All Bible quotations are from the authorized King James Version
Very mistaken men teach a monstrous doctrine: that little babies open their eyes in this world as sinners, under the wrath of God, and condemned to the everlasting punishment of hell. They teach that new born babies who die without baptism will go into the "torments of hell forever." They take Bible texts from their context in order to teach this. One of the Bible texts that they use to support this horrible dogma is Ephesians 2:3: "…and were by nature the children of wrath."
We will examine this text in its context later (along with other texts that they take out of context); but now I want to present more than one hundred texts from the Bible that show that little babies are created upright and in the image and likeness of God, and that it is impossible for them to be sinners until they have reached the "age of accountability" and know the difference between good and evil.
Jesus Taught That Little Children Are Without Sin
Jesus taught that little children are without sin and belong to the kingdom of heaven:
"And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 18:3
"But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 19:14
"And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them and blessed them." Mark 10:13-16
"But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein." Luke 18:16-17
Mark 10:16 says: "And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them." These were innocent little children and not sinners under the wrath of God. And Jesus did not say that they were sinners and enemies of God, but he said, "of such is the kingdom of God."
The Bible Says That Men Are Created Upright And Without Sin
The Bible says that God has created man good and upright, in his own image and likeness, and without sin:
"God hath made man upright." Ecclesiastes 7:29
"God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…And God saw everything that he had made, and…it was very good." Gen. 1:26, 31
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." Genesis 1:27
"Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." Genesis 9:6
"Man…is the image and glory of God." I Corinthians 11:7
"Men, which are made after the similitude of God." James 3:9
It Is Impossible For God To Create A Sinful Being
Throughout the Bible God affirms that he is our Creator. It is impossible for God to create a sinful being!
"Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?" Job 31:15
"Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?" Malachi 2:10
"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them…And God saw every thing that he had made, and , behold, it was very good." Genesis 1:26, 27, 31
"Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture." Psalm 100:3
"Thy hands have made me and fashioned me." Psalm 119:73
"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth." Ecclesiastes 12:1
"Man…is the image and glory of God." I Corinthians 11:7
"Men…are made after the similitude of God." James 3:9
"The Lord…formeth the spirit of man within him." Zechariah 12:1
"The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." Job 33:4
"God that made the world and all things therein…seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men…For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God…" Acts 17:24-26, 28-29
"I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." Revelation 22:16
"Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions." Ecclesiastes 7:29
This last text not only afirms that God has created man, but also affirms that man is created upright. If man is created upright, he cannot be born a sinner; if man is born a sinner, he cannot be created upright. Either one or the other may be true, but they cannot both be true for the two are contradictories. But when God says he has created us "in his image," and has given us "life and breath and all things," are we to understand that he created us as sinners? When he says, "We are his offspring," are we to understand that his offspring are born sinners? And when Jesus said, "I am the root and the offspring of David," are we to understand that David sprang forth from the root Christ Jesus with a sinful nature? Or, are we to understand that Jesus, as the offspring of David, was born with a sinful nature? We know that Jesus did not create David a sinner, and we know that Jesus was not born a sinner as the offspring of David--which would have to be true if the doctrine that men are born sinners were true. The doctrine that men are born sinners is false!
Men Sin Against The Good Nature With Which God Created Them
The Bible declares that men, having been created upright and in the image of God, have corrupted themselves and sinned against the good nature that God created them with:
"Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions." Ecclesiastes 7:29
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him…And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." Genesis 1:27, 31
And, then:
"Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?…she gave me…and I did eat." Genesis 3:11-12
"And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth…for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth." Genesis 6:7, 12
"They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one." Psalm 14:1-3
"Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." Psalm 53:3
"Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But ye shall die like men (because of your sins), and fall like one of the princes." Psalm 82:6-7
"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth…And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth." Genesis 6:5-7, 11-12
"(They) have corrupted themselves; They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it." Exodus 32:7-8
"For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you." Deut. 31:29
"They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation. Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?…Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee." Deuteronomy 32:5-6, 18
Children Have No Knowledge Of Good And Evil At Birth
The Bible teaches that children cannot be sinners and guilty and condemned at birth, for they do not yet know the difference between good and evil, and have not yet come to the "age of accountability":
"Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it." Deuteronomy 1:39
"Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings." Isaiah 7:15-16
"For the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth." Genesis 8:21
These verses prove that babies are born innocent. Everybody knows that babies know nothing when they are born. They do not know right from wrong. They do not know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. They do not have evil imaginations of the heart. The Bible says that the "imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth," not from his birth. It is only when children know to refuse the evil and choose the good that they can have evil intentions, evil purposes, or evil choices of the heart. Until they know right from wrong, their actions have no moral character, they can do neither good nor evil, and they are innocent before God. The Bible teaches that children must reach the "age of accountability" before they can commit sin.
No Man Can Be Guilty For A Sin He Did Not Commit
The Bible says that man is guilty for his own sins and for his own sins alone. He is not guilty, and cannot be guilty, for the sin of Adam or any other man:
"The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father; neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." Ezekiel 18:20
"The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin." Deuteronomy 24:16
"Far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked. That be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Genesis 18:25
"What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. Behold all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth it shall die…The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father; neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." Ezekiel 18:2-4, 20
"He shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did all that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die for his iniquity. Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father; neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." Ezekiel 18:17-20
"But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin." II Chronicles 25:4
"Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?…Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin." Ezekiel 18:25, 29-30
"The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Ezekiel 18:4
"I will judge every one according to his ways." Ezekiel 18:30
The Nature We Are Born With Teaches Us To Reject Evil And Choose Good
The Bible teaches that the nature God has created us with is a good nature that teaches us the difference between good and evil and urges us to choose the good and refuse the evil:
"That he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good." Isaiah 7:15
"Before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good…" Isaiah 7:16
"When the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another." Romans 2:14-15
This last text describes the good and upright nature that God has created us with. It describes the rational moral nature that God has given us. It tells us that, having been created in the image and likeness of God, we are not like the dumb beasts of the field. We are like God; we are rational moral beings with "the law of God written in our hearts." Every human being, when he has come to the "age of accountability" and has a knowledge of good and evil, and knows to choose the good and refuse the evil, has the law of God written in his heart. He has a conscience that bears witness to him of the moral character of his actions, he has thoughts that accuse him when he does evil, and thoughts that excuse him when he does good:
"For when the Gentiles, which have not the law (the written law), do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another; in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men (the hidden evil thoughts and intents of the hearts of men who have trampled the voice of conscience and reason) by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." Romans 2:14-16
This text describes the rational moral nature that God has endowed all mankind with: a rational moral nature that teaches us the difference between good and evil, that urges us to choose the good and refuse the evil, and that men must go against in order to sin. Men do not sin by nature. They obey God by nature:
"For when the Gentiles, which have not the law (the written law), do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves, which show the work of the law written in their hearts." Romans 2:14-15
Men Must Go Against Their Nature To Sin
Now we will look at texts from the Bible that teach us that all disobedience to God's law goes against the nature God has created us with. We must repeat Romans 2:14-15 because every time we sin, whatever that sin may be, we are sinning against the law of God written in our hearts. And this is a sin against our nature. All sin is against our nature. All righteouness conforms to our nature:
"(They) do by nature the things contained in the law." Romans 2:14
(They) show the work of the law written in their hearts." Romans 2:15
"For even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature." Romans 1:26
"And likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lusts one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly." Romans 1:27
"But what they know naturally (know by nature)…in those things they corrupt themselves. Jude 10
Homosexuals Are Not Born Homosexuals
Homosexuals often cover and excuse their evil acts of perversion by saying they were born homosexuals. And if the teaching is true that men are born with a sinful nature, homosexuals are right to say they were born homosexuals. For they were born homosexuals if they were born sinners. Also they are right to excuse their evil acts of perversion. For if they were born sinners, they were born homosexuals; and if they were born homosexuals they can no more be blamed for their evil acts of perversion than the brute beasts can be blamed for being born brute beasts. Likewise the alcoholic cannot be blamed for his drinking if it is true he was born with the "disease of alcoholism." In fact the murderer, the rapist, and all other sinners have a perfect and legitimate excuse for all their sins if they were born with a sinful nature. But God never excuses the murderer or the drunkard or the rapist or the homosexual or any other sinner for his sins. For God created all men with a good nature, and for men to sin they must go against their nature: they must sin against nature. All sin is a corruption of man's nature, it is a perversion of man's nature. It is rebellion against our nature--it is rebellion against the "law of God written in our hearts" and against the God who has written his law in our hearts. No man is born a sinner. No man is born with the "disease of alcoholism." No man is born a homosexual:
"Even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature." Romans 1:26
"Also the men leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lusts one toward another." Romans 1:27
"Neither shalt thou lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion." Leviticus 19:22-23
"God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions." Ecclesiastes 7:29
All Sin Is Voluntary. There Is No Involuntary Sin.
The Bible teaches that every sin is a free and voluntary act. There is no involuntary sin. Man must will evil and choose evil before he can be a sinner. He cannot be born a sinner, for he has no choice in his birth. The idea that man can be a sinner without a voluntary act of his own will is completely contrary to the Bible. Man must voluntarily choose evil before he can be a sinner:
"That he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good…"Isaiah 7:15-16
"Choose you this day whom ye will serve…" Joshua 24:15
"Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations…they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not. Isaiah 66:3-4
"And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart (that which he thought and chose to do in his heart) was only evil continually." Genesis 6:5
"For the imagination of man's heart (that which he thinks and chooses to do in his heart) is evil from his youth." Genesis 8:21
It Is Blasphemy Against The Character Of God
The very idea that God would create man a sinner is a monstrous blasphemy against the holy and righteous character of God. God is perfect in justice, holiness, and love. And it would be the greatest injustice possible to create men sinners and then condemn them to hell for the nature that he himself had created them with. God is perfect and could never work such injustice:
"I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation. Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee and established thee?…Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee." Deut. 32:3-6, 18
This text affirms that God has had nothing to do with the sins of his people: he did not create them sinners; he is holy, just, and righteous and cannot work evil, falsehood, or injustice: "His work is perfect, all his ways are judgment, he is a God of truth and without iniquity, he is just and right." He has not created his children with sin. His children have corrupted themselves!
SIX PROOF-TEXTS EXAMINED
Now, I am going to turn aside for a while from the more than 100 Bible texts that show the doctrine of original sin to be unbiblical and false, and respond to six texts that are taken out of context to support the doctrine that men are born sinners. These texts, when they are taken in their context, do not teach that men are born sinners. On the contrary, they agree with and teach what the whole Bible teaches, that men are created good and upright and in the image and likeness of God.
First Proof-text Examined
1. Psalm 51:5: "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me."
This text is not literal, it is figurative. For example, let us compare Psalm 5l:5 with Job 1:21: "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither."
If Psalm 51:5 can be interpreted literally to teach the doctrine that David and all other men are born sinners, then Job 1:21 can also be interpreted literally to teach the doctrine that Job and all other men will go back into their mother's womb: "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither."
Neither Psalm 5l:5 nor Job 1:21 should be understood literally. Both texts are figurative expressions. The same rules of interpretation that would permit Psalm 51:5 to teach that little babies are born sinners, if they were also applied to Job 1:21 (or if they were applied to many other passages from the Bible), would permit every kind of perverted and absurd interpretation of the Word of God.
David was not teaching in this passage that he was born a sinner (which would have been an excuse for his sins in a Psalm which was clearly a Psalm of confession). On the contrary, he was confessing the great magnitude and guilt of the sin he had committed; and he broke out in the language of strong feeling and emotion--the language of figure and symbol--to express the monstrousness of his sin: "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me."
The Psalmist David uses figurative language throughout his Psalms; and he uses several figurative expressions in Psalm 51. Verses five, seven, and eight of Psalm 51 are all figurative expressions. So that if verse five can be used to teach the doctrine that babies are born sinners, then also verse seven can be used to teach the doctrine that hyssop cleanses us from sin:
"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean." Psalm 51:7
Also, verse eight can be used to teach the doctrine that God breaks the bones of the Christian when he sins, and that his broken bones rejoice when he is forgiven:
"Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice." Psalm 51:8
And another Psalm, Psalm 58:3, can be used to teach the astonishing doctrine that all babies talk and tell lies from the very moment of their birth:
"The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies." Psalm 58:3
But, who would teach from this last text the doctrine that babies really do speak as soon as they are born? None of these passages should be taken literally. They are all figurative expressions. If they were taken in their literal sense, they would all teach what we know to be contrary to reality and impossible: Men do not enter again into their mother's womb. Hyssop does not purify our sins. Babies do not start speaking as soon as they come out of the womb. And babies are not born sinners!
Second Proof-text Examined
2. Psalm 58:3: "The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies."
This text is supposed to teach that babies are born sinners; but like Psalm 51:5 it is figurative and not literal. If it were literal, it would teach that babies speak and tell lies as soon as they are born, and that they alienate themselves from God and go astray from him immediately upon coming out of the womb.
But all of this is clearly contrary to reality. We know that babies do not do any of these things at birth. Therefore it is clear that this language is not to be understood literally. If this verse taught that Babies literally came forth from their mother's womb "estranged from God," it would contradict other passages from the Bible that teach that babies are not "estranged from God" at birth. John the baptist was not "estranged from God from his mother's womb." On the contrary, the angel who announced his birth said, "He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb." Luke 1:15. This fact is hard to reconcile with a literal interpretation of Psalms 51:5 and 58:3. Job also testified that he was a guide to the widow "from his mother's womb." Job 31:18. Job obviously did not mean that from the moment he was a helpless newborn infant that he had been ministering to the needs of the widow. Also, the Psalmist David himself testified that God had been his help "from the womb." Psalm 71:6. It is easy to see that the phrase "from the womb" is often used in a figurative sense and should not always be understood in its literal sense.
Third Proof-text Examined
3. Ephesians 2:3: "And were by nature the children of wrath."
This text is torn completely from its context to teach the horrifying doctrine that little babies are sinners, and condemned and under the wrath of God from birth!
But the word "nature" in this text has nothing to do with "birth" and neither does it have anything to do with "babies." It is speaking of adults and it is speaking of the wicked character of adults. This is clearly evident from its context. The context of Ephesians 2:3 shows that Paul was not speaking of the "birth" of children at all when he used the word "nature." On the contrary, he used the word "nature" to describe the wicked character and the wicked works of men before they were converted.
For example, he calls the attention of the believers in Ephesians 2:1-2 to the fact that before their conversion they had lived in trespasses and sins, and walked in every kind of wickedness, in company with other sinners: "Ye were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." Then, he continues in verse three speaking of their participation with other sinners in carnality and wickedness: "Among whom also we all had our conversation in time past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature (were by our past wicked works) the children of wrath even as others."
It was only after he had described their past life of wicked works that he summed up the guilt and ill desert of their past life with the words: "And WERE by nature the children of wrath, even as others."
We know by the immediate context of this text (as well as the context of the whole Bible) that Ephesians 2:3 is not speaking of being born a sinner or being born under the wrath of God. The immediate context and the context of the whole Bible teaches us that we Christians "were by nature" (were by our past wicked works) the children of wrath, just like the rest of the world that is still living in sin." Eph. 2:3
The word "nature" in the Bible, when it refers to what we are by birth, never refers to a sinful nature. This is made manifest by Romans 2:14:
"The Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law." Romans 2:14
Now the word "nature" in the above text does refer to the nature that we receive at birth. But it is evident that the word "nature" here is not a sinful nature. For, how could a sinful nature cause us to do the things contained in the law? A sinful nature would not cause us to do the things contained in the law--a sinful nature would only cause us to do evil!
The word "nature" is used again in II Peter 1:4, and it is used just like it was used in Ephesians 2:3, speaking of character and life. We saw in Ephesians 2:3 that it spoke of the evil character or the wicked works of men; but we will see in II Peter 1:4 that it speaks of the good character and life of God--it speaks of the life and moral perfections of his divine being:
"That by these (promises) ye might be partakers of the divine nature." II Peter 1:4
Men use Ephesians 2:3 to teach that the "nature" has to refer to being born a sinner. But we see in II Peter 1:4 that the word "nature" is not speaking of a birth at all. It is speaking of the life and moral character of God.
The Bible teaches us that the nature that God has given us is not a sinful nature. It is a good nature that teaches us the difference between good and evil, and a nature that urges us to obey the "law of God written in our hearts." Also the Bible teaches us that all sin and wickedness is against the nature we are born with. But if we were born with a sinful nature not one sin would be against our nature but every sin would agree with and be in harmony with our nature. So the fact that all sin is against our nature proves that we are not born with a sinful nature.
We see, then, that Ephesians 2:3 does not teach that babies are born sinners, and condemned, and under the wrath of God. What it does teach is that all we Christians, who are presently saved from our sins by the marvelous grace of God, were before our salvation, wicked, abandoned sinners, and dead in our trespasses and sins, and under the wrath of God for our sins, just like the rest of the world that still lives in sin and rebellion against God: "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins…we all had our conversation in time past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." Ephesians 1:1-3
Fourth Proof-text Examined
4. Job 14:4: "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one."
This text is supposed to teach that sinful parents cannot help but bear sinful children. But this interpretation completely ignores the context of this text. The context shows that Job had his eyes wholly on the frail and dying state of man, and not at all upon his moral state. The whole sense of what Job was saying was that "no one can bring other than frail and dying offspring from frail and dying parents." (See the context in Job 14:1-6)
If this text teaches that a sinner invariably produces another sinner, it teaches blasphemy. For if the doctrine of original sin is true, Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus was also born a sinner. And if Job 14:4 really does teach that a sinner must produce another sinner, there could be no way of escaping the blasphemous conclusion that our Lord also was born a sinner.
Fifth Proof-text Examined
5. Job 15:14: "What is man that he should be clean? And he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?"
First, these are the words of Eliphaz, and cannot be quoted as inspired truth. God himself testified that Job's comforters did not hold the truth. (See Job 42:7) But suppose we did accept this verse as inspired truth, what does it teach? It teaches nothing at all about a morally depraved physical constitution. It merely implies the sinful condition of all mankind without saying anything about how man got that way.
But again, this text, like the last, if used to teach the constitutional sinfulness of men, would teach the blasphemy that our Lord Jesus was born a sinner, because he was a man and was born of a woman.
Sixth Proof-text Examined
6. Rom. 5:12, 18-19:
"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…Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."
This passage is supposed to teach that all men are born sinners, and born under the condemnation and wrath of God because of Adam's transgression.
But this passage does not teach that men are born sinners. It does not teach that they are born under the condemnation and wrath of God. It does not teach that they inherit a sinful nature from Adam. It does not teach that sin is transmitted physically or any other way from Adam to his descendants. It does not teach that the sin of Adam was imputed to his descendants. And it does not teach that men have sinned "in Adam." On the contrary, Romans 5:14 teaches that Adam's descendants did not sin "in him."
"Them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression." Romans 5:14
The fact that Paul says there was a body of people "that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's sin" shows that Paul did not consider Adam's sin to be their sin.
It is true that Paul connects the sin of Adam with the sin and condemnation of all mankind. But it is also true that he connects the obedience of Christ with the salvation and righteousness of all mankind:
"Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." Romans 5:18
"For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." Romans 5:19
To interpret the phrase "made sinners" to mean that men are born sinners and become sinners involuntarily and necessarily by receiving a sinful nature from Adam, is a forced and inconsistent interpretation of this passage, for this passage not only says that all men are "made sinners" because of Adam's transgression, it also says that all men are "made righteous" by the obedience of Christ, and that the free gift of life "came upon all men" by Christ Jesus. So for the advocates of the doctrine of original sin to arbitrarily give to the phrases "made sinners" and "came upon all men" the meaning of physical force when these phrases refer to Adam's sin, without giving the same meaning of physical force when they refer to Christ's righteousness, is an example of a forced and inconsistent interpretation of this passage dictated by a prepossessed belief in the doctrine of original sin.
Paul does not affirm an involuntary, necessary, or irresistible connection between either the sin of Adam and mankind or the righteousness of Christ and mankind. Otherwise, Romans 5:18 would teach the universal salvation of mankind:
"The free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." Romans 5:18
We know that universal salvation is not taught in the Bible. Men are not saved involuntarily, automatically, and necessarily because of the obedience of Christ. Nor are they "made sinners" involuntarily, automatically, and necessarily because of the transgression of Adam. But the context of Romans 5:12-21 (and the context of the whole Bible) shows that men are "made sinners" in the same way they are "made righteous," that is, voluntarily or willingly.
Paul did not teach that men are "made sinners" involuntarily, by an act of physical force; because he would have been teaching at the same time that all men are "made righteous" involuntarily, by an act of physical force. In other words he would have been teaching that every human being upon the face of the earth is saved involuntarily and necessarily whether he believes the gospel of salvation or not!
"By the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life." Romans 5:18
It is true that Adam brought sin and death into this world by his transgression; but his sin and his death did not pass upon his descendants. The Bible (Romans 5:12) says that "death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Men are sinners because they have sinned. Sin is an individual, voluntary choice. No human being can sin for another human being. Adam did not sin and could not sin for anyone but himself.
The purpose of the Apostle Paul in this passage is to show that, although the transgression of Adam has been a powerful force to bring sin, death, and condemnation upon all men, the righteousness and obedience of Christ in his work of atonement for sinners has been much more powerful to bring grace, reconciliation, righteousness, and eternal life upon all men. (See the overall context in Romans 5:6-21). The following Scriptures show that no man can be guilty or condemned for the sin of Adam--Adam could sin only for himself:
"The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." Ezekiel 18:20
"The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin." Deuteronomy 24:16
"But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin." II Chronicles 25:4
"He shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity." Ezekiel 18:17-18
"The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Ezekiel 18:4
"I will judge…everyone according to his ways, saith the Lord God." Ezekiel 18:30
"That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Gen. 18:25
MORE THAN 100 TEXTS FROM THE BIBLE CONTINUED
Now I will continue with the more than 100 texts from the Bible that show the doctrine of original sin to be unbiblical and false:
It Makes Sin To Be A Misfortune And Not A Crime
The doctrine that babies are born sinners is not true, for it makes sin to be the misfortune and the calamity of the sinner rather than his crime. But the Bible never excuses sin. The Bible never speaks of sin as a misfortune or a calamity, but always speaks of sin as criminal and inexcusable and deserving of the everlasting punishment of hell! It speaks of God's anger and wrath toward sinners for their sins, and tells us that "God is angry with the wicked every day."
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men." Romans 1:18
"Thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil." Romans 2:5-9
"For because of these things (the sins he had listed) cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." Ephesians 5:6
"The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Revelation 21:8
"And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night. Rev. 14:11
"God is angry with the wicked every day." Psalm 7:11
It Gives The Sinner An Excuse For His Sins
The doctrine that babies are born sinners is false because it excuses the sinner. The sinner knows he is not guilty, and can never truly feel guilty for his sins if he really believes he was born a sinner and sins by nature:
If the sinner truly believes that he was born a sinner and truly believes he cannot live without sin, he will (at least secretly) excuse his sins. Over against the fact that this false doctrine gives the sinner an excuse for his sins, we have the biblical fact that God never excuses sin but warns of an awful judgment that awaits sinners:
"The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 13:41-42
"So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 13:49-50
"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:14, 15
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Rev. 21:7-8
"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels…And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." Matthew 25:41, 46
It Makes The Sinner Deserve Pity And Compassion
The doctrine that babies are born sinners is false because it makes the sinner deserve pity and compassion rather than condemnation for his sins:
If the doctrine of original sin were true, all sinners would deserve pity and compassion instead of condemnation. And to call them criminals who deserve the condemnation of hell's fire would be to speak pure foolishness! What? A sinful nature the crime of him upon whom it is imposed without his knowledge or consent? Shame on sane men, created in God's image, and endowed by God with the blazing light of a rational moral nature for ever believing and teaching such an absurd and monstrous doctrine!
If this grotesque doctrine were true, the sinner would be the most pitiful and unfortunate creature in all the universe! To blame him for his sins or call him a criminal for his sins would be a grave injustice. He would not deserve punishment for his sins, but instead would deserve the most tender sympathy, pity, and compassion for the misfortune he had suffered of being created and born with a sinful nature--a nature that makes him sin!
But the teaching, that the sinner deserves sympathy and compassion for his sins, clashes with all the clear teachings of the Bible--it clashes with both the letter and the spirit of the whole Bible: The Bible never speaks of the sinner as unfortunate for his sins. The Bible never speaks of the sinner as deserving pity, sympathy, and compassion for his sins. On the contrary, the Bible represents the sinner as deserving everlasting punishment and torment in hell!
"And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments." Luke 16:23
"Send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame." Luke 16:24
"And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched." Mark 9:43-48
"The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tor- mented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night." Rev. 14:10-11
"These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." Revelation 19:20
"And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Revelation 20:10
"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:12-15
"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Revelation 21:7-8
"These shall go away into everlasting punishment…." Matthew 25:46
The everlasting torment described above cannot describe or be the condemnation of men who deserve compassion and pity for being born with a sinful nature! No! This is the condemnation of men who have sinned against the good nature they were created with!
It Makes God Responsible For Sin
The teaching that men are born sinners is not, and cannot be, true because it makes God responsible for the sinner's sin:
For if men are born with a sinful nature, who is to blame? Not the sinner. The sinner did not choose to be born with a sinful nature. The sinner can no more be to blame for the nature he was born with than he can be to blame for the color of his hair or eyes. But, who is the Author of our nature? Who is our Creator? Who formed us in our mother's womb? Who gave us life, and breath, and all things? To affirm that men are born sinners is to make God responsible for our sins, for God is our Creator:
"Know ye that the Lord he is God; it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves." Psalm 100:3
"Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? Malachi 2:10
"Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth." Ecclesiastes 12:1
"God that made the world and all things therein…seeing he giveth to all, life and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth…For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God…." Acts 17:24-26, 28-29
It Makes God Unreasonable, Cruel, And Unjust
The doctrine that men are born sinners is false. For if our nature were a sinner, if God had created us a sinner and our nature were a sinner because God had created us a sinner, it would make God the most unreasonabe, cruel, and unjust being in the universe. Not only would it make God unreasonable, cruel, and unjust for making our nature a sinner; it would make him doubly cruel and unreasonable for first making us sinners and then condemning us to hell for the nature he created us with:
I wonder if Christian men really know that God is holy, just, and good! I wonder if they know that GOD IS LOVE and that he could never create men sinners and then condemn them to everlasting punishment for the nature that he himself had given them! Christian men ought not to ascribe such cruelty, wickedness, and injustice to God. God is good and perfect and could never work such injustice.
"Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?" Genesis 18:25
"Ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. They have corrupted themselves." Deuteronomy 32:3-5
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17
"Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." James 1:13-15
"God is light and in him is no darkness at all." I John 1:5
"In him is no sin…he is righteous." I John 3:5, 7
"God is love." I John 4:8
No! God could never create man with a sinful nature! God is light and in him is no darkness at all! God cannot be tempted with evil and neither tempteth he any man! He is perfect in all his ways. He is just and righteous and without iniquity. Only good and perfect gifts come down from him. How wrong it is for men to charge him with creating sinners!
It Causes Ministers And Church Members To Wink At Sin
The false doctrine that men are born sinners causes ministers to wink at sin and excuse it. If ministers really believe that we are born sinners and cannot live without sin they will very often have an indulgent spirit toward sin among their church members. Where this false doctrine is taught and believed there will be no real HORROR OF SINNING AGAINST GOD. Ministers and church members will excuse sin with statements such as: "Nobody's perfect." "Even the great Apostle Paul spoke of being in bondage to sin in Romans chapter seven." "We will all be changed, when we get to heaven." "Christians are not perfect, just forgiven." "Be patient, God is still working on me." "God understands our weaknesses and human frailties." "I made a mistake. We all make mistakes." Also, ministers who really believe that men are born sinners will very often refrain from preaching and even reading passages from the Bible that could be a public embarrassment to certain sinners in their congregations. But this is a mistake, for the Bible teaches that religious sinners will be lost and go to hell, and that "without holiness, no one shall see God"; it teaches that ministers have a responsibility to watch for the souls of those in their charge; and God commands his ministers to publicly rebuke sin, and call on sinners to repent and turn from their sins:
"Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account." Hebrews 13:17
"I Charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; REPROVE, REBUKE, EXHORT…." II Timothy 4:1-2
"Son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand." Ezekiel 33:7-8
"Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins." Isaiah 58:1
"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." I Corinthians 6:9-10
"Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." Ephesians 5:1-6
"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my Son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abomi- nable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Revelation 21:7-8
It Begets Worldliness And A Low Standard Of Conduct In The Church
The false doctrine that we are born sinners with a sinful nature that is the direct cause of all our sins, begets an indulgent spirit toward sin, a tendency toward worldliness, and a low standard of conduct in the church:
If the Christian really believes that his very nature is sinful and that it is impossible for him to live without sin, then it is not likely that he will aspire to a holy sinless life; neither will he be greatly troubled and greatly convicted by sin and worldliness in his life. Every tendency of this false doctrine is to beget an indulgent spirit toward sin and the low standard of conduct that actually exists among Christians in many churches--and this will cause many to go into perdition:
"…ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though once ye knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." Jude 4-7
"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." Matt. 5:8
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:48
"Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double- minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." James 3:4-10
"Repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgresssions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." Ezekiel 18:30-32
"Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not." I John 3:6
It Contradicts What The Bible Says Sin Is: Transgression Of The Law
The doctrine that babies are born sinners cannot be true because it contradicts everything the Bible says about what sin is: The Bible never says that sin is committed when babies are born. The Bible always says that sin is committed when men transgress the law: The Bible says, "Sin is the transgression of the law." I John 3:4. The Bible says, "All unrighteousness is sin." I John 5:17. And the Bible says, "Him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin." James 4:17. So we see from the Bible that sin has nothing to do with being born. The Bible tells us that the sin of every person is individual and that no person's sin can be imputed to another person who did not commit that sin:
"The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." Ezekiel 18:20
"Sin is the transgression of the law." I John 3:4
"All unrighteousness is sin." I John 5:17
"Him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not to him it is sin." Jas. 4:17
It Contradicts What The Bible Says A Sinner Is: One Who Commits Sin
The Bible tells us that the sinner is a sinner because he commits sin. Adam and Eve committed sin in the garden and they became sinners. A man can only be a sinner by committing sin. No one can be a sinner without sinning. There is no other definition in the Bible of what a sinner is: a sinner is a sinner because he commits sin. Neither is there any other definition of what a sinner is in the councils of men: an evil man is evil because he does evil. In both man's government and God's government men are wicked and evil only if they do evil. They cannot be born a sinner, because the only way to be a sinner is to commit sin:
"Sin is the transgression of the law." I John 3:4
"All unrighteousness is sin." I John 5:17
"He that committeth sin is of the devil." I John 3:8
"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." I John 3:4
It Contradicts What The Bible Says Sin Is: Doing Evil Knowing It To Be Evil
The Bible tells us that there cannot be sin where there is no KNOWLEDGE of right and wrong. And the Bible tells us that there cannot be sin without CHOOSING to do evil. The sinner ALWAYS KNOWS he is doing wrong, and the sinner ALWAYS CHOOSES to do wrong even though HE KNOWS it to be wrong. All these truths taught in the Bible demonstrate conclusively that the teaching that we are born sinners is false and unbiblical:
"Sin is not imputed where there is no law (the law gives the knowledge and is the knowledge of right and wrong). Romans 5:13
"Which show the work of the law (the law is the knowledge of right and wrong) written in their hearts." Romans 2:15
"Who knowing the judgment of God, that they that commit such things are worthy of death (they know they are worthy of death because of the law written in their hearts), not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them." Romans 1:32
"And your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither." Deuteronomy 1:39
"To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not to him it is sin." James 4:17
It is impossible for babies to be born sinners! Sin is doing evil knowing it to be evil! But babies really know nothing and really do nothing when they are born. Will I be considered harsh and unloving when I say that it is foolishness to speak of babies being born sinners? I hope not. For to speak of babies being born sinners is to fly in the face of our irresistible, God-given convictions of justice and injustice and of right and wrong: and it is to fly in the face of all the clear teachings of the Word of God!
It Makes Jesus A Sinner, Or It Must Be Denied That He Was A Real Man
The doctrine that men are born sinners is false; for it makes Jesus a sinner or one has to deny that he was a real man. But the Bible teaches that Christ was a real man like all other men, born with the same human nature as all other men and a true descendant of Adam, Abraham, and David:
"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." Matthew 1:1
"Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God." Luke 3:38
"Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh." Romans 1:3
"God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law." Gal. 4:4
"What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels…But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels." Heb. 2:6-7, 9
"For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren." Heb. 2:11
"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same." Hebrews 2:14
"For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham." Hebrews 2:16
"Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren." Hebrews 2:17
"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15
The Bible teaches that Jesus was a real man like all other men: that he had both a human body and a human soul, and that he had all the attributes of a man. He was born of a woman. He was fed by his mother and cared for by her like all other children. He was circumcised according to the law of Moses like other Jews. He was at one time a child in knowledge, for the Bible says, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favour with God and man." Luke 2:52. He grew hungry, he grew thirsty, he ate, he drank, he worked, he grew tired, he rested, he lived, and he died like other men. His temptations were real, his prayers were real, his sufferings and death were real; he was recognized by other men as a real man and a real Jew. Over 80 times in the Gospels Jesus refers to himself as "the Son of Man."
"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same." Hebrews 2:14
"For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham." Hebrew 2:16
"Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren." Hebrews 2:17
"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15
The truth that Jesus Christ had the very same human nature as all other men is fully taught in the Bible. But the advocates for the doctrine of original sin have to deny the real humanity of Christ. They must deny that Jesus was a man with the same human nature as other men because of their belief that men are born sinners and that the nature of man or the flesh of man is sinful in itself. So to save Christ from a sinful nature they deny the true humanity of Christ! But it is a serious error to deny the humanity of Christ. The Bible warns that to deny the humanity of Christ is the spirit of antichrist!
"Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." I John 4:2-3
"Many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." II John 7-11
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." John 1:14
"Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." Hebrews 2:14
Jesus was a man, born with the same human nature as all other men. The incarnation of Christ (his real humanity) is a central doctrine of the Christian faith. You can no more be a Christian denying Christ's real humanity than you can, denying his real divinity. Jesus was a perfect man, born with the same human nature as all other men. The doctrine that men are born sinners is a pagan doctrine and false. It is a pagan doctrine foisted in among the Christian doctrines in the fifth century A.D. by Augustine, who had been for nine years a disciple of the Manichaeans. The Manichaeans were a Gnostic-Christian sect, with the Christian elements reduced to a minimum. They taught the pagan philosophy that all matter is inherently evil. Because of this view, they also taught that Christ's bodily manifestations were only apparent and that he did not actually come in the flesh. They denied the real incarnation of Christ, as well as his bodily resurrection because of their view of the essentially evil nature of all matter. Augustine's nine years with them accustomed him to regard human nature as essentially evil and human freedom as a delusion.
It Adds To And Takes From The Word Of God
God hates the doctrine of original sin for it adds to God's Word and takes from God's Word, and transgresses God's express command:
"Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." Deuteronomy 4:2
"If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." Revelation 22:18-19
"I hate the doctrine (a doctrine added to and foreign to the Bible) of the Nicolaitans." Revelation 2:15
"Many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh (who do not confess the Word of God concern- ing Christ's coming in the flesh--and so take from, destroy, and di- minish the Word of God). This is a deceiver and an antichrist." II John 7
None Of The Original Sin Doctrine Is Taught In The Bible
Not one of the following teachings can be found in the Bible. They are all inventions of men and additions to the Bible and foreign to everything in the Bible. And so they are in direct disobedience to God's command: "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you." Deut. 4:2
Not Taught In The Bible
"The whole human race existed as one moral person in Adam; so that in Adam's sin we sinned, we corrupted ourselves, and we brought guilt and merited condemnation upon ourselves. Adam's will was the will of the species, so that in Adam's free act, the will of the race revolted against God and the nature of the race corrupted itself." Doctrine of Augustine, fifth century A.D.
Not Taught In The Bible
"Adam was the federal head of the race and God made a covenant with Adam, our federal head, agreeing to give eternal life to him and to all his descendants if he obeyed; but making the penalty for his disobedience the condemnation of all his descendants. Since our legal representative or federal head did sin, God imputes his sin, his guilt, and his condemnation to all his descendants." Doctrine of Cocceius, 17th century A.D.
Not Taught In The Bible
"Because Adam sinned all men are born with a corrupt sinful nature and are guilty and condemned for that nature. They are not guilty for the sin of Adam, but are guilty only for the corrupt sinful nature that they are born with. It is the corrupt nature only, which they inherit from Adam, that is sufficient cause and legal ground for God to condemn them." Doctrine of Placeus, 17th century A.D.
Direct Quotations, That Are Not Taught In The Bible
"Our nature sinned in Adam." And, "It was just, that after our nature had sinned…we should be born animal and carnal." Augustine
"Our nature there transformed for the worse, not only became a sinner, but also begets sinners." Augustine
"Unconscious infants, dying without baptism, are damned by virtue of their inherited guilt." Augustine
"From this condemnation no one is exempt, not even newborn children." Augustine
"The 'nature and essence' of man is, from his birth, an evil tree and a child of wrath." Martin Luther
"Even children, dying unbaptized, are lost." Martin Luther
"Original sin is the hereditary depravity and corruption of our nature…which first makes us subject to the wrath of God, and then pro- duces in us works which the Scripture calls works of the flesh." Calvin
"The sin of Adam is the immediate cause and ground of inborn depravity, guilt, and condemnation to the whole human race." A. H. Strong, Systematic Theology, p. 611
"This evil tendency or inborn determination to evil, since it is the real cause of actual sins, must itself be sin, and as such must be guilty and condemnable." A. H. Strong, Systematic Theology, p. 611
Q. 16. Did all mankind fall in Adam's first transgression?
A. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression. Shorter Catechism
Q. 19. What is the misery of that estate whereinto men fell?
A. All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever. Shorter Catechism
"There is in us a necessity of sinning." Augustine
"Every man is guilty in Adam, and is consequently born with a depraved and corrupt nature. And this inner corruption is the unholy fountain of all actual sins." L. Berkhof, Systematic Theology, p. 251
"Original sin is the corruption of man's nature, whereby he is utterly indisposed, disabled and made opposite to all that is spiritually good, and wholly inclined to evil, and that continually." Larger Catechism
"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." Westminster Confession
"This corruption of nature, during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated: and although it be through Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself, and all the motions thereof, are truly and properly sin. Westminster Confession
"It may be difficult to reconcile the doctrine of innate evil dispositions with the justice and goodness of God…A malignant being is an evil being whether he was so made (created by God) or so born…We admit that it is repugnant to our moral judgments that God should create an evil being; or that any being should be born in a state of sin, unless this being so born is the consequence of a just judgment." Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. II, p. 308
"No man is able, either of himself, or by any grace received in this life, perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed." Larger Catechism
"They deplore their inability to love their Redeemer, to keep themselves from sin, to live a life in any degree adequate to their own convictions of their obligations…they recognize it as the fruit and evidence of the corruption of their nature derived as a sad inheritance from their first parents." Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. II, p. 273
All Of The Above Teachings Are Additions To The Bible
None of the above teachings are in the Bible. They are all men's doctrines, they are all additions to the Bible, and they are all completely foreign to the Bible:
The GOSPEL TRUTH
OVER ONE HUNDRED
TEXTS FROM THE BIBLE
THAT SHOW THE DOCTRINE OF
ORIGINAL SIN
IS UNBIBLICAL AND FALSE
[Author's New Title: "Over One Hundred Texts From The Bible That Show that Babies are Born Innocent and Without Sin"--The text is virtually the same as before.]
by
Alfred T. Overstreet
------------------------
The concept of original
sin refuted from the scrolls of Moses and Abraham Pbut.
Or was he not informed of what is in the Scrolls of Moses? And of
Abraham, who fulfilled? That no soul bears the burdens of another soul. And
that the human being attains only what he strives for. (Surah 53:36-39)
Notice the ayat reads “That no soul bears the burdens of another soul” found
in the scrolls of Moses and Abraham. A typical claim Christians make is, the
Quran confirms the Torah they currently have. It will be interesting to see how
they confirm the saying “That no soul bears the burdens of another soul” form
their “Torah”. What’s amazing about this ayat is, the concept of original sin
is refuted, a concept which was not preached during the time of Abraham or Moses.
“Fathers shall not be put to death
because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their
fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin." (Deuteronomy
24:16)
