ANSWERS: 6
  • Does the Bible say we are innocent when we are born? I don't think I remember. Original sin is not what we commit, but a state in which we are born. We could go through our whole lives (theoretically) without committing a wrong of any sort, yet still have Original Sin. Original sin is a rebellion of the heart, a me-first attitude that all humans have since the Fall. It is not what we commit.
  • Where does the Bible state that we are innocent when we are born, but then quickly accumulate sins? Adam and Eve committed the original (first) sin when they disobeyed God. Because of this, they lost their perfection. They had no children until after they sinned. Thus, as sinners they could not produce perfect children. Thus, we are all imperfect, born of sinful parents. A parent passes on to their children what they have. Thus today, we see things like certain deseases running in families. Passed on from parent to child. VEW
  • Philip Pullman in his books ´His Dark Materials´ had the concept of ´Dust´, also known as ´Dark Matter´or ´sraf´ as physical manifestation of original sin. He wrote that it is attracted by human wisdom, so a new born child has not much dust at all, and once they pass the threshhold to adulthood, people attract dust. So it´s the change from innocence to experience, like it was in the Garden of Eden. So Eve´s action brought dust into the world. Of course this isn´t a theologian response to your question, since Philip Pullman is actually an atheists, but I think it´s an interesting concept and it would fit to your question.
  • I'm not so sure that the Bible states that we are born innocent. The Bible tells us that even if an infant or child has not committed personal sin, all people, including infants and children, are guilty before God because of inherited and imputed sin. Inherited sin is that which is passed on from our parents. In Psalm 51:5, David wrote, "I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me." David recognized that even at conception, he was a sinner. The very sad fact that infants sometimes die demonstrates that even infants are impacted by Adam’s sin, since physical and spiritual death were the results of Adam's original sin. Each person, infant or adult, stands guilty before God; each person has offended the holiness of God. The only way that God can be just and at the same time declare a person righteous is for that person to have received forgiveness by faith in Christ. Christ is the only way. What about babies and young children who never reach the ability to make this individual choice? The “age of accountability” is a concept that teaches those who die before reaching the “age of accountability” are automatically saved, by God’s grace and mercy. The “age of accountability” is a belief that God saves all those who die before reaching the ability to make a decision for or against Christ. Thirteen is the most common number given for the age of accountability based on the Jewish custom that a child becomes an adult at the age of 13. However, the Bible gives no direct support to the age of 13 always being the age of accountability. It likely varies from child to child. A child has passed the age of accountability once he or she is capable of making a faith decision for or against Christ. With the above in mind, also consider the following: Christ's death is presented as sufficient for all of mankind. 1 John 2:2 says Jesus "is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world." This verse is clear that Jesus' death was sufficient for all sins, not just the sins of those who specifically have come to Him in faith. The fact that Christ's death was sufficient for all sin would allow the possibility of God applying that payment to those who were never capable of believing. The one passage that seems to identify with this topic more than any other is 2 Samuel 12:21-23. The context of these verses is that King David committed adultery with Bathsheba, with a resulting pregnancy. The prophet Nathan was sent by the Lord to inform David that because of his sin, the Lord would take the child in death. David responded to this by grieving, mourning, and praying for the child. But, once the child was taken, David's mourning ended. David's servants were surprised to hear this. They said to King David, "What is this thing that you have done? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept; but when the child died, you arose and ate food." David's response was, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’ But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me." David's response can be seen as an argument that those who cannot believe are safe in the Lord. I apologize for the long answer but this is a serious subject and I'm glad you brought it up. Thank you.
  • No, it is not. Original sin is the teaching that humans are, because of Adam's fall, inherently sinful but it does not teach that we all are guilty of Adam and Eve's sin.
  • Read Ezekiel 18. We are not guilty of Adam and Eve's sin. We are each accountable for our own sin only. Adam and Eve introduced sin into the world but we did not inherit a sin nature from them. We sin because we choose to sin, just like they did. They did not have a sin nature but they still sinned. We are the same way. Original sin is not consistent with Ezekiel 18.

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