Question 19: Our Miserable State

Question 19: What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?

Answer: All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever.

Sin and misery, both a part of our fallen state, are twins. One is cause and the other is effect; the two cannot be separated. But while sin gives us the perspective of crime and evil, misery gives us the perspective of tragedy.

The first and greatest tragedy of the fall is our lost communion with God. Humans are made to have their fulfillment, satisfaction, and rest in their Creator. Now, all of these things are missing in the human experience. Yes, their are shadows of these things in relationships on earth, but these relationships are always temporary and mixed with disappointment. In our fallen state, we have lost the presence, favor, and enjoyment of God.

The second tragedy of the fall is God's wrath and curse. Genesis 3:16 teaches that the curse brings pain to childbirth, and by extension to every aspect of family life. Genesis 3:17-19 describes this curse as it falls upon the ground, which leads us to expect hostility even from nature as we seek to work and live on this earth. According to Genesis 3:19 these curses climax in death, when the physical body is ripped apart from the soul and a lifeless corpse is left behind in this world until it decays into dust.

The third tragedy of the fall is punishment for sin. As the catechism points out, punishment begins in this life and includes death, but these things are only a foretaste of what is to come. Death is not the end of human existence. The Bible promises a resurrection of all people and a final judgment day (Daniel 12:2, Matthew 25:31-46). Although some have supposed that hell will be something less than eternal punishment, the Bible clearly presents it as lasting just as long as eternal life (Matthew 25:46). Jesus describes hell as a place of fiery torment where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:50). Although we are loathe to admit it because we imagine ourselves to be decent people, our sins against the eternal God make us entirely deserving of his eternal wrath.

While all people will experience the misery of the fall in various ways, not all will experience the final tragedy of hell. The warning always comes with hope; Christ will divide those who are his from those who are not, and he will protect his people from this final punishment. Do you have this hope?

Reference: Explanation of the Shorter Catechism by Thomas Vincent