The Bible teaches a perfect parallel to Adam and Christ. The first Adam MADE everyone sinners. Was everyone just reckoned a sinner, or actually MADE sinners when death entered into the world? Obviously everyone was MADE a sinner subject to death of the carnal mind.
What is the polar opposite of that? Declared righteousness while still in slavery? No, because Adam's transgression did not make everyone sinners only by declaration, but in actuality. So the polar opposite to Adam's result, is that Christ's raised LIFE does MAKE people righteous, when before they were in bondage to sin.
It is somewhat of a diversion from "justification;" but, I don't believe the Scripture teaches the foregoing doctrine called, "original sin," another phrase that isn't from the Bible, but is from Roman Catholic tradition. There is something like "original death," and "...sin reigns in [the domain of] death..." (Rm 5:21)
The apostle, teaching about judgment and that it is not the hearers, but rather the doers of God's law that are justified, points out, "...the nations that have no law, by nature may be doing that which the law demands..." (Rm 2:14, CLT) I was raised with the opposite idea of my "nature." In fact, it went so far that, without a successful conversion experience, by default I was to be tortured ceaselessly for ever for just being born here. I started out damned for Adam's sin. My original nature was altogether evil. This is a horrible foundation in a child's life and is hard to be rid of later. One lives a life of dread, the whole sense of self always under condemnation. It was never taught that "by nature" I would do God's will, as Paul pointed to in the passage just quoted.
Scripture also teaches that sin is "against nature." (cf., Rm 2:26-27) The doctrine of "original sin" keeps millions of people believing humans are inherently evil when we are actually good. When we "do by nature the things written in the Law," and sin is when we "do those things against nature," this means, though fallen, man is still "good" if not "very good." ("The Fall" isn't actual Biblical terminology either.)
Through the things that are made, the creation (cf., Rm 1:20) and in our own selves (cf., Rm 1:19, 21-23) God has taught us of Himself and has even revealed Himself in us. This is spoken of those that do not have the knowledge in the written word. Paul is certainly not talking about the work of the spirit in the new birth; but, he speaks of the nature of those among the nations (or, gentiles) as they are born of Adam.
Augustine (354-430 AD) seems to be the source of the "original sin" teaching. It is largely based on taking David's statement about himself regarding adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Nathan and applying it to everybody. The KJV illustrates that bias in translating it: "In sin did my mother conceive me." (Ps 51:5) Scripture nowhere says sexual intercourse is sin. Concordant Literal has: "Behold, I was with (lit., in) depravity when I was travailed in birth, And in sin when my mother conceived me." This is a difficult word, but it doesn't teach an inherently wicked nature is the lot of all humanity other than Jesus.
Another important source Augustine used was the following passage from Romans:
Romns 5:12-14 (CLT)...
12 Therefore, even as through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin death, and thus death passed through into all mankind, on which all sinned --
13 for until law sin was in the world, yet sin is not being taken into account when there is no law;
14 nevertheless death reigns from Adam unto Moses, over those also who do not sin in the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him Who is about to be.
But Paul did not say the sin of Adam was inherited by the rest of humanity. He says Adam died for his sin and that death spread to the rest of humanity. In fact, God's word goes on to say sin and death have no more dominion over humanity because of the victory over all destroying man by Jesus' death and resurrection bringing in a new humanity.
Romans 5:16-17 (CLT)...
16 And not as through one act of sinning is the gratuity. For, indeed, the judgment is out of one into condemnation, yet the grace is out of many offenses into a just award.
17 For if, by the offense of the one, death reigns through the one, much rather, those obtaining the superabundance of grace and the gratuity of righteousness shall be reigning in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
your brother, James Rohde
