Original Sin: Implications and Conclusion (Part 6)

In this series, we have looked at the doctrine of Original Sin.
We believe there was an original sin but disagree with the
doctrine of Original Sin. We observed that Augustine introduced
this doctrine into the church over 400 years after Jesus and none
of the earliest church writers (or the Bible) affirm this
doctrine. It’s actually more closely linked to Pagan and Gnostic
ideas than Biblical Ideas. Recap: What is Original Sin? The
doctrine of Original Sin teaches that because of Adam and Eve’s
sin we are all born guilty before God and that we inherit their
guilt from birth (Original Guilt). Augustine defined this through
concupiscence which he believed that original sin was passed on
sexually. Total Depravity Not only are we born with Original Sin,
the guilt of Adam’s offense, but this also totally depraved and
unable to respond to God according to this Doctrine. Total
Depravity states that all mankind is born spiritually dead,
possessing both Adam’s guilt and his sin nature and that man’s
intellect, will, body, and spirit are so corrupt they cannot seek
God or cry out for his help unless they are first saved and
regenerated, given the gift of faith with a new heart and new
mind. Infant Depravity According to John Calvin we are born
“doomed from the womb”, and Voddie Baucham says all babies are
“vipers in diapers”, born in the guilt of Adam and totally
depraved. So in this view Jesus comes to save us from Original
Sin (God’s wrath)… Or just save “the elect” (if you are
consistent). We have shown in this series how all of this is a
distortion of what the Bible says and we’re going to get into
some of the theological implications of this view today in our
conclusion, showing how those who hold to original Sin are
building on the wrong foundation and bad readings of scripture.
Theological Implications Distortion God’s Character Distortion of
the view and nature of Humanity Penal Substitutionary Atonement
The cross is not about satisfying wrath. It is actually about the
liberation from the hostile Powers of Sin, Death, and the Devil
and therefore the cross is a rescue. In this, there is still room
for the wrath that is being stored up for the ungodly on the "Day
of Wrath". Eternal Conscious Torment the notion of retributive
punishment flows from original sin and what we have show earlier
about Anselm’s medieval feudal views and Calvin’s retributive
views of God. The Better Way There’s a better way to look at all
of this. · In the garden Humans were made in God’s image to rule
with him and keep creation · The humans sinned wanting to define
good and evil on their own terms · God separated them from the
tree of life so that they might not live forever in their sinful
state · Adam did not transfer his guilt to all of humanity but
transferred mortality to all (this is what Romans 5:12 says!) ·
We are not born guilty but born mortal and into an environment of
death and sin and because of this we become sinners when we sin.
· We are born with desires and they are neutral (yetzer). We can
choose the good or the evil (tov/ra)- Choose life! · The world
was held captive by the Powers (D32) , Sin, and Death and Jesus
came to release us from that futility of slavery and death. He
didn’t need to pay off the Father but rather was on a rescue
mission. · We now are to walk by the Spirit and conform ourselves
to the image of the Son and the Divine nature by walking in His
Tov way of Life to return to our original purpose in Eden.
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