Now there are two extremes to viewing
the doctrine of sin nature or original sin… The Calvinist would believe in sin
nature by the doctrine of, “Total Hereditary depravity” which is the “T” in
T.U.L.I.P being the 5 Points of Calvinism. You can read about the other points
of Calvinism in my Calvinism exposed article, for now I will just be going over
Total depravity which is a false doctrine…
Calvinism teaches that Total Hereditary Depravity is that babies inherit the sin of Adam and are totally depraved and therefore unable to respond to the Gospel message of Christ.
God has always been a God who provides choices... Gives us Free Will all the way back to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:22.
Deuteronomy 30:19 ~ "...I have
set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life,
that both thou and thy seed may live."
Genesis 3:22 reveals that, after Adam
and Eve sinned, they knew both good and evil. Deuteronomy 30:19 indicate that
mankind still had the ability to choose either life or death. This proves one
thing: even though mankind is considered spiritually depraved, this doesn't
necessarily mean that we are so depraved that we cannot make the right choice
to be saved.
According to Calvinism, mankind's
spiritual downfall from Adam prevents everyone and anyone from making the
proper choice regarding salvation. They believe that it is impossible for us to
come to God on our own. That God chose us before the foundation of the Earth.
Heresy, since predestination is a lie.
If man were totally incapable of making the correct decision to choose life; why would God say to choose? Because we are to CHOOSE the path we walk, the broad path or narrow path. Matthew 7:13-14.
If man were totally incapable of making the correct decision to choose life; why would God say to choose? Because we are to CHOOSE the path we walk, the broad path or narrow path. Matthew 7:13-14.
Lord Jesus has installed a conscience
in every single one of us. Written His Law on our hearts. Romans 2:15. Based on
our conscience, we make the choice. Since God has foreknowledge, He just
happens to know the decisions we will make before we make them.
Even though we are not depraved to the extent of being incapable to repent, we still have a "sin nature" because Adam didn't deny Satan's temptation... The temptation of our flesh will always be there because of Adam's sin, but you can choose to deny your own temptation.
Some, such as many sinless perfectionists go to the other extreme to say that there is no “sin nature” at all. That we do not need God to deny temptation, the exact opposite of what Calvinism teaches. However, we cannot deny that there is a flesh nature because we must be in constant denial of ourselves.
Jeremiah 17:19 ~ The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Though just because our hearts are desperately wicked, doesn’t mean we are totally depraved, we have the capability to deny wickedness because God commands us to do so. God knows we have the capability within our own free will to deny sin because we have a conscience, though our hearts if not submitted to God will go against our own conscience and gratify our own flesh.
Romans 2:15 ~ Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
1 Corinthians 10:13 ~ There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Even though we are not depraved to the extent of being incapable to repent, we still have a "sin nature" because Adam didn't deny Satan's temptation... The temptation of our flesh will always be there because of Adam's sin, but you can choose to deny your own temptation.
Some, such as many sinless perfectionists go to the other extreme to say that there is no “sin nature” at all. That we do not need God to deny temptation, the exact opposite of what Calvinism teaches. However, we cannot deny that there is a flesh nature because we must be in constant denial of ourselves.
Jeremiah 17:19 ~ The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Though just because our hearts are desperately wicked, doesn’t mean we are totally depraved, we have the capability to deny wickedness because God commands us to do so. God knows we have the capability within our own free will to deny sin because we have a conscience, though our hearts if not submitted to God will go against our own conscience and gratify our own flesh.
Romans 2:15 ~ Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
1 Corinthians 10:13 ~ There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
We have the capability to repent of our sin, deny sin, becoming dead to sin by being crucified to our own wicked desires of our heart to gratify our flesh, this is why God commands again and again to have salvation we must obey God… Forsake sin in order to have eternal life.
Mark 1:15 ~ And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Luke 9:23 ~ And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Romans 6:1-2 ~ 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
1 Corinthians 15:31 ~ I
protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
Galatians 2:20-21 ~ 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Hebrews 10:26 ~ For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Galatians 2:20-21 ~ 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Hebrews 10:26 ~ For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
So again, the doctrine
of original sin/sin nature is the doctrine that when Adam sinned, free will was
lost and his nature became sinful, and all his descendents inherit from him a
sinful nature. Yes, when Adam sinned he brought sin into the world that his
descendents would have the desire to sin, but free will was NOT lost nor the
capability to deny sin (do good).
Romans 5:12 ~ Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
There is a balance… We cannot deny that there is an original sin that Adam did that caused consequences on all of humanity, but this consequence does not include losing free will or that our nature has become completely wicked incapable of any good/self-control.
Genesis 3:16-24 ~ 16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. 21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. 22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Romans 5:12 ~ Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
There is a balance… We cannot deny that there is an original sin that Adam did that caused consequences on all of humanity, but this consequence does not include losing free will or that our nature has become completely wicked incapable of any good/self-control.
Genesis 3:16-24 ~ 16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. 21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. 22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Notice there is a flesh
nature put upon both Adam and Eve, but God then says in verse 22 that lest he
put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live
forever.
So we see here that unless man chooses to do good, we need to do good to inherit life eternal, when man makes the free choice to accept Christ and repent, forsake sin.
So we see here that unless man chooses to do good, we need to do good to inherit life eternal, when man makes the free choice to accept Christ and repent, forsake sin.
Now the remaining question
is… Are we sinners from birth? No, because infants do not know how to grasp the
concept of right and wrong until they become older.
Deuteronomy 1:39 ~ Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and
your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they
shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.
Since infants do not
understand what they are doing yet, they then have not commit willful sin and
are not sinners…
Romans 9:11 ~ (For
the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the
purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that
calleth;)
Matthew 18:3 ~ And
said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little
children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
John 9:41 ~ Jesus
said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We
see; therefore your sin remaineth.
James 4:17 ~ Therefore
to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Romans 2:15 ~ Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
This is why there is the age of accountability that a child cannot keep acting like a child because we know that they have a God given conscience that now bears witness to what is right and wrong. Humans having free will to choose to do good or to do wrong, but since we have the desire to gratify ourselves we all have sinned against God. Romans 3:23. Why we need a Savior and why we need to submit ourselves to God in denying our flesh nature to sin.
If a child dies before reaching the “age of accountability,” that child will, by the grace and mercy of God, be granted entrance into heaven such as aborted babies. The age of thirteen is the age suggested for age of accountability based off of Jewish customs that a child becomes an adult at their thirteenth birthday. The Bible never suggest an exact age when a child is accountable so it can be presumed that it depends on the child.
Romans 2:15 ~ Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
This is why there is the age of accountability that a child cannot keep acting like a child because we know that they have a God given conscience that now bears witness to what is right and wrong. Humans having free will to choose to do good or to do wrong, but since we have the desire to gratify ourselves we all have sinned against God. Romans 3:23. Why we need a Savior and why we need to submit ourselves to God in denying our flesh nature to sin.
If a child dies before reaching the “age of accountability,” that child will, by the grace and mercy of God, be granted entrance into heaven such as aborted babies. The age of thirteen is the age suggested for age of accountability based off of Jewish customs that a child becomes an adult at their thirteenth birthday. The Bible never suggest an exact age when a child is accountable so it can be presumed that it depends on the child.
Infants since they are human have the flesh nature inside of them when they are born, but they cannot sin against their own souls if they do not have full understanding of sin, only when they reach the age of accountability will they have this understanding which, also, makes baby baptismal that the Catholics do, heresy.
A baby cannot place his/her faith in
Christ; an infant cannot make a free will conscious decision to obey Christ. An
infant cannot understand what water baptism symbolizes. An infant just because
they have the propensity to sin when they are older, are still not sinners at
birth so since they have not committed sin they cannot be washed of any sin. The
Bible does not record any infants being baptized. Infant baptism is sprinkling
water over the baby’s head. This method of infant baptism fails to agree with
the Bible. How does pouring or sprinkling illustrate the death, burial, and
resurrection of Jesus Christ? It doesn't, but it is highly unsafe to immerse a
baby in water, thus why baptism is for adults when someone reaches the age of
accountability.
The Greek word for, "Sinners" is "Hamartōlos" meaning, "Devoted to sin, not free from sin, pre-eminently sinful, especially wicked, all wicked men, specifically men stained with certain definite vices or crimes, heathen."
So at birth, an infant has the propensity to sin because of flesh nature, but is not yet a sinner until age of accountability where their conscience bears witness to their wickedness and need for a Savior and repentance to where they must choose with their own capability to deny themselves to have eternal life.
Until next time, bless you all in Jesus’ Name.
The Greek word for, "Sinners" is "Hamartōlos" meaning, "Devoted to sin, not free from sin, pre-eminently sinful, especially wicked, all wicked men, specifically men stained with certain definite vices or crimes, heathen."
So at birth, an infant has the propensity to sin because of flesh nature, but is not yet a sinner until age of accountability where their conscience bears witness to their wickedness and need for a Savior and repentance to where they must choose with their own capability to deny themselves to have eternal life.
Until next time, bless you all in Jesus’ Name.
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