Original Sin

"Original Sin"

1. What is "Original" Sin?

The word, "Original" means, first. In this context of first, the question could be put in this way – What is the first sin?

According to the Bible, the first sin on earth is through Adam and Eve when they ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of God and evil where God instructed them not to eat– Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-6.

2. What was the actual (specific) sin committed by Adam and Eve?

The actual (specific) sin committed by them was – “the eating of the forbidden fruit.” They transgressed the law of God – 1 John 3:4. They disobeyed God.

3. What was the result of Adam and Eve’s sin of eating the forbidden fruit in regard to their human nature?

Prior to the eating of the forbidden fruit, they both had sinless natures. After their sin of eating the forbidden fruit, they both inherited a fallen sinful nature. Their inheritance of the fallen sinful nature is the result of their eating of the forbidden fruit. It is the result of their transgression of the law of God. It is the result of their disobedience to God’s law.

4. Cause and Effect (RESULT).

The eating of the forbidden fruit is the CAUSE of their fall and removal from the Garden of Eden. Their inheritance of a fallen sinful nature after their eating of the forbidden fruit is the RESULT.

5. The Fallen Sinful Nature – Is Inheritable.

The fallen sinful nature was first inherited by Adam and Eve as the RESULT of their sin. In turn, they passed this on to all generations to follow. Every human being that is born to earth after the fall of Adam and Eve inherited the fallen sinful nature from them.  We all inherited without a choice. In actual fact, none of us is condemned for inheriting the fallen sinful nature. And none will be shut out of the kingdom for inheriting the fallen sinful nature.

6. Sin of Adam & Eve – Not Inheritable.

The sin of Adam and Eve was not inheritable by any of their children neither by anyone born after their fall. Sin is by choice and anyone who commits sin will reap the wages (penalty) of sin. Adam and Eve were to receive the wages of their sin which is eternal death – Romans 6:23. None of their children were to receive eternal death for the wages of their parents own sins – Ezekiel 18:20. Sin is not inheritable nor passed on from one to another.

Illustration:

If Mr. Smith committed the crime of murder, he will certainly go to jail. His children will not be jailed for their father’s crime committed. Likewise, none of us inherited Adam and Eve’s sin. We all inherited a fallen sinful nature.

7. Is the Fallen Sinful Nature in Itself, Sin? 

Adultery is sin. Murder is sin. Selfishness is sin. But the fallen sinful nature in itself; is NOT sin. Why? It is not the cause of sin. It is the result of Adam and Eve’s sin.

8. Logical reasons as to why the fallen sinful nature is not the cause of sin.

                (i) When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they never had a fallen sinful nature.

                (ii) Sin originated without the presence of the fallen sinful nature.

                (ii) Therefore, their fallen sinful nature cannot be the cause for one to sin.

                (iii)  The fallen sinful nature was the result of their eating of the forbidden fruit.

                (iv) Babies are born without knowing anything, so how can they be sinners without knowing      right from wrong?

                (v) Read the illustration below to clarify further that “the fallen sinful nature is NOT Sin.” 

(vi) Illustration – Bank Robbery by Mr. Bill

Suppose Mr. BILL robbed the bank of $50 million US dollars. He was later found and taken to Court.

In court, JUDGE CARL asks him, “Mr. BILL, what made you to rob the bank?”

Mr. BILL answers and says, “Sir, I had no money. But because I believe that I was born a sinner due to my sinful nature inherited, and I will always be a sinner the rest of my life, I decided to rob it. I cannot say that I will not rob again since I was born a robber till death. Please pardon me because you Mr. JUDGE were born a robber too and you will always be a robber whether you like it or not.”

Question:

1. If you were the JUDGE, would you let Mr. BILL go free? …….

2. What would happen to all the banks IF the JUDGE pardons and frees Mr. BILL? ……

3. Don’t you think all the banks will be robbed faster than expected if the JUDGE frees Mr. BILL from his crime of robbery? ………

Conclusion:

You know very well by logic reasoning alone that the illustration of the bank robbery by Mr. BILL reflects the heresy of believing that “we are born sinners due to our fallen sinful nature.”

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Why this teaching of, “Babies are born sinners,” so evil?  

Let’s us be practical to look at a statement made below by the SDA Church as to how evil it is.

Statement No. 1 

 The SDA Church says, “One does not have to do bad things to be a sinner, and not doing bad things does not make one sinless. In order to be a sinner, all one has to do is to be born.  All of us are born with inherent sinful natures. Mankind is not only born in sin but continues in sin.”   

Source Reference -  Collegiate Lesson Pamphlet, 01 May, 2000, p.50 ( 2nd Quarter, 2000. )

Another way of saying the above statement No.1 by the SDA Church is this:

Indirectly, the SDA Church is saying, "King David does not have to commit adultery with Bathsheba to be an adulterer, and not committing adultery with Bathsheba does not make him less adulterous. In order for King David to be an adulterer, all he has to do is to be born. King David and all of us are born with inherent sinful natures. King David and all mankind is not only born in adultery [*an adulterer] but continues in adultery." 

Statement No. 2

The SDA Church says, “Sin as a State.... Humans are not sinners because they commit sin, but they sin because they are sinners.”

Source Book, “Handbook of Seventh-Day Adventist Theology” Commentary Reference Series, Vol. 12, p.164 – Review & Herald Publishing Association, Hagerstown, MD 21740, [printed in year 2000].

Let's put statement No. 2 above by the SDA Church in a more specific way to see the evilness of the belief.

(i). Indirectly, the SDA Church is saying, "Adultery as a state ... Humans are not adulterers because they commit adultery, but they commit adultery because they are adulterers.” 

(ii). Indirectly, the SDA Church is saying, "Adultery as a state... King David is not an adulterer because he committed adultery with Bathsheba, but he committed adultery because he is an adulterer."

The truth is –

“The fallen sinful nature is not sin, and none who is born with the fallen sinful nature is born a sinner.” No baby that is born with the fallen sinful nature becomes a sinner automatically. “Sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4.

Read topic on - What is Sin?