Original Sin

Wait, keep reading, this isn’t another income tax rant. This came up as a tangent at Astro’s and I thought I’d expand on it. My response to the idea of original sin is: I don’t believe in it.

The way I understand the concept is: “Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden coveys the guilt and consequences of sin on all mankind for all time”. Meaning that because of Adam we will all go to hell without a savior. To which I say baloney.

I’m aware that Romans 5:12 says:

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.

I don’t see how this verse, or any other proves that Adam’s sin = my spiritual death. I won’t argue the part about physical death at least as it applies to all mankind. There are two recorded instances where men didn’t die but were taken. Also, at the end of time we are told those living will be taken. I’m not trying to build an entire case about physical death here, just saying there seems to be exceptions to the rule.

What I believe: Every person bears the consequences for their own sin, and no one else’s. The consequences of sin is death, both physically and spiritual. Spiritual death means hell for all eternity. The only way we have to avoid that fate is to accept pardon thru obeying the Gospel of Christ.

I believe that “all have sinned”, but that doesn’t make it Adam's fault. We all have a choice to sin or not. If we didn’t choose sin but inherited it from someone else; God would be unjust in judging/punishing us. Sin may have entered the world by Adam but we embrace it and the consequences on our own.

BTW, I don’t believe in baptizing babies to “save them” from original sin either. Baptism is a faith response to the message of the gospel. It’s an act of obedience, a little baby has no sin to be forgiven of, and they don’t understand what’s going on, so they can’t be responding to anything. Babies that die are without sin, they go to heaven.