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Adamic Administration - Preliminary Considerations
John Murray

John Murray (1898–1975). Born on October 14, 1898, in Badbea, Scotland, John Murray was a Presbyterian theologian and preacher renowned for his Reformed theology. Raised in a devout Free Presbyterian home, he served in World War I with the Black Watch, losing an eye at Arras in 1917. He studied at the University of Glasgow (MA, 1923) and Princeton Theological Seminary (ThB, ThM, 1927), later earning a ThM from New College, Edinburgh. Ordained in 1927, he briefly ministered in Scotland before joining Princeton’s faculty in 1929, then Westminster Theological Seminary in 1930, where he taught systematic theology until 1966. His preaching, marked by precision and reverence, was secondary to his scholarship, though he pastored congregations like First Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. Murray authored Redemption Accomplished and Applied and The Imputation of Adam’s Sin, shaping Reformed thought with clarity on justification and covenant theology. Married to Valerie Knowlton in 1937, he had no children and retired to Scotland, dying on May 8, 1975, in Dornoch. He said, “The fear of God is the soul of godliness.”
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The video is a sermon discussing the concept of Adam's probation and the purpose behind it. The speaker explains that God intended for Adam to be elevated to a state where he could not sin, but in order to achieve this, Adam had to go through a period of intensified probation. This probation was conducted through the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and its purpose was to test Adam's unwavering commitment to God's will and obedience. The speaker also mentions that further biblical data will be discussed in the next part of the sermon.
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Let us pray, O Lord our God, Thou art the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Faithful in all activities that were His at Thy right hand. Thou wouldst make administration, now that is the same. Is the same doctrine. Historically embraced. Biblical evidence. Even if we are going to use the word cover. In dealing with this topic. Preliminary. Now, first of all then. Preliminary. And Arabic one. Special. We must remember that. And that status. Or that identity. Presupposes an inherent. And inalienable obligation. To love God. And serve Him. With all the heart and soul and strength and mind. Because there is no rational. Who is not under. Obligation. To God. In every aspect of His being. And in every relationship. Man was created however. Not only a rational being. Rational responsible agent. But he was also created. Very good. And as we found already. That meant. That he was created in knowledge. Righteousness and holiness. And therefore. Was. Predisposed. Predisposed. By His very nature. To that obedience. And it often. To say he was created with. A character. That fitted him. For the fulfillment. Of all. Divine obligations. Furthermore. If man. As created. Fulfilled his obligations. To the full extent. Of God's. I repeat it. Then. He would have. Being righteous. Be righteous. But maintain. Being righteous. To the full extent. He would have the. Justification. Inevitably. In God's government. You always have these concepts. Could not be otherwise. Because the judgment. Of God is always. And hence. Righteousness. Justification. Life. Invariable combination. Invariable combination. In the government of God. Hence. If Adam and Eve. Had retained the integrity. In which they were created. And fulfilled. That to which they were. Disposed. By God's creation. They would have enjoyed. The corresponding. Justification. However. You can very readily see. That this conception. States. That would have been. All short. Of something which is conceivably higher. That in respect of which. It falls short. Is the uncertainty. The contingency. The mutability. That attaches to. Because up to this point. The maintenance. Of this status. Of justification. And life. Is altogether dependent. Upon. The. Continuance of righteousness. The continuance of obedience. On the part. Of our perspective. There is nothing. Perfectly. Eliminate. The possibility. Of defection. Possibility of defection. On the part. Of Adam and Eve. There is not only this uncertainty. With respect to the. The continuance. Of this righteousness. Integrity. But there is also. Certainly. Attaching to the blessedness. Blessedness. Which Adam and Eve would have enjoyed. In the possession and exercise. Of this obedience. Since there is. Since there is the possibility. There is also. Going along with that. The possibility of. Poverty. The corresponding justification. Of the. Deconstructions. Being. Made of the various. Data. Of revelation. Is to the effect. That God. Added. God added to him. Original creative. That special. Act of providence. And this special. Act of providence. Is indicated by. Prohibition. Respecting. The three of knowledge. Of good and evil. Three of the knowledge. Of good and evil. Genesis 2.17. The prohibition. The three of the knowledge. Now that it is. A special act of providence. Lies on the very special. Act of providence. And therefore an additional. An additional. Already created. In his image. For the institution. Which is indicated by. The purpose. Of this special. Institution. Well again. The. The most reasonable at least. The most reasonable. Inference is. That by. This constitution. There was. Provided for man. Of. Passing on. This. Status. To one. Indefectible. From a state of. Indefectible. And therefore. Unusable blessings. Now in the history of theology. That has been. Stated. In terms of Latin formulae. That there was given to him. The opportunity to pass. From. Acquisition. To one. Possibly. Well it's necessary for me to. Draw your attention. To these Latin formulae. First is. That they are the formulae used. In the discussion of this. Appearance of being very large. Well these formulae. Are very easily interpreted. Possi peccari means. Possibility of sinning. Possi non peccari. And the non possi peccari. Is not. Possible. That is. That he would be elevated. To a condition of indefectible righteousness. And the corresponding. Unusable blessing. That would be the purpose. And the way that. Was instituted by God. Was that of. Subjecting them to. Instrument of this provision. And the purpose. Then of the provision was. As to his unswerving. Commitment. To the will of God. His undeviating. Commitment. To the will of God. Unquestioning. Obedience. To God's revealed will. That of course. Is the supreme test of obedience. In every. Revealed will of God. Out of. Deference. To the will of God. Now the distinguishing character. It is very necessary. Appreciate. The uniqueness. It is an administration. Of innocence. And therefore. An administration. Of reverence only to. This administration. Must never be confused. With the old covenant. The old covenant in scripture. Refers to the Mosaic covenant. The Sinaitic covenant. And the Sinaitic covenant. Is not a repetition. Or a re-production. Of the Adamic administration. The children of Israel. Didn't exist in the Garden of Eden. They didn't have access to. Or the lack of access to. To the tree of knowledge and prudence. They certainly were not innocent. So you see. That this Adamic administration. Refers simply. To Adam and Eve. In their state. Of original integrity. Implication for them. And for all. Who stand. Arising from. Their failure. Continually state. Within the world created. It is a simple. Arising from. Their failure. Continually state. Within the world created. It is a simple fact. That all covenants. With virtue in scripture. All. Covenantal administrations. With virtue in scripture. Are subsequent to. The fallen man. The first. Covenantal. Is that to know of. Genesis 6.18. The first recorded. Genesis 6.18. The first reference to covenant. In scripture. We call the pre-deluvian. Awakened covenant. But all covenant. Administrations. To the fallen man. One way or another. The need. Arising from them. To give the title covenant. Well. So much for that. And of course. There are very. Good men. To deal with them tomorrow.
Adamic Administration - Preliminary Considerations
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John Murray (1898–1975). Born on October 14, 1898, in Badbea, Scotland, John Murray was a Presbyterian theologian and preacher renowned for his Reformed theology. Raised in a devout Free Presbyterian home, he served in World War I with the Black Watch, losing an eye at Arras in 1917. He studied at the University of Glasgow (MA, 1923) and Princeton Theological Seminary (ThB, ThM, 1927), later earning a ThM from New College, Edinburgh. Ordained in 1927, he briefly ministered in Scotland before joining Princeton’s faculty in 1929, then Westminster Theological Seminary in 1930, where he taught systematic theology until 1966. His preaching, marked by precision and reverence, was secondary to his scholarship, though he pastored congregations like First Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. Murray authored Redemption Accomplished and Applied and The Imputation of Adam’s Sin, shaping Reformed thought with clarity on justification and covenant theology. Married to Valerie Knowlton in 1937, he had no children and retired to Scotland, dying on May 8, 1975, in Dornoch. He said, “The fear of God is the soul of godliness.”