Does the Bible teach the doctrine of "original sin?" Most all Christian denominations teach that we are born sinners because Adam's sin is imputed to us. Some denominations such as the Church of the Nazarene, other holiness churches, and some Pentecostal groups believe that original sin is removed when one is entirely sanctified as a second work of grace. The question is, do we sin because we are sinners, or are we sinners because we sin? The former question assumes that we have original sin while the latter does not. In discussing Adam and Eve, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin said the following:
"In Christian theology this story of disobedience became the Original Sin with which all of mankind was permanently stained. But Jews have never regarded it with the same seriousness. It was an act of defiance, to be sure, and because it transgressed God's command, it was sin. But the idea that every child is born damned for that sin is alien to Jewish thought."
Here are some questions:
1. If Adam's and Eve's original sin was passed on to us, were the rest of their sins also passed down to us? If not, why not (from the Scriptures)?
2. In Genesis 4, when God is speaking to Cain, He tells him that sin is outside the door. Why does God tell Cain that sin is outside the door as opposed to inside him if he was born with a sinful nature?
3. Do you believe that infants are born damned?
Let me know what you think.
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Tsade
1 day ago
6 comments:
This one point of theology could crumble many walls of separation. The condition of "original sin" and what to do with it has plagued church theology throughout history. How many have "failed" because they believed they could not overcome their "sin nature" and gave up. What if we only had to "guard our door" to keep sin out?
I believe that we have a choice to sin or not sin. If we want a close relationship with G_d we will want to please Him and not our selves first. Sin is not loving to G_d. So we have a choice I do not believe that we are born with sin, even though I was born with that teaching.
Just for clarification, as I ponder this point...what shall we say about this verse given the article and the comments thus far:
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world,
and death by sin;
and so death passed upon all men,
for that all have sinned:
Romans 5:12?
It seems here, unless the translation is bogus, that the 'all have sinned' means that at least up until that point, every single person had sinned...and further it might be implied that the meaning could be taken that all WOULD sin, hence the need for all to receive salvation through Christ. If even as a child we have the ability, and the power before salvation NOT to sin...how is it that there has never been one, save Yeshua, that has not sinned? And why the need for salvation for ALL when it might appear that some can escape the act of sin, if indeed we are not born with it?
Romans 5:12 says that sin entered the world through one man and death then was passed on, but it doesn't say that sin was passed on. The issue is not whether man has sinned, but whether he had the free will not to sin. Augustine said that man could not not sin. He didn't have the free will not to sin. As a result of the doctrine of original sin, other doctrines had to be created such as election. It is no surprise that Augustine's teachings forms the basis the doctrine of election from Calvinistic view. The point is not whether you sin, but instead, do you sin because you are a sinner or are you a sinner because you sin. Augustine would go with the first option and say that man sins because he has a sinful nature and he must sin. JMO
Seems to me that we have a choice not to sin, but all except one have failed to choose correctly. God knew this as well, which begs the question was it really a choice; which I think it is. The rub is that we still have that choice on the other side of conversion/grace, which choice unfortunately does not appear to be gamed to the benefit of God and/or the "disciple". Hopelessly abandoning responsibility for poor choices was NOT what I believe God has in mind for the "overcoming" believer, "no one is perfect..." The consequences of sin certainly pass on, the learned poor choices pass on as well; good or poor theology notwithstanding.. .
If we were all born into sin then wouldn't Christ been born into sin also? He did not have the curse of man on him because of his divine conception but he was born into the same world. Christ however chose not to sin and was able to complete his work. It is my opinion that we are Sinners because we sin and not that we sin because we are born sinners.
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