My view is that there is a great deal of support for the idea that people are born sinners. Much of
Romans 5 can be seen as supporting the concept of original sin.
Yes, I agree. People are born as sinners and even conceived as sinners as is proven by the death of infants
in utero and as small babies. Death is the wages for sin
NOT the consequence of being given life as a human. Death proves sinfulness.
None are righteous, no, not one.
Yet if we use the term
original sin to refer to the idea that people
inherit Adam's sin or the consequences of Adam's sin then I must protest that the GOD who is loving, righteous and just would never create anyone, let alone HIS Bride, to be as filthy rags without any free will decison to be evil.
Love Is Kind. What is this kindness that has everyone after Adam living in the consequences of his rebellion? It is impossible, a reprehensible calumny.
I did not say our sinful nature blames GOD in any way since sinfulness can be only a natural consequence of
CHOOSING sin...
But the doctrine that our sin nature is inherited from Adam brings blame upon GOD for our sin because
1. we had no choice but to have a sin nature, that is,
it was by HIS will, not ours, we got a sin nature and
2. HE created the system whereby we would get a sin nature through no fault or choice of our own and
3. there was no theological necessity for HIM to make us, HIS Bride, as corrupt and grossly evil in Adam and
4. to do so does NOT fit in the least with HIS self revealed character as loving, righteous and just, thereby bringing HIS good Name into disrepute.
Since we made no choice and had no say in our being created evil by means of inheriting sin from Adam, under this doctrine GOD must carry the blame for all sin except Adam's and Eve's sin, and for all the attenuating suffering and for every human in hell and the
disrepute these things bring upon HIM...
Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
Psalm 5:4 You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell. I contend that if this psalm is true, HE would never have created the evil reprobate for HIS pleasure because HE takes no pleasure in evil.
Ezekiel 18:32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone... Nor did HE create anyone to
die, either giving them the wages of sin at their birth nor at their death or in hell for HE takes no pleasure in the death of anyone. All
earning of death is our choice as HIS lack of pleasure in any death proves...
Ezekiel 33:11 Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. This sounds the same but it adds the thought that if He wants them to repent and live, how much more would HE
avoid the displeasure of their death by the simple act of not creating those who would never repent in the first place as these verses suggest HIS pleasure would lead HIM?
Oh, but what about Election by HIS Pleasure?
Ephesians 1:5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will... This proves election is by HIS pleasure but
it does not say HE took pleasure out of the ignoring, the passing over of the reprobate to leave them in damnation, whereas these other verses imply their evil and death would give HIM no pleasure at all. All of the references to HIS good pleasure seem to me to be appended to election but never damnation.
Peace, Ted