Original Sin: Intro & Historical Background

Today Dr Will Ryan & Dr. Matt launch a series examining the
Doctrine of Original Sin. If you’ve followed us long enough
you’ve probably seen there are 2 theologies we tend to jab at
quite a bit: Dispensationalism, and Calvinism/Reformed Theology,
So we basically have issues with doctrines that promote fear and
a distortion of God’s Character. In this series we’ll be looking
at how Original Sin is not Biblical or Ancient. The first 400
years of the Church did not believe this There is zero evidence
that Judaism ever believed this. Messianic Jews do not believe
this. The Eastern Orthodox church along with some Protestant
denominations never adopted this view. As we’ll see in this
intro, Augustine was the inventor of this doctrine in the 5th
century and much of it was due to his importation of his pagan
background into Christianity.


Defining original sin


We do not deny that there was AN ORIGINAL SIN. What we will be
referring to as “Original Sin” is the doctrine of Original Sin
which teaches that because of Adam and Eve’s sin we are all born
guilty before God and that we inherit their guilt from birth.
Sometimes we may refer to this as Original Guilt. This is also
called Augustinian Anthropology or Augustinian Original Sin





Original Sin is the building block for Total Depravity or Total
Inability of Calvinism’s TUPLIP which is about the nature of man
in that they are so totally depraved that they cannot even seek
after God. 


Augustine and Original Sin


The doctrine came into the church through Augustine of Hippo
(396-440 CE) and the doctrine was originally called
Concupiscence.  


“Concupiscence” , according to Augustine, relates to Adam’s sin
being transferred through sexual reproduction.  It’s root
definition is a base sexual desire. We get our word concubine
from this.  He believe that though this all men are born
with their will, body, and mind corrupt and this is transmitted
sexually. They inherited the sin through the sexual act leading
to birth. Augustine could only read Latin. He tried to learn
Greek but despised it due to his teacher who was very hard on him
and so never learned it. He also could not read Hebrew. Augustine
came to original sin by reading Romans 5:12 in a bad Latin
translation. 


Augustine and Pelagianism 


Often the label thrown at those who disagree with Original Sin or
who hold to Freedom of the Will is “Pelagian”. 


Augustine developed 14 points of accusation against Pelagius. But
you can look Pelagius’ writings and they completely refute the
accusations. 





The 14 Points of Pelagianism:


1. Adam was created mortal & would die whether he sinned or
not 


2. Adam’s sin harmed only Adam, not mankind 


3. The law leads to heaven in the same way as the Gospel 


4. Newborn infants are in the exact same state as Adam before his
sin 


5. The whole human race doesn’t die through Adam & live
through Christ 


6. Even unbaptized infants possess eternal life 


7. The wealthy must renounce their possessions or they will not
see the Kingdom of Heaven 


8. God’s grace & help are not given for individual actions,
but consist in free will, the law & teaching. 


9. God‘s grace is given in accord with our merits & is
located in the human will 


10. Only those who are without sin can be called children of
God 


11. Forgetfulness & ignorance are not sinful since they’re
not done willingly 


12. A choice is not free if it needs God’s help 


13. Our victory is not the result of God’s help, but free
will 


14. The soul can be as sinless as God. 


“Pelagianism” is based on Augustine’s 14 claims that Pelagius
actually never believed. They are a strawman, a distortion,
defamation, and slander of the beliefs of an orthodox Christian
in order to change orthodoxy in the church.