When we preach in the open air, original sin, sinful nature, and once saved always saved doctrines consistently permeate the crowd no matter where we go or to whom we preach. Sinners seek to justify themselves and others with these false doctrines in the light of holiness preaching. I came across this blogpost of a man who was a Christian born again from the age of 18. He was well studied earning several theological degrees. But, alas he did not persevere to the end, even denying His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2 Pet 2:1
But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
http://formerfundy.blogspot.com/2010/03/original-sin-and-infant-salvation.html
He writes, “One of the difficulties within evangelical theology relates to what happens to infants when they die. Because evangelicals believe in original sin, they believe that infants are born corrupt and sinful.”
Not all evangelicals believe in original sin. Though we do know that most hold to this hideous doctrine. We don’t believe that God makes baby sinners but that they are made in His image.
1 Cor 11:7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.
We also believe that God makes them perfect and they have not done good or evil.
Ps 139:13-15 For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Babies are wonderfully made? If original sin is true, then God would be the very cause of all the lying, murders, rapes, etc in this world. Where is the sin that God puts in, or allows from Adam’s blood to corrupt the child in utero?
Rom 9:11 “for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil,…”
As Christians we must be willing to examine every doctrine or tradition we have been taught in ‘Christendom’ in light of the Holy Spirit teaching us all things from the Holy Bible.
A few rhetorical questions for the reader to ponder:
1. How could a Holy God make everyone sinners without making Himself unholy?
2. How does it make sense that God would create humans in a sinful state which He must eternally destroy on Judgment day?
3. If God stated that He tempts no man, how could he make us sinners from birth without putting a stumbling block before humanity?
4. Wouldn’t Satan desire to propagate such a doctrine that pleases mankind to justify himself in his sin and falsely accuses God throughout this age?
5. Why would Jesus tell people to, “Go and sin no more…” If He created the problem of sin in the first place?
6. Is God double minded that He in His sovereignty creates a problem He must cure with the blood of Jesus?
7. Was Jesus born a sinner? Was He not born in the flesh as we are, yet without sin? If Jesus was not born a sinner, does the Romish doctrine of immaculate conception apply here?
8. If babies are born sinners and the child dies before being born again of the Holy Spirit, do they go to eternal fire?
9. Didn’t Jesus teach that we should become like ‘children’ to enter the Kingdom of God? Why promote that idea if children are just sinners that He made to destroy?
The history of this false doctrine is clear. ‘Saint’ Augustine of Hippo, formally a Manichean gnostic originated this devilish doctrine and Calvin perfected it many centuries later. I think vast multitudes of true believers have fallen for this deception which falsely accuses God and excuses sinners.
With such an important topic as this I believe there needs to be given more scriptural support and less reasoning.
Thanks for your comment Tim. Yes, I agree on both your points. These Quick Bits posts are to spur dialogue and thinking with short bites of Scriptures, reasoning, etc. So, in light of that I encourage you to offer any and all of the Scripture you would like to add according to your view in this comments section. May the Lord bless you!
The picture is nice, but it makes reading the text very difficult. I read the first sentence and quit.
Not sure why you are having this problem Broey. Maybe you could scroll until the picture is out of sight of your screen. Thanks for the feedback.
After I posted my comment, the full text came up over white background. I read the post and think it is a very good post. God is good in every way. He cannot be evil in action and still claim to be good.
So do you deny that the sin of Adam has had an effect on the world and humanity? How do you understand Romans chapter 5?
The doctrine of original sin doesn’t necessarily mean inherited guilt… It does for most protestants and particularly Calvinists who traditionally have adopted Augustine’s view entirely and out of context, but that’s not the only definition of “original sin”.
Benjamin, sure I agree that the sin of Adam has introduced evil into the world. But, Rom 5:12-21 does not prove what Augustine or you are trying to say. Rom 5:12 states, “…all sinned.” It does not say, “…all sinned in Adam.” What is your definition of ‘original sin’?
John, thanks for your response. I tend to agree that “all sinned” refers to personal sins, not that all are being held guilty of Adams sin. What I was referring to was the idea of sin/death entering the world by one man (Adam) and impacting everyone (the natural world now being in a fallen state).
My short definition of the state of Original sin is absence of grace.
Explaining- because of the sin of Adam, sin entered the world and disfigured it and also alienated man from God. The damage of Adams disobedience, has been restored by Christ and his obedience. “ For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (v19). But this has to be applied to individuals. I do not believe in ‘total depravity’ or those versions of original sin which include imputing the guilt of Adam to his descendants. But rather, to put it somewhat crudely, that it is the natural state which includes a lack of communion between the soul and God/supernatural life of God within the soul.
It seems to me that to deny original sin implies that it is at least theoretically possible for someone to live their life without sinning and be perfect, purely by choice.
Thanks for your reply Benjamin, sorry for the prolonged response, unsure how I missed it. The damage of Adam’s disobedience has not been completely restored by Christ, yet. Some of the major effects of Adam’s sin were: 1. separation of mankind from God. 2. We no longer have access to the tree of life, which shows up again in the New Kingdom of Christ. 3. The world is naturally effected by the curses of God upon them 4. There is a natural and spiritual death both of which are consequences of Adam’s choice but each person is spiritually separated when they choose.
God does not listen to sinners because of the problem of their willful rebellion. Is 59:1-2
To answer your last point about the theory that someone might live perfectly sinless we know that God has stated in His foreknowledge, all sinned. Not because they weren’t able to choose to live holy, but because the flesh is weak, the devils and the world have great influence, all of mankind has submitted to sin. Jesus came in the flesh(Gr. sarx) and yet lived without sinning. He is familiar with our temptations and has now by the Holy Spirit giv us a way of escape. 1 Cor 10:13
Here is a teaching I did on the subject of temptations. Perhaps you could read through that and give me your thoughts as well.
May the Lord bless you..
Thanks for your reply Benjamin, sorry for the prolonged response, unsure how I missed it. The damage of Adam’s disobedience has not been completely restored by Christ, yet. Some of the major effects of Adam’s sin were: 1. separation of mankind from God. 2. We no longer have access to the tree of life, which shows up again in the New Kingdom of Christ. 3. The world is naturally effected by the curses of God upon them 4. There is a natural and spiritual death both of which are consequences of Adam’s choice but each person is spiritually separated when they choose.
God does not listen to sinners because of the problem of their willful rebellion. Is 59:1-2
To answer your last point about the theory that someone might live perfectly sinless we know that God has stated in His foreknowledge, all sinned. Not because they weren’t able to choose to live holy, but because the flesh is weak, the devils and the world have great influence, all of mankind has submitted to sin. Jesus came in the flesh(Gr. sarx) and yet lived without sinning. He is familiar with our temptations and has now by the Holy Spirit giving us a way of escape. 1 Cor 10:13
Here is a teaching I did on the subject of temptations. Perhaps you could read through that and give me your thoughts as well.
https://johnmcglone.wordpress.com/2014/09/02/doctrine-of-temptations/
May the Lord bless you..