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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
The term "original sin" deals with Adam's sin of disobedience in eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and its effects upon the rest of the human race. Original sin can be defined as "...
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Melanie Spindler
Supporter
The term “original sin” is meant to mean the original act that ushered sin into the world, NOT that we have been found guilty of Adam’s sin such as proposed by John Calvin. Romans does not support Calvin’s view; Paul only speaks to Adam introducing sin into the world, just as grace was introduced when Christ came. Jeremiah 17 also only speaks to the condition of our hearts, not that we incur guilt for our ancestors’ sins. The verse Psalms 51:5 is often, and in this case, misused. David states that he was conceived in iniquity. This goes to God’s attribute of omniscience—He knows our sins before we commit them; David’s sins were laid out before the foundation of the world because God already knew them, not because David was paying for Jesse’s sins (Psalm 139:16—a concept David understood well). The Arminian view does not run contrary to Scripture. We all bear punishment for our sin, but it is our own sin, not that of our fathers. How can Calvin be correct when GOD said to Ezekiel in Ezekiel 18: "The word of the Lord came to me: “WHAT DO YOU PEOPLE MEAN by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: “‘The parents eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? As surely as I live,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child. THE ONE WHO SINS IS THE ONE WHO WILL DIE. Suppose a man has a violent son. Will the son live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; HIS BLOOD IS ON HIS OWN HEAD. But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things: HE WILL NOT DIE FOR HIS FATHER’S SINS; he will surely live. But his father WILL DIE FOR HIS OWN SIN. Yet you ask, ‘Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. THE ONE WHO SINS IS THE ONE WHO WILL DIE. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them." The prophet Jeremiah affirmed Ezekiel in Jer 31:29-30. 2 Cor 5:10 says. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things we have done while in the body, whether good or bad." Galatians 6:5,7 says, "For we are each responsible for our own conduct. Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant." And the most compelling: Rev 20:11-13 "And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. I saw the dead standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. AND ALL WERE JUDGED ACCORDING TO THEIR DEEDS." I am accountable to God for my own iniquity, not that of Adam or my mother nor are my children accountable for my sin; else God is not just (and I know he is). When God himself is quoted as saying “The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them,” and "The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins" that’s what I will live my life by. The authority, GOD HIMSELF, has said this.
Salem Markus Purba
Supporter
Original sin, rooted in a knowledge of evil, causes curses, suffering, pain and death to human being and living creatures as well (Genesis 3: 10-19; Romans 6: 23). No one can overcome sin but God alone (John 14: 6-7), from whom the knowledge of good is gained (John 10: 31-39). Since man has had a knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3: 22), he/she is always involved in an interactions of these two powers during his/her life in this planet earth, but whoever believes in Jesus will be saved. (John 3: 16-18).
Amstel Ocan
Supporter
Personally, as believers we have to ensure that the word truth prevails in every aspect of our conversations. And it's only God who gives truth through HIS spirit in John 17:17 (sanctify us with thy truth for thy word is truth.) That same word is God himself according to John 1:1. The word of God which is the only source of truth. According to scriptures, it is the soul that sins that dies, but it becomes a bit contradictory with what Christ said (through one man sin came Ito the world as through or man is it lifted). Even with that, the evidence is so clear that your sins are accredited to you alone, that is why we are being cautioned to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.
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