Articles
Original Sin
In 2 Peter 3:15-16, the apostle tells his readers that Paul had written some difficult texts. He says, “Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him... There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures.” Romans 5 is a prime example of a difficult text that has been twisted and misused. The commentators Jamison, Fausset, and Brown (JFB) have this to say about Romans 5:12-19: “This profound and most weighty section has occasioned an immense deal of critical and theological discussion, in which every point, and almost every clause, has been contested.” It is true that several doctrinal errors are taught citing these verses, most of which are followed in Catholicism and other denominations that follow the teachings of John Calvin. One such falsehood is the very first point and keystone of Calvinism’s acrostic TULIP: total hereditary depravity, or original sin. For example, the Presbyterian Confession of Faith describes this doctrine as follows:
“By this sin (eating the forbidden fruit) they (our first parents) fell from their original righteousness and communion with God, and so became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts of soul and body. They being the root of all mankind, the guilt of this sin was imputed and the same death in sin and corrupted nature conveyed all their posterity descending from them by ordinary generation. From this original corruption whereby we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual transgressions.”
This false doctrine stems from skewed examinations of several Bible texts such as Romans 3, Psalms 51 and 58, Ephesians 2, Romans 5, and many others. Let us examine together Paul’s argument in Romans 5:12-19 and see what the Bible teaches (or does not teach) about total hereditary depravity.
The first statement of this passage states that “just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned...” (v12) There are three parts to this verse: 1. sin came through one man (Adam); 2. death came through sin; 3. death spread to all men because all sinned. Those who follow Calvinistic doctrine would have you believe that because of Adam’s sin, every human from that point on is born in sin. Notice however what the verse actually says: “so death spread... because all sinned,” not “because Adam sinned”. This verse is teaching that spiritual death, the consequence of sin, spreads to every human because every human sins (Romans 3:23). Therefore, when one sins, that person reaps spiritual death, not before! Imagine, if you would, that we are all in a large room with one door. Outside that door is a lion. If one man opened that door and got bit by that lion, does that mean that at the exact same moment everyone else was also bit by that lion? No, it means that eventually that lion will get around to everybody and bite them. That is how sin works. Sin is in the world but does not effect everyone at the same time, although everyone will sin in his lifetime.
Furthermore, verse 14 states that “death reigned...even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam.” If we inherited Adam’s sin, why then does Paul say that death reigned over those whose sin was not like Adam’s? If we all sinned in Adam, then whatever transgression we were born with would be like his sin. There are many scriptures to be accounted for, if every human since Adam was indeed born in sin. Take, for example, the first people born on earth: Cain and Abel. Hebrews 11:4 states that Abel offered to God a better sacrifice “through which he was commended as righteous.” If through Adam’s sin Abel was born “utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil,” how was he able to do anything that resulted in him being “commended as righteous”? Either it was a complete accident, or the original sin doctrine is flawed. Another example to consider from Genesis is found in chapter 6. If mankind is totally wicked at birth, how then did the world in Noah’s time progress worse in sin? Paul also states in II Timothy 3:13 that “evil men...will grow worse and worse.” An interesting thought is presented in Luke 18:15-17 when Jesus tells his disciples regarding little children that “to such belongs the kingdom of God.” Does the kingdom of God really belong to those who are incapable of goodness and totally wicked? Galatians 5:21 teaches that the wicked will not enter the kingdom.
Back in Romans 5, Paul makes a comparison and contrast between Adam and Christ. Verses 15-19 list some of these. We see “life” in Christ contrasted to “death” in Adam. Both came from one and abounded to many; all men are condemned as well as justified; many are made sinners as well as made righteous. If this passage is indeed teaching original sin, it is just as much teaching universal salvation. The truth is, neither of those falsehoods are being taught here. So what is Paul saying? What is his point and how do we clarify? It really is simple. Just as Adam’s sin brought sin into the world, leaving mankind in a hopeless condition and enslaved to sin, Jesus’ act of righteousness, his sacrifice, brought forgiveness and salvation into the world, giving mankind the opportunity to repent and be washed clean of the sins that they committed.
What does the Bible teach about sin and redemption? It teaches that we are responsible for working out our own salvation (Philippians 2:12). It teaches that “the soul who sins shall die... The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself” (Ezekiel 18:20). It teaches that we all will be judged by Christ and will receive our due for what we have done in the body, whether good or evil (I Corinthians 5:10). It also teaches that each person will give an account of himself to God (Romans 14:12). Peter understood that God accepts those who fear Him and do what is right (Acts 10:35), and that God wants all to come to repentance (II Peter 3:9). Paul knew that God our Savior desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (I Timothy 2:4-5). Solomon would not have said that man's all was to fear God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13), if it were impossible to do. Nor would he say that God will bring every deed into judgment whether good or evil, if we were unable to do any good deeds (Ecc. 12:14).
“...One act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.” “...By the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.” “...Grace might reign...leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:18-21). Thanks be to God our Savior for his love towards us, that his Son's sacrifice of righteousness can save us from the sins we commit!
