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Orthodox Doctrine (Summary of Christian Divinity)
Metropolitan Platon of Moscow, tr. Pinkerton, 1814
15. Part 1, Section 15: Man is Therefore in an Imperfect State
From the foregoing section every one will see, that man is not now in that state of perfection in which he was created by his Maker.
In Section VII. we have said, that God created man according to his own image and likeness, that is, in wisdom, holiness, innocence, inclined to good, and adorned with other perfections. But as we have formerly observed, that we do not now behold man in this blessed state, consequently, he is in a worse condition, than that in which he was created by his Maker. And who would dare to suppose, that the infinitely wise and good God originally created man with such weaknesses and imperfections as we now lament in him? Hence, we are unavoidably led to confess, that man has wilfully lost that which is called in the Holy Scriptures the image and likeness of God, with which he was endowed; for we shall shew hereafter, that this was not the result of mere chance. The Holy Scriptures put us particularly in remembrance of man’s fallen state: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Rom. iii. 23.