The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Original Sin

Pilgrim,


Yes, I agree that we are born spiritually dead in this world as a result of the sin of Adam. Why can't we say instead, that we cannot choose righteousness because we don't even know what it is, nor did Adam before the fall. We are not sinners because of a defect in our nature or "depraved" but because we have lost God's justifying righteousness. Adam was created "good" and as long as he was obedient, he was covered by God's life giving justification. We cannot justify ourselves by our own obedience nor could Adam even before the fall. I believe that this is what the tree of life was for.

Why do you insist that the limitations (inability to justify ourselves) yet pronounced goodness of our nature has changed, when what has changed is the withdrawal of God's gracious and life giving favor towards Adam and his children due to disobedience? This is what the words "imputed sin" means. Not in us (because we were created good) but credited to us because of our sure disobedience of necessity (sin) to come in a corrupted world that we have inherited from our father Adam.

To put this in another way is to say that sin comes naturally to us in this world, not because of our nature (which was created and remains good and in His image) but because of our fear and knowledge of God's just judgment of death. It is the fear of death that encourages men to hate their Creator and justify or attempt to deify themselves at the expense and even murder of others. It is the fear of death that drives people insane and it is the fear of death in our corrupted world that ultimately drives people to unbelief and unrepentant sin.

Finally I must say this once again. I believe that for us to believe that God put something in us to make us sinners, or that our neighbor has a "sinful nature" or that we have a "corrupted nature" in ourselves, is a mishandling of God's words in Scripture. To say this only gives us reason to be suspicious of God's goodness, to hate our neighbor and to bring an evil psychological sword against our own person. I believe the truth is that we corrupt ourselves into bondage by sin, and bondage is against our very own nature.

Denny

Romans 3:22-24