The Doctrine of Original Sin explains how Adam’s sin affects all humanity and how Jesus Christ’s death offers redemption. According to Romans 5:12, sin entered the world through Adam, and death followed, affecting everyone because all have sinned. This idea is based on Augustine’s teaching that Adam’s sin makes everyone sinners from birth.
Adam’s disobedience by eating the forbidden fruit introduced sin into the previously perfect world of Eden, contaminating humanity, much like a drop of ink spreads through a glass of water. Although laws defining sin came later through Moses, sin existed before then. Even without formal laws, actions like Cain’s murder of Abel were still sinful. The presence of law isn’t necessary for an act to be considered a sin.
The Theory of the Representative, also known as the Federal Headship Theory, is closely related to the Doctrine of Original Sin. It states that Adam, as the representative of all humanity, passed his sin to everyone. Because Adam’s sin was imputed to us, we all bear its consequences. Conversely, Jesus Christ, the new Adam, represents a new humanity, and His righteousness and sacrifice on the Cross also extend to all whom He represents.
This concept of representation means that actions of the head (Adam or Jesus) affect the entire group they represent. Thus, humanity’s fall through Adam and the potential for righteousness through Jesus are understood within this framework.
While this doctrine may be challenging to grasp, especially in a society that values individualism, the Bible says the interconnectedness of humanity. Despite our sense of independence, many aspects of our lives are influenced by factors beyond our control, such as genetics, CEO in a company and the environment we are born into.
Facebook Post Top Comments:
Nijil Wilson: “Adam gave up our Dominion over the Earth now we are fighting to get it back.”
Maurice Brown: “1 Corinthians 15:22 ‘For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.’, AMP version. Adam brought sin into the world making all people sinners by nature. Christ paid to bring the Holy Spirit into the world, so our sin being cleansed, we have the Spirit of Christ in us, life eternal. Sin is still in our body till Jesus returns and we get the new body, but his Spirit in us seals us in God.”
Grace David: “Adam’s seed passed along original sin to me and in addition my own inclination is to sin but I have been redeemed from both by the blood of Jesus Christ and am covered by his blood so I may enter the Holy of Holies. As Admin. have you done anything yet about the Jehovahs Witnesses you have allowed in this group?”
Starr Groff: “You were born in sin and are being shaped in iniquity. The consequence of being born in sin is that all human beings are born with a sinful nature inherited from Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden. This sinful nature separates us from God and leads to spiritual death. Scripture references that support this include Romans 5:12, which states that sin entered the world through one man (Adam), and Psalm 51:5, which acknowledges that we are shaped in iniquity and conceived in sin.”
Louis Marinelli: “Your flesh is of his seed. It is totally corrupt. It is why we must live in the Spirit. The battle between the flesh and the Spirit goes on until our resurrection. See Galatians 5:17.”
Frank Castle: “It doesn’t..?”’