Original Sin

I must say that I don't know much about the doctrine of original sin. Sometimes I have come across some verses that seem to disprove this theory entirely, but I know that many people believe in it. So, what's your personal opinion about this topic? Which verses would you cite to support (or disprove) this doctrine?Is it an important doctrine?
 
I don't understand why someone would have to pay a penalty for something that someone else did long ago. Maybe someone can explain this.
 
I don't understand why someone would have to pay a penalty for something that someone else did long ago. Maybe someone can explain this.

It can be explained as I have heard it many times, that sin became part of our DNA through Adam. It is in the race of man throughout. The only way we can be redeemed from that curse is to receive God's forgiveness and put on Jesus' righteousness---a free gift from God.
 
I think that some people use this verse when it comes to original sin: Romans 5:12. However, this verse states that sin came to all people because all people sinned. This seems to contradict the doctrine of original sin which, as far as I now, states that we are all sinners even from the womb.
 
In a secular sense, I tend to relate to it in terms of individualism, collectivism….

A national debt borrowed generations ago, are being paid by current generation…
Or “atrocities of war” committed by a generation ago, financial war reparations is being paid by the current generation...

On an individual point of view: it may seem unjust…
But for a collective, as a nation: examples mentioned above is a generally accepted practice….
 
I hope we can all agree that the Bible establishes these 3 points:
> Sin is "breaking God's law" (1 John 3:4)
> Sinful Nature is an idea that means exactly what it implies: "a propensity or inclination to break God's law".
> Adam's fallen nature and condemnation for his sin were passed along to his posterity.

Question: Though we yet possess Adam's sinful nature, are we as of yet born under the guilt an condemnation of his sin?
The answer to this question is the source of the explosive controversy that exists b/c of the implications regarding salvation:

Those who would answer "Yes" are essentially claiming that the guilt of sin has to do with a condition we are born in and has little or nothing to do with the choices we make, and "since I had nothing to do with winding up condemned, I have nothing to do with my deliverance from condemnation." The Ten Commandments for these generally become the Ten Suggestions.

Conversely, those who would answer "No" believe that the "Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world" stepped in and took the condemnation of Adam and his posterity upon Himself the instant it passed to us when He covenanted with the Father to one day come and pay the penalty of sin for us. These essentially claim that sin is a choice, not a condition, and deliverance from the guilt of which my own sinful choices condemn me is dependent on my faith in Jesus as my Savior and my choice to surrender my will to Him as my Lord.
 
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I must say that I don't know much about the doctrine of original sin. Sometimes I have come across some verses that seem to disprove this theory entirely, but I know that many people believe in it. So, what's your personal opinion about this topic? Which verses would you cite to support (or disprove) this doctrine?Is it an important doctrine?

Sure thing brother.

The term “original sin” deals with Adam’s sin of disobedience in eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and its effects upon the rest of the human race.

The doctrine of original sin focuses particularly on its effects on our nature and our standing before God, even before we are old enough to commit conscious sin.

The act itself comes from "imputation".

Romans 5:12–13 (ESV)
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no ...

This was made possible by the fact that Adam was the "Federal Headship" of all humanity. In other words, what He did as our leader then, affected all the actions of humanity from then to now.

Adam’s sin has resulted in the rest of mankind inheriting a propensity to sin, commonly referred to as having a “sin nature.” This sin nature causes us to sin in the same way that a cat’s nature causes it to meow—it comes naturally. According to this view, man cannot stop sinning on his own; that is why God gives a universal grace to all to enable us to stop.

Not only was Adam found guilty because he sinned, but his guilt and his punishment (death) belongs to us as well (Romans 5:12, 19). There are two views as to why Adam’s guilt should be seen by God as also belonging to us. The first view states that the human race was within Adam in seed form; thus when Adam sinned, we sinned in him. This is similar to the biblical teaching that Levi (a descendant of Abraham) paid tithes to Melchizedek in Abraham (Genesis 14:20; Hebrews 7:4-9), even though Levi was not born until hundreds of years later. The other main view is that Adam served as our representative and so, when he sinned, we were found guilty as well.(Federal headship).
 
Sure thing brother.

The term “original sin” deals with Adam’s sin of disobedience in eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and its effects upon the rest of the human race.

The doctrine of original sin focuses particularly on its effects on our nature and our standing before God, even before we are old enough to commit conscious sin.

The act itself comes from "imputation".

Romans 5:12–13 (ESV)
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no ...

This was made possible by the fact that Adam was the "Federal Headship" of all humanity. In other words, what He did as our leader then, affected all the actions of humanity from then to now.

Adam’s sin has resulted in the rest of mankind inheriting a propensity to sin, commonly referred to as having a “sin nature.” This sin nature causes us to sin in the same way that a cat’s nature causes it to meow—it comes naturally. According to this view, man cannot stop sinning on his own; that is why God gives a universal grace to all to enable us to stop.

Not only was Adam found guilty because he sinned, but his guilt and his punishment (death) belongs to us as well (Romans 5:12, 19). There are two views as to why Adam’s guilt should be seen by God as also belonging to us. The first view states that the human race was within Adam in seed form; thus when Adam sinned, we sinned in him. This is similar to the biblical teaching that Levi (a descendant of Abraham) paid tithes to Melchizedek in Abraham (Genesis 14:20; Hebrews 7:4-9), even though Levi was not born until hundreds of years later. The other main view is that Adam served as our representative and so, when he sinned, we were found guilty as well.(Federal headship).

Thanks. And what about the fact that Romans 5:12 says "death spread to all men because all sinned"? This seems to me to suggest that we are not born condemned.
 
Scripture (Genesis) is pretty clear on this point - the tree of knowledge of good AND evil - opened all humankind to knowledge of evil. In eating the fruit, man disobeyed God, the consequences of which was physical death and a portal open to the slavery of evil. A bell that could not be unwrung except thru Christ. We are what Adam ate because we all descend from him. It's part of the dna - all humans die.
 
Scripture (Genesis) is pretty clear on this point - the tree of knowledge of good AND evil - opened all humankind to knowledge of evil. In eating the fruit, man disobeyed God, the consequences of which was physical death and a portal open to the slavery of evil. A bell that could not be unwrung except thru Christ. We are what Adam ate because we all descend from him. It's part of the dna - all humans die.

That's right. Our fallen nature is inherited, as our image of the Godhead is now marred by sin passed down through Adam..
 
It is true that our nature is sinful and we were born in that way (we know that from our life experience). However, is our relationship with God broken from the moment of our conception? Are we condemned from the moment of our conception?
 
It is true that our nature is sinful and we were born in that way (we know that from our life experience). However, is our relationship with God broken from the moment of our conception? Are we condemned from the moment of our conception?

Original Sin separated ALL of us from God. How we manage that relationship, once we are conscious, is on us. A lot of denominations do infant baptism for just born children for precisely this reason. (Not trying to start a fight - just saying). Personally, I think there should be 2 baptisms; one for children and one for adults.
 
I must say that I don't know much about the doctrine of original sin. Sometimes I have come across some verses that seem to disprove this theory entirely, but I know that many people believe in it. So, what's your personal opinion about this topic? Which verses would you cite to support (or disprove) this doctrine?Is it an important doctrine?
I believe in original sin.. Because if we don't believe in original sin, then how can we believe that Jesus can take away our sins? Jesus is called as last Adam in the Bible.. Adam is kind of representation of entire human race.. When he fell, entire mankind fell with him.. Jesus is the last Adam.. He was sinless.. Through the finished work of sinless Christ at cross, we are also justified..
 
Thanks. And what about the fact that Romans 5:12 says "death spread to all men because all sinned"? This seems to me to suggest that we are not born condemned.

Genesis 3 makes it clear that this one man, Adam, brought sin to the human race by disobedience. It was not the ins of Adam's life time, but the one original sin which allowed death, sin's close friend to enter the world with it. Five times in Rom. 5:15-19 the principle of one sin by one man is asserted. One act of disobedience to God was all that was needed to allow sin to enter and permeate the entire realm of humanity........"for that all have sinned".
 
It is true that our nature is sinful and we were born in that way (we know that from our life experience). However, is our relationship with God broken from the moment of our conception? Are we condemned from the moment of our conception?

Psalms 51:5
English Standard Version
"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me."

How do you understand that verse?

It can not be intelligently denied that David here is speaking of original sin. He claims that the source of his life is just as polluted as its streams. He has a natural bent from birth towards sin as do we all.

Given the option, we would choose wrong every single time.

David IMO is speaking of "Congenital depravity."
 
When my husband left the church and joined another, I thought I would join, too. They had a statement that I had to agree with in order to join. Part of it said that everyone is born in sin, and they used David's psalm to prove it. Well, of course, that proves nothing about anyone other than David, and I did not believe in original sin, so I could not sign and did not join. Instead, I went home and studied it the idea.

Some tried to prove it by bringing up infants' crying, kicking, and waving their hands, which was ridiculous. That is the only way a baby has of communicating; shall we say they sin by communicating needs? (I've seen a lot of preachers doing similar things!)

By the end of my study, I found several Scriptures that support that we are all born in sin, but David's statement of being born in sin cannot legitimately be one of them.
 
Psalms 51:5
English Standard Version
"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me."

How do you understand that verse?

It can not be intelligently denied that David here is speaking of original sin. He claims that the source of his life is just as polluted as its streams. He has a natural bent from birth towards sin as do we all.

Given the option, we would choose wrong every single time.

David IMO is speaking of "Congenital depravity."

That's an interesting verse. Yes.
 
Original Sin separated ALL of us from God. How we manage that relationship, once we are conscious, is on us. A lot of denominations do infant baptism for just born children for precisely this reason. (Not trying to start a fight - just saying). Personally, I think there should be 2 baptisms; one for children and one for adults.

Not so my dear. What good is water baptism is it has no meaning to the one being baptized. It is clear that we are saved by a "conscious" choice for Christ not a water baptism.
 
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