What Is Original Sin – Are We Born Guilty?

We talked very briefly in the last unit about why children die even if they have never committed sin. This leads us to another important subject that must be addressed: the doctrine commonly taught in churches everywhere called “original sin.”

You may not recognize it by the term original sin. It is often referred to simply as “the sin nature” of man. However, while it is sometimes called that, it is actually something else entirely. Let’s define what we mean when we speak of the doctrine of original sin:

Original sin – the belief that all humans are born guilty of Adam’s sin, even without ever having personally committed a sin.

Notice that I said the doctrine is the belief that we carry the guilt of Adam’s sin. I am not referring to the nature of man to fall into sin. I acknowledge that humans are prone to sin by their very nature. However, the doctrine of original sin and the concept of the sin nature are two different things.

The doctrine of original sin asserts that we are seen by God as if we were the ones who committed Adam’s sin. If we are guilty, then we must pay the price as though we personally committed that sin. In effect, we are punished for the sins of our father.

In contrast, the doctrine of the sin nature simply states that humanity is tempted and inclined to sin. It does not mean we are guilty of sin by default. This is an important distinction. So, when I refer to original sin in this study, keep in mind that I am speaking specifically about the doctrine that claims we are born already guilty.

The doctrine of original sin has been taught for centuries in the church. However, so have many other doctrines that are not true. We should not make the mistake of assuming it was always what the church believed.

In fact, this doctrine entered the church through the Catholic Church. Notice the distinction I made? I am referring to two different churches.

Catholicism has never been a truly Christian religion. It is a counterfeit. It came into being when the secular Roman government adopted “Christianity” as the official state religion, hence the name “Roman Catholic.” Perhaps I will explain that in greater detail another time.

However, because it disguises itself as Christianity, many have been misled into believing its teachings come from God. The doctrine of original sin is one such false teaching.

The Bible tells us that God does not change. What He believed was good and evil in the Old Testament is still what He believes today. So, what does God say about the idea that children bear the guilt of their father’s sins?

Ezekiel 18:1-20 provides a clear answer, particularly verses 17-20:

This passage makes it clear: God does not hold children accountable for their father’s sins. The belief that children are guilty of their father’s sins is directly contradicted by God Himself.

A baby is not guilty of sin simply because he is the child of a sinner. In fact, according to these scriptures, no one is found guilty of sin because of someone else’s actions. Each person bears responsibility for their own sins.

This principle is also affirmed in Deuteronomy 24:16:

Clearly, according to scripture, children are not born with the guilt of sin. Therefore, the doctrine of original sin is untrue according to the Bible.

Why People Believe the Doctrine of Original Sin

Hebrews 7:7-10 is sometimes cited as evidence for the doctrine of original sin:

Some interpret these scriptures as teaching that guilt is passed down from father to child. However, notice that these verses never say Levi was righteous or guilty because of his father’s actions. Paul even uses the phrase “as I may so say,” indicating he is speaking metaphorically.

When Paul says Levi paid tithes, he means that Levi, as a descendant of Abraham, was affected by Abraham’s actions. Because Abraham gave a tenth of all he owned to Melchisedec, Levi, metaphorically speaking, paid tithes out of his future inheritance.

This does not show that guilt or innocence is passed down. It only demonstrates that a father’s actions can affect his children, regardless of the children’s innocence.

Romans 5:12-14 is another passage often used to justify the doctrine of original sin:

Some interpret this passage as saying people are guilty of Adam’s sin, even though they did not commit it themselves. However, this is not what Paul actually says.

Paul explains that sin entered the world through Adam, death entered the world because of sin, and all men die because all have sinned. He is not saying that everyone is guilty of sin before birth.

In fact, in the very next verse, Paul states that without the law—or knowledge of the law—sin is not counted against a person. No law means no sin, and no sin means no guilt.

When Paul says “all,” he explains that he is talking about all who have sinned in the next few words: “for all have sinned.” It does not mean every human being, including those who have not sinned.

I have covered chapter 5 of Romans verse by verse for a more detailed explanation which you can see here.

This is another verse often used to promote the doctrine of original sin. However, it does not say that David bears the guilt of his mother’s sin. It doesn’t state that he was shaped with guilt already assigned to him.

David is talking about how he was shaped—his formation—not his standing of righteousness. In short, he is saying he was formed with a human nature that is prone to sin. Remember, this is different from guilt.

As for his mother, he uses her as a reference to emphasize that humans have been prone to sin for a long time. Let’s take a look at what he says soon after this.

In verse 5, David says he was shaped in iniquity. In other words, he was born with a twisted nature. That’s why he asks God to create a clean heart in him—because he was born with a heart that was prone to sin.

It is only by adding our own twist to the scriptures that it could be said this speaks of being guilty at birth. And everyone knows that twisting scripture is not good. We have to be careful not to add to it or take away from it.

Why Do the Innocent Die

The obvious question now comes up: babies sometimes die before they even open their eyes. Since death is the penalty of sin, why do they die if they are not guilty of sin?

Sin is breaking the law. Since the law commands us to do good, we become sinners when we do evil. But if you do not break the law, then you are not a sinner. Since sin is the breaking of the law, babies—who have not had a chance to know the law, have knowledge of sin, or break the law—cannot be guilty of sin.

If sin is the breaking of the law, and babies have not broken the law, how can they be guilty of breaking it? It makes no sense. Humans are guilty of sin when they personally commit sin. They don’t inherit guilt.

In Romans 5:14, Paul tells us that even without sinning personally, death happens to us all. This shouldn’t be surprising because Jesus had no sin and yet He died. All of creation suffers under death, with or without sinning. The question is why.

Even Jesus suffered without having sinned. So yes, even the innocent can and do die. Job is also a good book to read on the subject, as it shows that not all suffering is the result of personal sin.

Because of Adam’s sin, death entered the world. People die because death is now a natural part of our world. So even the innocent die.

The guilt of the father isn’t on the children, but the consequences of his actions still affect them. The consequence of Adam’s sin is that we now live in a world where death reigns.

To sum up Romans 5:12-14, it shouldn’t be hard to see that Paul was not saying all are guilty of sin without ever committing sin. The thought itself is contradictory.

It’s like saying you are guilty of sin even though you have not sinned. In fact, that is exactly what the doctrine of original sin wants us to believe!

The Doctrine of Devils

A good test for any doctrine is to see where it leads. You will find that false doctrines either deny the humanity of Jesus or His divinity. This is exactly what the doctrine of original sin does.

If all of mankind were born already guilty of sin, there would be no hope of salvation in Jesus. This is because Jesus came in the flesh as a man. If the doctrine of original sin were true, He would have inherited the guilt of Adam as well.

There are many ways people try to get around this problem. But no matter how they explain it, they will eventually have to either deny His humanity or His divinity to make this doctrine work.

An example of what someone might say is that Jesus had to be born of a virgin to avoid inheriting the guilt of Adam. There are a few problems with this argument.

First, it assumes that the guilt of sin is passed down through the father and not the mother. This is baseless and illogical. Both father and mother sin, and both bear the guilt of their own sin. But most importantly, guilt is not passed down to begin with!

If we claim that Jesus was born of a virgin to bypass Adam’s guilt, we undermine His full humanity. The Bible teaches that Jesus completely took on our nature. If He didn’t, then He did not truly come in the same flesh as mankind. Such an idea aligns with the spirit of antichrist.

On the other hand, if Jesus had been born of both a man and a woman, then He would have been a man and only a man. He would have had a beginning and would not also be the eternal God. This would deny His divinity, which is also the spirit of antichrist.

Why Was Jesus Born of a Virgin

Jesus was born of a virgin because God wanted to give His people a sign. Who has ever heard of a virgin giving birth? Only by the power of God could such a thing come to pass. The virgin birth was a miraculous sign that God Himself had stepped into the world.

Some claim that this prophecy was not speaking of Jesus but of Hezekiah. However, there are several reasons this interpretation is incorrect.

It is clear from the Bible that this prophecy was about Jesus, not Hezekiah. If any doubt remains, consider the following:

• Hezekiah was never called “God with us” (Immanuel). Such a title would be blasphemous because Hezekiah was not God.
• Hezekiah was not born of a virgin.

Fully Man and Fully God

Jesus was not only born as a man in the flesh, but also He had the Spirit of God within Him. Thus, He was both fully man and fully God. For more information on this, see the topic “What Is the Trinity?”

Being born fully of the flesh without the Spirit of God is why mankind could never keep the law. The flesh naturally desires sin, and without the Holy Spirit, there is no strength to resist. Jesus, however, was born fully as a man with flesh, but He was also God in the Spirit. This is why Jesus could be tempted by sin yet remain sinless.

In summary, the doctrine of original sin is false. It would either mean that Jesus was not worthy to be our sacrifice because of His own guilt or that He did not truly come in the same flesh as us. Both ideas align with the spirit of antichrist.

It was important in the course of this study to talk about this subject now. But in the next study we will get back to the law and the penalty of death for sin.

Continue To Unit 2:8 – What Is Death? (and the Second Death) OR

Return To Christianity 101 Unit 2 – Sin and Eternal Judgment