too. Moreover, when we think about it, we see that God could not have elected a better representative for us—Adam being our first father, and Adam, being yet in a state of innocency, was able to choose to obey or to rebel. We therefore have to conclude that God is eminently fair.