The wicked are estranged from the womb Psalm 58:3 – no support for a sinful nature

The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, SPEAKING LIES (Psalm 58:3) 

This verse is sometimes used as some kind of support for that babies are born sinful because we have all inherited Adam’s sin. However, this is a PSALM and psalms can be read either literally or figuratively depending on context. Some people also take Psalm 51:5 as support for the sinful nature, but then they believe babies are sinful upon CONCEPTION (it says David was conceived in sin, and you can read about this psalm too on my Blog). So which one is it? Do we get the mysterious ”sinful gene” when we are conceived or when we are born? I suggest NEITHER. Check the context:

Ps 58:1 Do ye indeed SPEAK righteousness, O congregation? do ye JUDGE uprightly, O ye sons of MEN? ²Yea, in heart ye WORK wickedness; ye WEIGH the violence of your hands in the earth. ³The wicked are estranged from the womb: they GO ASTRAY as soon as they be born, SPEAKING LIES. ⁴Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; ⁵Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely. ⁶Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD. ⁷Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.

We can see that the psalmist starts out addressing a ”congregation” and apparently they are old enough to SPEAK since they are asked if they speak righteousness. They are also old enough to JUDGE (albeit not necessarily uprightly), they are able to WORK WICKEDNESS in their hearts and WEIGH the violence of their hands. Babies are unable to do any of that, and it’s the WICKED that ”are estrange”. Notice the words ”go astray as soon as they are born”.  If someone goes astray it means it must have started from a position where it was not ”astray”. How many babies do we know who speak LIES?  Who can speak at all when they are newly born? Can we really say that innocent little newborn babies have poison like serpents? How could newborn babies choose to ”stop their ears” and not hearken? How many babies do we know who have TEETH in their mouths when they are born? Is God seeking to break the teeth of little infants? And cut them in pieces?

No this is about God taking vengeance on the WICKED who have done nothing but engaged themselves in violence and bloodshed, and they must be ADULTS in order to do that. They must be old enough to be able to make decisions, or else it wouldn’t make sense that God would punish the for something they haven’t chosen to do themselves. Psalm 58 is not a about our nature at the time of  birth. The rest of Psalm 58:

⁸As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun. ⁹Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath. ¹⁰The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. ¹¹So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

In verse 10 and 11 we can read about righteous people who do NOT go astray, so this shows that all are not wicked since only the wicked go astray.

It’s never a good idea to take poetic verses out of context (such as those is Psalms, Proverbs and Job) and make doctrines out of them, in combination with ignoring loads of other clear verses in the Bible which tell us another story. Nowhere in the Bible will you see the teaching that man is born with a sinful nature, and/or that we have inherited Adam’s sin. Sinning is a choice which can’t be inherited. 

King David said ”In sin did my MOTHER conceive me”, but it’s no support for a sinful nature Ps. 51:5

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me (Ps. 51:5)

This verse concerns two people – King David and his mother. No one else is spoken about so we can’t assume that all the people in the world are referred to here. The event spoken of is the conception of David and not the birth of David and he is not saying that he was born a sinner but possibly that his mother was in sin when she got pregnant. It could very well be that she was sinning when she conceived him. A strong case can be made that this is talking about the defilement of David’s mother because she was previously the wife of, or the concubine of, a heathen king. Psalms is a poetic book and this means it can be taken literally or figuratively depending on the context, so we must therefore be careful. Taking a verse in Psalms and make a doctrine out of it, contrary to other more clear verses in the Bible, is not a good idea.

a. David had two half-sisters named Zeruiah and Abigail (1 Chron. 2:13-16).b. The father of David’s half sisters was not Jesse but Nahash (2 Sam. 17:25).c. Nahash was an Ammonite king (1 Sam. 11:1; 1 Sam. 12:12).d. David’s father was Jesse, not Nahash, but David’s half sisters were daughters of Nahash. This could explain why Nahash showed kindness toward David (2 Sam. 10:2).

e. David’s mother was most likely the second wife of Jesse. The first wife of Jesse would have been considered superior to his second wife, which had been either the concubine or wife of a heathen king.

f. This would explain why David’s half brothers viewed themselves as superior to David, and why David was considered prideful for thinking he was as good as them (1 Sam. 17:28-30).

g. This may explain why David was not called before Samuel the prophet amongst the other sons, as he was viewed as the embarrassment of the family and possibly was an illegitimate child (1 Sam. 16:11).

h. David’s mother apparently had a good relationship with the Lord (Ps.86:16; 116:16). But she would have been, in the eyes of Jewish law, considered defiled by her previous relationship with an Ammonite (Num. 25:1,2; Deut. 7:3,4; 1 Kings 11:2-4, Ezra 9:2; Neh. 13:23,25; 2 Cor. 6:14-17).

It may simply be that David’s mother was not married to Jesse when she became pregnant, or that she was still the concubine of, or married to, Nahash the heathen king when she conceived. David was not blaming his sin on his birth. David was simply stating that even the circumstances of his birth were surrounded by sin. David said that he was ”wonderfully” and ”marvelously” made by God in the womb (Ps. 139:13-14).

Psalms 51 goes on to say:

Psalm 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice…

which few would understand literally. Can hyssop make even our sins go away? Can broken bones rejoice? We should be careful to not base any doctrines on poetry but we should rather read poetic text through more clear texts. Poetry might speak the whole truth or it might mirror the truth poetically. David was in jeopardy of losing the Spirit, because God had broken the covenant with him:.

Ps 51:11 ”Cast me not away from thy presence; AND TAKE NOT THY HOLY SPIRIT FROM ME.” 

David’s mother was apparently a Jewish woman, because ”no Ammonite shall enter the congregation of the Lord to the 10th generation” (Deu 23:3), and yet in Ps 86:16 and Ps 116:16, David refers to himself as ”the son of thy handmaid”, which would seem to testify to his mother’s relationship with the Lord. David’s mother was, in the eyes of Jewish law, considered ”defiled” by her previous relationship to an Ammonite. David is in Psalms 51 speaking to the Lord and he is not trying to ask God for forgiveness for that he (David) has had the nerve to be born in sin. Being born with a sinful nature would hardly be David’s fault but something that he could blame GOD for IF it were true – which it isn’t. This psalm has often been used as an attempt to prove that David and ALL people under the sun are born in sin, but it fails miserably.

Psalm 22:⁹ But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts.¹⁰ I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.

Romans 5 does not teach that man is born with a sinful nature

Romans 5 does not teach that man is born sinful

If man is born with original sin one would assume this would be indicated somewhere in the Bible, and preferably in a clear way since this is a MAJOR teaching about the constitution of man that we wouldn’t want to miss. If man is born with a sinful nature that makes us sin whether we want to or not, then we will have great excuses on judgment day when we are being asked why we have sinned. ”Because of our sinful nature, of course” we could reply. If Romans 5 is the best place to look for this doctrine, then it’s not a very good one because this teaching is nowhere to be found. The fact is that 1) the Bible nowhere teaches that man has inherited Adam’s sin, and 2) none of the old church fathers taught this doctrine the first 300 years AD. Only the gnostics taught it.

Spiritual death spread to all men because each and every man sinned himself. If a man didn’t sin, then he wouldn’t die spiritually. The wages of sin is death. Physical death is not the result of our sin because physical death was decreed when Adam sinned. If Adam’s sin automatically and universally causes all mankind to receive condemnation for something they did not do or had any choice in, then Christ’s dying on the cross also automatically and universally causes all mankind to be saved (Rom 5:18-19). The truth is that all are condemned when they commit sin (V12) and all are saved when they obey Jesus.

Rom 5:12 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

SIN entered the WORLD through Adam because he was the first to sin. No one sinned before him. DEATH (not sin) passed upon all men and why? FOR (because) ALL HAVE SINNED. There you have the reason! Not because Adam sinned. We all die physically due to Adam (even little babies) because  we can’t reach the tree of life due to him, and the ground is cursed due to him. The phrase in Greek, ”kai outws” literally means ”also in this manner”. Romans 5:12 as it should have been translated:

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, also in this manner death passed (traversed) into all men, since all have sinned

James says that ”sin, when it is finished, brings forth death” (1:15). The specific effect of death James is talking about is a separation from God.

Rom 5:18 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. ¹⁹For as by one man’s disobedience MANY were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall MANY be made righteous.

If ALL are automatically condemned through Adam, then ALL are automatically justified and righteous through Jesus. We all know this could not be the case and it’s not proper hermeneutics to read ”all” in two different ways in the same sentence, when we can read ”even so” indicating a valid comparison. In Adam we do not die until we choose to disobey and in Christ we do not live until we choose to obey. Adam’s disobedience doesn’t make every baby born lost anymore than Christ’s death automatically makes every human being found. If every human was born separated from God because Adam sinned and died, then every human being would be spiritually alive (saved) because Jesus obeyed and lives. But we can’t be saved unless we make a decision and choose to follow Christ. Likewise, we don’t die spiritually until we choose to disobey God.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; BUT the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Also this sentence must be read in the same way on both sides of the word ”but”. If an individual sins, the wages of that sin is (spiritual) death, BUT for the same individual he is promised eternal life though Jesus IF he repents and believes in him. So IF he sins = death, and if he believes = life. Again, if all die in Adam, then all are saved in Christ. We cannot make one absolute and the other conditional. In other words, IF Romans 5 says SIN (and not death) is passed down from Adam in the unconditional sense, then the same chapter also teaches that the very same entire race of humans are ALL saved unconditionally, because of what Christ did. This would teach Universalism!

More verses which show that man is not born with original sin

Rom. 2:¹²For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; ¹³(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. ¹⁴For 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: ¹⁵Which 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;) ¹⁶In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Matthew 5:19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Ezekiel 18:20The 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.

John 15:22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they
have no cloak for their sin

Isaiah 59:²But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Psalm 5:⁴For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. ⁵The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. ⁶Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

Isaiah 7:15 He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the
wrong and choose the right,

Romans 9:11 For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil

Romans 7:⁸But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. ⁹For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. ¹⁰And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.

Deut 1:39 Moreover your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims,
who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there; to
them I will give it, and they shall possess it.

Job 31:15Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?

Ecclesiastes 7:29Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions. 

Deut. 31:29For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you.

Job. 25:4 How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? + Job 15:14 What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

The questions above are directed to Job by his friends in response to Job declaring his innocence. The statements from his friends are not God’s position on man. This is Bildad the Shuhite’s opinion in chapter 25 who was echoing Elphaz the Temanite in chapter 15.  When it comes to Job’s friends, God ordered them to offer sacrifices in Job’s presence and to have Job pray for their forgiveness as a result of their folly (Job 42).

Job 14:4 ”Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.”

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. If this text teaches that a sinner invariably produces another sinner, then Mary, the mother of our Lord, was born a sinner. So 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. Also note that not everything you read in Job can be taken literally, since many poetic expressions are used:

Job 1:21 — Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

Sin is

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law

James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin

Matt. 15:18-19 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

Miscellaneous writings from others in this subject

The context of Romans 5:12-21, Paul speaks of condemnation and justification. The condemnation is referring to spiritual death, for those who are justified still die physically. In Romans 6:23 it says, ”The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life…” To determine here which ”death” Paul is referring to, all we need to do is look at its opposite: eternal life. To have eternal life does not mean that one will not die. Jesus says in John 11:25, ”He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” If  ”death” in Romans 6:23 means physical death, being justified would mean that we would not die physically!

We can do all things through Christ (Phil 4:13). He doesn’t let us be tempted beyond what we are able to bear (1 Cor. 10:13). If we walk according to the Spirit, we won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh (Gal. 5:16). If we abide in Him, we do not sin (1 John 3:6). His commandments are not a burden to keep/obey (1 John 5:3) and sin should always be a matter of ”if”, not ”when” for the Christian (1 John 2:1). God commands us to ”go and sin no more” (John 5:14, John 8:11) and therefore gives us the ability to do it. IF a Christian sins, we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ. And IF we sin, we must confess our sins to get cleansed and forgiven (1 John 1:9). If we don’t confess, then we get no cleansing or forgiveness and are in danger of dying in our sins and going to hell, since we haven’t ”persevered until the end”. ”To confess” doesn’t mean just saying ”I’m sorry” and continue to sin, but it means ”to agree with God” and thus turn away from sin and walk in the light with Jesus.

Romans 5:12

He is saying that Adam sinned and that through his sin:
#1 Sin had entrance into the world – not to every person at birth.
#2 Because of this entrance of sin in to the world death came by sin. Notice death still comes by sin?
#3 Death passed onto all men for all men (not babies) have sinned.

Nowhere does this mention a ”fallen nature” or that we sin because we were born sinners. We die because we sin, it is the death that came because of Adam’s sin and the introduction to sin. Rom. 5:14 makes this point that even while sin was not imputed because there was no law death reigned.

The Bible says that we WERE sinners. ”For we ourselves also WERE sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another” (Titus 3:3). ”Among whom also we all had our conversion in times 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 the others” (Eph. 2:3). The Bible says that we ”WERE yet sinners” (Rom. 5:8), that we ”WERE the servants of sin” (Rom. 6:17, 20), that we ”WERE disobedient” (1 Pet. 3:20), and ”such WERE some of you” (1 Cor. 6:11). A great moral change occurs when you are saved. Those who have been saved by Jesus Christ used to be sinners but now they are referred to as ”saints” all throughout the Bible. The Bible says that those who are saved ”are sanctified” in this life (Acts 20:32; 26:18; 1 Cor. 1:2; 6:11; Heb. 2:11; 10:10; 10:14; Jude 1:1). ”And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 Jn.2:3-4).

Jesus had the same kind of flesh as us, and FLESH is not sinful in itself

The greek word sarx (sárks) means flesh, body, human nature, materiality; kindred

We can read in Strong’s lexicon: sárks is not always evil in Scripture. Indeed, it is used positively in relation to sexual intercourse in marriage (Eph 5:31) – as well as for the sinless human body of Jesus (Jn 1:14; 1 Jn 4:2,3). Indeed, flesh (what is physical) is necessary for the body to live out the faith the Lord works in (Gal 2:20).]

We are tempted in our flesh but since Jesus too was tempted (for example when he had an encounter with Satan in the desert) we can’t suggest that flesh in itself is sinful.  The only time in the Bible (KJV) where we can read about ”sinful flesh” is in the below verse, and the reason why it says that Jesus came in the likeness of ”sinful flesh” is because it’s our flesh which we could potentially use to sin. Flesh is not sinful in itself but we can use it to sin by application. Christians don’t walk ”according” to the flesh but walk ”in” the flesh, and we do have options. Also Jesus had the option to walk according to his flesh or not, and as we know; he chose to NOT walk after his flesh. God is the author of our flesh (Exodus 4:11, Isaiah 44:2, Jer. 1:5) and our flesh is made out of dirt (Gen. 2:7, Gen. 3:19).  If we give heed for temptation and choose to sin, then we have ”sinful flesh”. Jesus was made in the likeness of men in the flesh (Philippians 2:7) and ”flesh” is at times is synonymous with men (Gen. 6:12, Matt. 16:17).

Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

We would better watch out for false doctrines that might sneak into our Bible translations and/or churches. The idea that flesh is sinful in itself is nothing but GNOSTICISM, and this was considered heresy among all the old church fathers the first 300 years AD. It was Augustine, a former gnostic, who introduced a number of gnostic doctrines into the Church, and both Calvin and Luther continued to spread some of those ideas. That’s why some of us still believe in some false doctrines, such as the idea that we are born with a sinful nature, that flesh is sinful in itself, that we constantly sin in thoughts, words and deeds, infant baptism, once saved always saved, and that we’re saved by faith alone. 

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that we are born with a sinful nature (not even in Romans 5). We die physically due to Adam (we can’t reach the tree of life due to him, and the ground is cursed due to him) but we die spiritually when WE sin.  Sinning is something we DO, and it can’t be inherited. If we were able to inherit sin, then also Jesus would have inherited it, because also Mary had male ancestors. Some suggest that Jesus was born by a virgin in order to avoid ”the sinful nature”, but according to Isaiah the virgin birth was supposed to be a SIGN. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that Jesus was born by a virgin in order to avoid some kind of mysterious genes which could cause us to get sinful bodies.

Jes. 7:¹⁴Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel

If all people apart from Jesus would be born in sin, this would DIMINISH what Jesus did for us because he wouldn’t have had the same sort of ”disability” as the rest of us. We could then rightfully defend our sin with, ”It’s not that strange that Jesus managed to live a life free of sin unlike us, because he was not born with a sinful nature like the rest of us poor victims”.  Jesus was not given a single advantage over us! He did not come to this earth as some kind of a superman with an immunity to sin, or with a reduced ability to sin. He was tempted like us in all points but chose to not give in for sin:

Hebr. 4:¹⁵For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Our flesh can absolutely be used as a tool for sin, but most of us believe that Jesus managed to live a completely sinless life for our sake:

Matt. 5: ²⁹And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. ³⁰And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Examples where the Greek word sarx (flesh) is used

We can see below that when the works of the flesh are listed, it’s obvious that you have to be an adult in order to be guilty of such sins, and you also have to be an adult in order to choose to live after the spirit and not after the flesh. Babies are not evil and they don’t have sinful bodies!

John 3:³Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ⁴Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? ⁵Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. ⁶That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Matthew 19:⁵And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? ⁶Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Matthew 24:²²And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

Matthew 26: 41Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak

Luke 3: ⁵Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;⁶And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

John 6: ⁵¹I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. ⁵²The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? ⁵³Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. ⁵⁴Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁵⁵For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. ⁵⁶He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. ⁵⁷As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. ⁵⁸This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.— ⁶³It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Acts 2:²⁶Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: ²⁷Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.— ³¹He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

Romans 7: ⁴Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. ⁵For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. ⁶But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

Romans 3: ¹⁹Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. ²⁰Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (circumcision and the jewish ceremonial law is in focus)

Romans 8:²For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. ³For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: ⁴That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. ⁵For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. ⁶For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. ⁸So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. ¹⁰And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. ¹²Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. ¹³For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Hebr. 2:¹⁴Forasmuch then 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; ¹⁵And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. ¹⁶For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Galatians 3:²This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? ³Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? (circumcision and the jewish ceremonial law is in focus)

Galatians 2:  ¹⁹For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. ²⁰I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

1 Corinthians 1:²⁸And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: ²⁹That no flesh should glory in his presence.

1 Corinthians 15:³⁹All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. ⁴⁰There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.— ⁴⁵And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. ⁴⁶Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. ⁴⁷The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven. ⁴⁸As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. ⁴⁹And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. ⁵⁰Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

2 Corinthians 7: ⁵For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.

2 Corinthians 10¹Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: ²But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. ³For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: ⁴(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) ⁵Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Galatians 5: ¹⁶This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. ¹⁸But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. ¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, ²⁰Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, ²¹Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Philippians 1:²²But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. ²³For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: ²⁴Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

Philippians 3:³For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. ⁴Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: ⁵Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

Philemon 1¹⁶Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?

1 Timothy 3:¹⁶And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

1 Peter 3: ¹⁸For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

1 Peter 4:¹Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; ²That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. ³For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: ⁴Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: ⁵Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. ⁶For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

1 John 4:²Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: ³And 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

2 John 1: ⁷For 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.

Regeneration does not precede faith, and about DEPRAVITY

”Regenerate” and ”regenerated” are not found in the Bible 

“Regenerate” and “regenerated” are not found in the KJV Bible. Not in the NIV either for that matter. Neither is “regeneration” found in the NIV but it’s found twice in the KJV. The first instance does not even refer to the word “regenerate” but is based on the word generation.

Matthew 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

The second instance however is this, and this is the verse that reformed thinkers base much on their theology on:

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

This verse does not say that a person must be “regenerated” in order to seek and find God as per reformed type of thinking, but we can understand from reading it that we cannot cleanse our sins ourselves by suddenly starting to do good things. Our PAST sins must be dealt with first. We can only be cleansed and declared righteous thanks to the blood of Jesus which happens when we ask for forgiveness for our sins, repent and start living in the light. If we break the Law even once we are in need of a Savior – which we have all done – and that is why we are saved thanks to God’s MERCY on our souls and not for any righteous things we have done. (Naturally this doesn’t mean we are free to CONTINUE breaking the law and thus making us unclean again.)

When we are born again we have stepped over from death to life and we are washed, regenerated and renewed of the Holy Ghost. We are all asked to come to God in order to be born again. So the only instance where “regeneration” can be found in the Bible, we can understand that regeneration comes AFTER that a person has repented for his sins and been cleansed from them. THEN he is a new regenerated person and the old things have passed away. A person cannot be cleansed and washed at the same time as he has sins left in his system. We simply can’t be saved unless we are cleansed from our past sins. Understanding Titus 3:5 in this way also makes it harmonize well with everything else we can read in the Bible – for instance when we keep in mind that the prodigal son was DEAD and yet he took a personal decision to return to his Father and ask for forgiveness. No one else persuaded him or forced him.

If a born again conversion occurs sometime after regeneration, then you would have a person who is regenerated but not yet converted, and therefore you can have a person who is regenerated but not yet saved! A person is not saved when he receives the ability to repent and believe. Men are saved when they actually repent and believe.  If not a person would be able to be regenerate and yet still be damned since it’s prior to his conversion! The very moment that a sinner is regenerated he is saved because regeneration is not distinct or difference from conversion.

Verses that show that faith comes before regeneration/rebirth

Heb. 11 he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently SEEK him.

John 1:12 But as many as RECEIVED him, to THEM gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name

Acts 17 God has made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;That they should seek the Lord, if haply (in the hope that) they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from EVERY ONE OF US:For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord

Acts 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee

2 Cr 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death

1 John 1:9 IF we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness

Rev. 2:21 And I gave her SPACE TO REPENT of her fornication and she repented not. 22 Behold I will cast her into a bed and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation except they repent of their DEEDS

2 Tim 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.21 IF a man thereforepurges himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

2 Chron. 15:2 The LORD is with you when you are with him. IF you seek him, he will be found by you, but IF you forsake him, he will FORSAKE you.

Romans 12:²And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded

Jeremiah 4:14 Wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved

Ezekiel 18:31 Make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die… 

Mat 6:14,15 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

The whole point of seeking God is to find him and become regenerated/cleansed

Until we find God we are not forgiven nor regenerated. Reformed type of thinking reverses the sequence by which God works and shuts up the Kingdom of Heaven against men, claiming specialness for themselves and barring for the vast bulk of humanity. God instructs men to seek God, and in fact, we are told that nobody can come to God UNLESS they seek him. Acts 17 states clearly that God created all men in the hope that they would SEEK HIM AND FIND HIM,and that he is not far from any one as in him we all live and move and have our being. Then he determines the way to find him – he commands all men everywhere to repent. Being born of God comes as a result of, or at the same time as, finding God.

Man cannot find God before God reveals himself to man, and he has! This is the good news! He has enlightened all men born into this world – Jn 1:9 and Romans 1 – and he has shown all men within themselves his eternal power and godhood – this is quite comprehensive revelation. So that they know the truth about God and they have no excuse…(Romans 1:19-21).

Regeneration = redemption in Christ’s blood = forgiveness of sins at the new birth, consequent upon repentance and NOT before repentance. (thanks Stephen Thomas)

(Showing that regeneration = redemption in Christ’s blood = forgiveness of sins at New Birth, consequent upon repentance and NOT before)

1. There is *one verse* in the NT that describes regeneration in Titus:. ”according to his mercy he saved us, by the WASHING OF REGENERATION, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” [Titus 3:5] here we see that regeneration = ”the washing”.

2. Revelation 1:5 tells us what this washing is: ”from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and **washed us from our SINS in his own blood**”

3. Colossians 1:14 reveals that this IS FORGIVENESS OF SINS: ”In whom we have REDEMPTION through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

4. This happens consequent upon REPENTANCE: ”Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins” Acts 5:31

Strongs says this specific Greek word is only used twice – here (and also at the return of Christ when all things are made new). Also, let’s look at the word in Greek to see it’s meaning:

Titus 3:5 = he saved us by ”the Washing of regeneration”

= loutrou palingenesias
= washing (lit. a bath) [of] spiritual rebirth / rennovation – [GENESIS-AGAIN]

Genesis = the start of something – it’s inception – beginning.

Thus washing of regeneration = the start point of new spiritual God-born life = washing of sins = forgivenss consequent upon repentance: ”repentance *unto* life” [Acts 11:18] (not repentance OUT OF / FROM life)

At face value we can see that regeneration is the process of cleansing from SIN, thus regeneration IS forgiveness of sins. This is the Biblical understanding when we let scripture explain scripture, rather than basing our understanding on a dogma or an ”ism”.

= So first; we receive, repent, seek, return to, etc and THEREAFTER God cleanses, pardons, lets himself be found, etc.

DEPRAVED and DEPRAVITY words not found in the BIBLE!

“Depraved” and “depravity” are words not to be found in the KJV Bible, but 6 times in the NIV where the meaning is never that a person is 100% dead and unable to make good moral decisions without the awakening of God. It’s also interesting to see that the words

Reformed believers usually base their whole philosophy on the idea that man is ”depraved” and they repeatedly use this word, which they have their own interpretation of.  I checked the words DEPRAVE, DEPRAVED and DEPRAVITY in the entire NIV and none of the six places indicate a person is depraved out of his/her own control. It’s always a BAD CHOICE to be depraved:

Ezekiel 16:47 You not only followed their ways and copied their detestable practices, but in all your ways you soon became more depraved than they.

Comment: Here we can read about people choosing to FOLLOW bad ways, and these ways are DETESTABLE according to God. We can read that they became MORE depraved than others due to this unfortunate selecting of ways to follow.

Ezekiel 23:11 Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister.

Comment: Here we can read the reason why Oholibah was MORE depraved than her sister. It was due to her lust and prostitution. There is no obligation to live like that.

Romans 1:28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.

Comment: Here we can read the REASON why God gave people over to depraved minds. It was due to their choice to not seek it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God. We can read that they do what OUGHT NOT to be done which is a good indication of that they had an option to live in another way. This is a good example of something happening against God’s will. It was God who gave them over to a depraved mind, but 1) it was due to their own rejection of him and 2) apparently they did not have a depraved mind to start with. The rest of Romans 1 makes is clear that people have no excuse for not coming to God and for acting wickedly.

2 Timothy 3:8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.

Comment: Here again we can read about people who OPPOSE the truth. God naturally did not want them to oppose the truth. IF God wanted them to reject the truth and thus force them to reject the truth, then they shouldn’t be held accountable for it. They wouldn’t have any choice but to act just like God made them act, so they would actually be ”obeying God” by rejecting the truth. God wants us all to accept the truth and we can all do this if we so choose.

2 Peter 2:2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.

Comment: Here again we read about people who choose to FOLLOW their depraved conducts, and by doing so they will bring the way of truth into disrepute. Bad choice on their part!

2 Peter 2:7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless

Comment: Lot was a righteous man among loads of depraved people. Naturally God didn’t want those people to be depraved but they ended up in that way against God’s will and according to their own free will. Again, if God wanted them to be depraved then they would be innocent victims for God’s ruling, which they had no choice but to obey. Just the fact that Lot was called righteous and the others depraved shows the distinction between obeying God and not obeying God.

Romans 1:29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips.

Comment: These are examples of wicked behavior and since God is not the author of sin naturally we can’t blame God for filling these people with all kind of wickedness. It came from their own hearts. Since they have ”become” filled with evil, it makes us understand that this was not always the case in their lives. The better option would have been to live in the light.

2 Peter 2:19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity for people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.

Comment: We can read in KJV Rom. 6:16:”Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves tosomeone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey whether you are slaves to sin, which leads todeath, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?”

WE are the ones doing the choosing to whom we should obey. God is the one to whom we owe our worship and obedience, so if we obey someone else it’s always against his will. Both Peter and Paul are warning us to not obey the wrong master. We are told to be obedient and continue to be righteous.

Sovereignty

”Sovereignty” and ”sovereign” are words not found in the KJV Bible. ”Sovereignty” is found in the NIV in a couple of cases where it does not refer to God (Dan 5:18, Dan 7:27) and ”sovereign” is used several times in the NIV. The lack of this word in the KJV is also quite interesting since many calvinists claim that Free willers have changed the meaning of ”sovereign” - when we suggest that a sovereign God can create man with Free will – eventhough this word is not even present in the Bible. Naturally God IS sovereign but there is no obligation to understand the nature of God the way calvinists prefer to view him. God is so sovereign that he is able to create us with free will. That is how powerful he is!

Total inability

Not found in the KJV or NIV.

No one is born with a SINFUL NATURE, and sinning is by choice

No one is born with a “sinful nature” or “sinful flesh.” Jesus was like Adam in every sense of the word. Jesus was flesh and blood – the second Adam, with the same passions and desires. Adam had every chance to live like Jesus was able to, but Adam chose to sin, Jesus did not. Adam did not come into this world with a sinful nature, nor did Jesus, nor does any baby born into this world.

GOD is the author of our nature and our constitution (Isa. 49:5; Jer. 1:5; Ps. 139:13-14; Ecc. 7:29). Every single baby He forms in the womb is made in His image (Gen. 1:26-27, 9:6). That means all of us are created with a free will and with a conscience. We come into this world capable of good or evil. We form our own moral character by the choices we make, not by some force stuck in our will by the mythical teaching of “sin nature” (Original Sin), which makes our nature sinful by constitution, which makes sin involuntary.

Question from reader:

Sandra I am not trying to be contentious…Just some questions I am pondering in my heart lately. If every single baby is formed in the image of God who is Perfect in every way then why do some babies come into the world handicapped? What you are saying is that everyone of us is perfect in every way when we are born…then why do we need a Savior? Why do babies and little children have a selfish sinful nature?

To answer your first question: We only inherit our physical bodies from our parents, which is subject to death and desease (1 Cor. 15:38-39-49; Heb. 2:14) because of Adam’s sin (no longer have access to the tree of life). Even Jesus inherited this physical body subject to death and desease. He grew older, lost his baby teeth, lost his hair, had cells that reproduced and died.

When it comes to guilt. We do not inherit guilt (2Kings 14:6, Deu 24:16, 2Chr 25:4, Eze 18:2-4, Eze 18:19-20).

2. Sin is a moral issue which is a transgression of the law and conscience, and babies are not able to make moral decisions, they are morally neutral. (2Kings 14:6; Deu. 24:16; 2Chr. 25:4; Eze. 18:2-4; Eze. 18:19-20) Babies are innocent. Their souls do NOT come from their parents, but rather from God in its spiritual condition (Eze.18:4). Children are not guilty of evil, nor worthy of praise until they are able to make their own decisions (Rom.9:11). They have to come to the age of maturity where they know to do right and do wrong – thus sin. (Jas. 4:17) This sin is not by necessity, but rather by choice. (Jas.1:13-15). This is why every human is responsible for the “things done in the body” and is judged “according to what he/she has done, whether it be good or bad.” (2Cor. 5:10)

If babies come into this world handicapped, it is not because of some sin they personally committed or because of the false teaching that they are born in sin. (John 9:2-4)

Why do we need a Savior? Because we have all sinned. However, this topic has led to babies. What sin does a baby commit? Would you be able to give me one instance from the Bible? If a baby dies in infancy, he is automatically saved because there is no sin in that baby by inheritance, nor by any action on his part of committing sin. The baby is innocent. Because of this doctrine of Original Sin, the Catholic church had to come up with infant baptism, otherwise, the conclusion is that that all babies who die in infancy would end up in hell, since the false teaching goes, they are born in sin.

You ask, “Why do babies and little children have a selfish sinful nature?” You assume first that everyone is born with a sinful nature. The Bible does not teach this. You also say “babies are selfish.” Would a baby crying for his mother be called sin? Would a baby crying because he is hungry be called sin? Would a baby wanting his diaper changed be called sin? Would a baby wanting comfort in his mother’s arms be called sin? The only way a baby can communicate when in discomfort is to cry. Jesus had to do the same to get his mother’s attention. What about the young children? I have seen young children do righteous acts. I have yet to meet a young child who sins 24/7. I can tell you why a child may do a good deed. That’s because of the nature he is born with (Rom. 2:14-15). However, everyone born of a woman falls into *voluntary* moral depravity because of the combination of influences in that direction (the world, the flesh, and the devil).

Sin is a choice, not a constitution. Sin is a transgression of law (1 John 3:4) and conscience (James 4:17). If sin is a choice it cancels out constitution, if sin is in our constitution it cancels out the choice.

Romans 5 deals with spiritual death by sinning. Now, if “physical death” is referred to in Romans 5:12 as a result from Adam’s sin, then it can no longer be a result from “personal” sin. In Romans 5:12 it states,”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.”

The death in Romans 5:12 deals with personal transgression… “for all have sinned.” Spiritual death comes by sinning. The word “have” indicates an activity on every individual’s part since sin is voluntary. All that have sinned are the ones who have sinned. Sin is not imputed to babies (Rom. 5:14). Infant children are innocent if they were to die in infancy since they are neither guilty of evil nor praise worthy of good since they have no moral character yet (Rom. 9:11). A child must know to do right before they will be charged for doing wrong (Jas. 4:17). So this is not referring to infants, for infants cannot make moral choices.

However, when a person comes to maturity where he knows the difference between good and evil, to do what is right and instead does wrong, they sin and consequently come under the wrath of God as a result of them misusing their free wills. (Rom.1:18-21; 2:12-15; Rom.6:16). So the type of death that comes upon individuals for their own personal sin is not physical, but spiritual (Eze.18:4, 20). This spiritual death (severed relationship with God) comes by personal disobedience to light.(Jas. 4:17; Heb.7:26; 1John 1:5) It is addressing spiritual death that passes upon all men, for that all have sinned (v.12). Not in Adam! It doesn’t say that all have sinned in Adam. This is why there was a group of people (not babies) who were spiritually dead between Adam and Moses (v.14). So death (spiritual) still reigned over those who had NOT sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, meaning they were sinning against the law of their conscience (James 4:17).

Sin is optional, not a necessity of nature. All who choose to sin become spiritually dead in their sins. But just as a person may choose to sin (which we all have) they must also choose to reject the created habits. This is possible through the freedom of the will and God given nature. If sin were physical (as the Calvinist say) this would not be true, but sin is moral so the will is always in play…always able to choose vice or virtue…otherwise we’re robots!

Thanks to Sandra

What happened when Adam sinned?

Genesis 3 tells us what happened to Adam when he sinned, and the result of his sin. The first thing that happened to Adam was he died spiritually (more on this later).  He was cut off from God.  And what we see from Genesis 3 is that God said Adam would have to work from the sweat of his brow for his bread.  He would have to till the ground to produce crop.  God said concerning the woman that He would greatly multiply her pain in childbearing. And the last thing is that they were expelled from the Garden.  They were not allowed back into the Garden to eat from the tree of life, otherwise they would live forever.  We know from the Bible that Adam and Eve were created mortal.  Adam came from dirt.  Adam and Eve needed to eat from the tree of life (which they were given permission to eat from) to sustain their mortal body from decaying.

We don’t see anything in those passages that says Adam’s nature was affected.  It doesn’t say anything that his nature became corrupt.  It does not say anything about something transferring to his posterity.  The Bible does say he died. “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the DAY that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Since Adam did not physically drop dead, it had to be a different death.  There is only one word for ”death” in the Scriptures, so it is important to get the context.  God does say, “for in the DAY that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”  (Gen. 2:17)  How?  Did Adam drop dead the moment he disobeyed God?  No.  The only conclusion is that he died spiritually, and that is the same kind of death Paul is talking about in Romans 5 that people love to quote when trying to enforce the false doctrine of Original Sin.

Read Romans.  Paul talks about spiritual death (unless it is very clear that physical death is meant instead). In Romans 5 Paul is not talking about physical death.  Paul is talking about a spiritual death, a separation from God when a person sins.  The death that entered the world through Adam was not ‘drop dead’ the moment you sin, or we would all be dead, including Adam! So Genesis 3, as well as Romans 5, is not talking about physical death.  Not to mention, if you look at the context of Romans 5:12-21, Paul speaks of condemnation and justification.  The condemnation is referring to spiritual death, not physical, for those who are justified still die physically.

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Ro. 5:12).

Clearly, this passage is speaking of personal sin by imitation (‘because all sinned’) rather than inherited sin through imputation (that is not taught in Scriptures).  In fact, Paul reports there were some individuals who lived after Adam, who sinned NOT according to the “likeness” of his original transgression (Ro. 5:14)! As follows, sin is not a physical substance that is inbred in your flesh, rather, sinfulness is a result of living out aimless conduct received by tradition (or long practiced habit) from your fathers. (1 Pe. 1:18). Therefore, just as through one man (Adam) sin entered the world, and (spiritual) death through sin, and thus (spiritual) death spread to all men, BECAUSE ALL HAVE SINNED” (Gen. 2:17; 3:6; Ro. 3:23; 5:12; 1 Co. 10:13; Jas. 1:13-16)!

Does the Bible teach that all men are automatically made righteous by Christ apart from repenting and believing in the Gospel (Mk. 1:15; Acts 17:30-31; 20:21)? Of course not. Then why is it automatically assumed that all men are automatically made sinners by Adam apart from choice (Ro. 5:18)? The idea of original sin being hereditary is contrary to many parts of the Bible. For instance, Deuteronomy 24:16 states, “Fathers shall NOT be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers…every man shall be put to death for his own sin”, while in Ezekiel 18:4 God confirms, “All souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine; the soul that sins, it shall die.” This being the case, why would God allow the transmission of sin?

Another passage thrown into the mix is 1 Cor. 15:21-22, but they only quote, “For as in Adam all die…”

“For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive” (1 Co. 15:21-22).

This passage is used to support the theory that ALL (spiritually and physically) die due to the transmission of Adam’s original sin. However, this passage is strictly speaking of physical death. The context is referencing the future (physical) resurrection of the dead (1 Co. 15). Hence, “even so in Christ all SHALL BE (future) made alive.”  According to Paul, physical death is a consequence springing from the man (Adam), just as a glorified body shall come in the future through the Man, Jesus Christ.

Now, how is it man dies on an account of Adam’s sin?  First, Adam was created mortal, that is, flesh and blood (Gen. 2:7; 3:19; 1 Co. 15:45-50). He was of the earth, “earthy” (1 Cor. 15:47-49).  We have this idea that Adam was created immortal, which the Bible does not say.  If Adam and Eve had to eat of the fruit from the tree of life to become immortal, then they were created mortal to begin with! Secondly, through Adam’s personal act of disobedience he lost for himself (and his descendants) physical access to the “Tree of Life” which he (and we) must eat from to physically “live forever” (Gen. 3:22). As follows, man physically dies due to being separated from this tree, which has its part in the future (Rev. 22:14).

Original Sin Cancels out Repentance!

The bottom line is that Augustine’s doctrine of Original Sin contradicts the Biblical truth about repentance.  Why would God command us to repent if we are not responsible – that we can blame it all on Adam instead?  The reason God tells sinners to repent is because they are responsible.  The Augustine doctrine of Original Sin denies that sinners have the ability to repent of their own free will, even from those who claim to be saved!  They give the idea that they cannot help sinning because they are born sinners.  Does God say anywhere that we have inherited a sin nature from Adam, and therefore can’t do anything but sin?  No, we learned if from Augustine’s teachings.  This doctrine teaches that man cannot repent, that man is incapable of repenting, and that God somehow has to tweak his will before he can repent.  Nowhere does Scripture give us this idea.

God tells man to forsake his sins, which means to repent (STOP SINNING). God is not going to do it for us, nor make us do it.  He gave you and I a free will to choose to do sin or to stop sinning.  In the Old Testament God did not have to tweak them over somehow to get them to stop sinning.   God commanded them to forsake their sins.  Once they had forsaken their sins, then they cried for mercy.  Think of a person living in adultery.  That person has to break off that adulterous affair.  That relationship must come to an end before he can ask his spouse for forgiveness, if he expects to be forgiven.  What is preached today is that a person can come to God in his sins – just as he is – all he has to do is confess his sins, but in the mean time there is no forsaking of those sins!  Do you expect your spouse to forgive you when you have no intentions of stopping your adulterous affair?  Yet we expect this from God?  God says that repentance that brings forth the fruit of a holy life is the way to obtain forgiveness and acceptance with Him. We stop the sin and beg for God’s mercy!  PERHAPS God will forgive us! “Repent therefor of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.” (Acts 8:22) The holy Spirit is only given to those who obey God (Acts 5:32).

There are many who hide behind the teaching of ‘Original Sin’ to excuse their sins.  In reality, they are blaming God for making them so.  You see, if we cannot help being sinners because of inherited sin, then we could not be blamed for our sins, or even told to repent of our sins!  You are only doing what is consistent with your nature and cannot do otherwise.  It is Satan’s masterpiece, this doctrine of Original Sin.  However, God says we are to blame for our sins!  He doesn’t say you can’t help sinning – he commands EVERYONE to repent (Acts 17:30), to “go and sin no more.”

Repentance can be found in all the Scriptures.  As Isaiah says, it is YOUR iniquities and YOUR sins that separates you from God.  It does not teach we are separated because of ‘Adam’s sin,’ or something resembling ‘original sin’ that separates us from God.

God did not make anyone with a sinful nature.  When we sin, we sin against our nature! A simple lie detector proves this truth.

Rom. 2:14 says,  “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by naturethe things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:”

Here are Gentiles who do not have the law, and though they do not have the written law, yet are a law unto themselves. There is a law written by God in their hearts, knowing what is good and evil, and his conscience bearing witness to it. They act what is innate and inherit within them. They do it by nature. When they do what is right, they actually do what is in the law, when they disobey, they are sinning against their nature. The Gentile who only has his conscience and creation around him does what is natural, and what is natural is according to the law of God, not according to something evil, twisted, and perverted. Sin would be acting contrary to your created essence. You would be acting differently from how you were created to act and that’s what makes it sinful.

Nowhere does the Bible teach that we are born sinners no matter how many times man tries to twist the Scriptures to fit a man-made doctrine.

The Bible is clear that man corrupts himself, it is not the state of his birth.  (Gen. 6:5-7; 11-12; Exodus 32:7-8; Ecc. 7:29;  Deut. 31:29; Deut. 32:5-6, 18)

(Thanks to Sandra)

Read more about Adam, Eve, Satan and the garden in the rest of my blog articles.