The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum If God changes our hearts

Johan,

This question involves the doctrine of "Original Sin" and its imputation, i.e., the imputation of Adam's sin. The biblical source for the answer to your question and this question of the imputation of Adam's sin is found most succinctly in Paul's statements found in Romans 5:12-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22.

I believe the answer to your question is: "ALL children, regardless of their heritage are born under the wrath of God and His just judgment due to the fact that they are guilty in Adam and constituted sinners due to their relationship to him." One of the most observable truths of these facts is that all men die. Death is the consequence of sin, thus all are born sinners as individuals and not because their parents were sinners, although the corruption of nature is inherited by natural generation from which they commit actual and personal sins. But the imputation of Adam's sin, as he was the Federal Head of the human race as constituted by God's government is a separate, although relational, issue. And from this imputation comes both the guilt and penalty of that sin upon all as individuals.

Theologically and historically, this is the view of the vast majority and is known as "Representative and Immediate" imputation.

You could do no better than to read John Murray's classic work, The Imputation of Adam's Sin. I do not know who currently publishes this little book. My copy is quite old (1959) and was published by Eerdmans Publishing in Grand Rapids, MI. If my memory serves me well, which it unfortunately doesn't at times, P&R Publishing (Presbyterian & Reformed) might have picked this up and reprinted it some time back.

Does that help?

Comments? (open to everyone of course )