The Westminster Confession (Chapter VI) teaches that Adam's sin brought guilt and corruption upon all his posterity. This includes both the imputation of Adam's first sin to all his descendants (following the federal headship of Adam in the covenant of works) and the inheritance of a corrupted nature — total depravity — in which the will is bound by sin and incapable of spiritual good. The Shorter Catechism (Q&A 18) defines the sin of our first parents as bringing upon 'all mankind the penalty of sin: the loss of communion with God, the displeasure and curse of God, and so all miseries in this life, death itself, and the pains of hell forever.'

The federal or covenantal framework is distinctive to Westminster Presbyterianism: Adam's guilt is imputed to all his posterity because he acted as their covenant head. This is parallel to Christ's righteousness being imputed to the elect because he acts as their covenant head in the covenant of grace. The careful parallelism between Adam and Christ (Romans 5:12–21) governs Westminster anthropology and soteriology together.