What is the biblical basis for the doctrine of original sin?

Question

I was recently discussing theology and baptism with my Arminian teacher when he mentioned that he doesn't believe in the doctrine of original sin, saying "I don't believe sin is genetic".

This actually caught me off guard, as I was unaware that there even was a dispute over the doctrine of original sin. Yet later in the day and in the next following days, I spent a little bit of time looking for the basis of such a doctrine. I wasn't really able to find anything online.

So that leads me to my question. What is the biblical basis for the doctrine of original sin?

It may be helpful to me if you defined what is meant by original sin, as I may just be confused.

Answer 1

Rather than start with the biblical basis for the doctrine of 'original sin', it might be useful to start with the origin of denial of this very early Christian belief. Here is a quote from a scholarly book, defining its origins:

Pelagianism - school of thought named after Pelagius (354 - 418?) and promulgated by Julian of Eclanum (c. 368-455). They taught that the human will was capable of spiritual good without the aid of God's grace, and that sinless perfection was possible in this life. Augustine and Jerome were chief critics of Pelagianism, and it was condemned by church councils in 418 and 431. Pilgrim Theology p.470, Michael Horton, Zondervan 2011

It wasn't until the mid-4th century that clear opposition within the Church to this long-held Church doctrine became solidly clarified, and it can be seen that the objection was that human free-will could not be incapable of choosing to do good. That is diametrically opposed to claiming that all humanity is tainted with sin and dependent on the grace of God to be delivered from that.

The debate has raged on ever since, as shown in the 1610 'Remonstrance' of those supporting the recently deceased James Arminius and what he taught about free will, or human ability. This came to be the first point of Arminianism: that man, although affected by the Fall, was not totally incapable of choosing spiritual good, and was able to exercise faith in God in order to receive the gospel and thus bring himself into possession of salvation.

In response to that, the Synod of Dort in 1618 responded to that first point with the view that man is totally unable to save himself on account of the Fall in the Garden of Eden being a total fall, not a partial one. If man cannot save himself, then only God can, and it is up to him to decree how he will do that. With the best will in the world, fallen sinners cannot get themselves out of the mire they find themselves in. Please note, however, that the doctrine of original sin does not say that man's total inability is due to some supposed total depravity. Man is not as depraved as he could be. That's not what's being claimed. It is that man's natural state (after the Fall) renders him totally unable to gain, or contribute to, his own salvation.

Now we can deal with what you first asked for: the biblical basis for this doctrine. As it would require pages and pages of text to quote all the scriptures, I will just list some sample sources and ask you to read them all for yourself. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but just one that will begin to open up the biblical basis you seek.

Genesis 6:5; Job 14:4; Job 14:4; Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 13:23 & 18:9-10 & 14; Mark 4:11ff; Romans 3:9-12 & 23 & 5:6, 8, 10-14 & 7:10-8:2; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:1-10; Colossians 2:13-15; Titus 3:3-5; 1 John 1:8-10.

Answer 2

Original sin is listed as "probably referred to" in Job 14:4

who can make him unclean...

Psalm 1:7

I was conceived in inequities; and in sins did my mother conceive me

But definitively declared by St. Paul

in Romans 5:12,14-19

by the offense of one, unto all men to condemnation

and 1 Corinthians 21-22

as in Adam all die ...

and Ephesians 2:3

..by nature children of wrath

Source: A Textual Concordance of the Holy Scriptures, Thomas David Williams, TAN books. Biblical quotations are from the Douay-Rheims version if they seem a bit old timey.

---

As for the controversy, the denial of Original Sin is the Pelagian Heresy, I only remember that because Hillaire Belloc wrote a song about it.

Oh, he thwacked them hard and he thwacked them long

On each and all occasions,

Till they bellowed in chorus loud and strong

Their orthodox persuasions.

Answer 3

Original sin can mean different things. Some erroneously believe that all men are automatically guilty because of Adam's sin, but this is not true.

Romans 7:9-11 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

Romans 9:9-11 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (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;)

The Bible is clear that men are NOT automatically guilty because of Adam's sin.

However, it does teach that men have inherited Adam's sinful nature.

Romans 7:18-19 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

Answer 4

It is obvious from Jesus, James and the Apostles Paul and Peter that there is a struggle between the fallen, or 'weak' flesh nature and the spirit, or soul of every human being born into this world. The world, the flesh, and the devil are the enemies of our souls, our spirit and will.

Jesus said, 'the spirit is willing, but the flesh is 'weak'.

The apostle Paul said, 'I was alive once, but when the law came (thou shall not covet), sin revived, and I died."

James wrote, 'Let no one say that he is tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither does He tempt anyone. Everyone is tempted when they are led away by their own desire and enticed. Then when desire has conceived it brings forth sin; and sin, when it is finished brings forth death."

The apostle Peter wrote, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul."

All of these Scriptures state there is a struggle between our 'weak' flesh nature and our inner person of soul and spirit. James wrote that spiritual death is a process of desire which entices, and when desire has conceived it brings forth sin, and sin when it is finished brings forth [spiritual] death. The apostle Paul wrote that he was alive once, but sin revived, and he died upon hearing the commandment of 'thou shall not covet'.

It is an assumption to maintain that the fall of Adam and Eve disabled the souls of all human beings prior to their birth. It is our weak flesh nature which wars against our soul and spirit. James writes that we are created in the image of God. In the image of God in which Moses said, "choose this day, life or death, good or evil."

Most importantly, Jesus was born into the same sort of 'weak' flesh nature as our selves. The difference is that he perfectly overcame his own weak flesh nature that he was born into. And it his overcoming Spirit which enables us to overcome the weak flesh nature which all of us are born into.

Answer 5

The doctrine of original sin is based mainly from Paul’s teachings, however that is slightly confusing as well and not clear in what context Paul’s was talking.

Passages such as;

Romans 5:12 - Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people because all sinned

Romans 5:18–19 - “Therefore, as by the offense of one [Adam] all men were taken to condemnation; so also, by the Justice of one [Jesus] many shall be made just.” Gal 3:22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

If the above passages are to be understood, that, everyone is a sinner. No one should be condemned no matter what sin they commit as it is not his fault. Further, if Jesus died for our sins and no one can be saved unless they have faith in Jesus, that would be highly unfair to those prior to Jesus as they had no chance of being saved or the final knowledge of truth.

Contradiction

Ezekiel 18:20 - “The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The >righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”

Deuteronomy 24:16 - 16 Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.

Genesis 4:6-7 - “Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

Ecclesiastes 9:2-4 - 2 Everyone will die someday. Death comes to godly and sinful people alike. It comes to good and bad people alike. It comes to “clean” and “unclean” people alike. Those who offer sacrifices and those who don’t offer them also die. A good person dies, and so does a sinner. Those who make promises die. So do those who are afraid to make them. 3 Here’s what is so bad about everything that happens on this earth. Death catches up with all of us. Also, the hearts of people are full of evil. They live in foolish pleasure. After that, they join those who have already died. 4 Anyone who is still living has hope. Even a live dog is better off than a dead lion! Isaiah 7:15-16 - 15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

2 Kings 14:6 However, he did not kill the children of the assassins, for he obeyed the command of the LORD as written by Moses in the Book of the Law: “Parents must not be put to death for the sins of their children, nor children for the sins of their parents. Those deserving to die must be put to death for their own crimes.”

Matthew 4:17, as we are told about Jesus: “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

2 corn 7:10 because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no Loss through us.

Rev 2:16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.

Rev 3:19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

Luke 24:47 and that repentance for1 the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Matthew 18:3 - 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Conclusion

The intention clearly cannot be that all are sinners and cannot be saved until Jesus dies for everyone’s sins as it would be unjust to those before and contradict other passages. There would also be no need for repentances it was not your fault that you sinned and as Jesus has died for our sins as long as we believe we will be saved. This is a summary of many passages,

Answer 6

OP: What is the biblical basis for the doctrine of original sin?

As the OP asked, what is the [biblical] definition of original sin?

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Gen 2:7

We know what happened.

[They ate the fruit] And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. Gen 3:7

But,

And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died. Gen 5:5

So, was God incorrect when He said the day you eat you die? Adam lived another 930 years and died.

Obviously, God was not, could not be, talking about physical death, but rather about spiritual death. Original sin is the death of spirit in mankind. We may beget physically, but never spiritually. This original sin, this spiritual death is what is "transferred" from generation to generation.

Thus, Jesus says you must be born again (Jn 3:3, 7). As Peter put it, born again by the word of God (1 Peter 1:23).

So, the doctrine of original sin is in the Bible as it means spiritual death that is "inherited" by all via Adam's death of spirit state. No person can make any other person alive in the spirit.

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: Rom 5:12

Yep.

Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. Rom 5:18

What offence? Adam didn't believe God. Spirit of God in Adam left so all people are under condemnation. Righteousness by Christ is available to all persons who believe unto justification of life. We gotta be born again.

Answer 7

What is the biblical basis for the doctrine of original sin?

The biblical basis is, God gave a command to Adam, that Adam broke or did not follow.

What is the command?

Man and Woman in the Garden …16And the LORD God commanded him, “You may eat freely from every tree of the garden, 17but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.”

18The LORD God also said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper.”…

Genesis2:17 stated, God forbids Adam to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

The question is, how to interpret the meaning of the "Tree of Knowledge and Good and Evil"?

To understand this, we must understand the role God gave to Adam, when God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden.

What is the Garden of Eden anyway?

The Garden of Eden is a Temple of God, and Adam was anointed as the High Priest of Humanity, and his role is to bless humanity by offering a sacrifice of praise to God.

See this article. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resource/55702/adam-high-priest-of-humanity

The simple question is, if Adam was anointed by God as High Priest and placed him in the Garden of Eden, a Temple of God, what would God forbid him, not to do, if all the animals and the garden are under his jurisdiction?

We can find the answer, in the following verse...

Genesis2:18, God gave Adam a "suitable helper", I repeat a suitable helper but not a "wife".

For a deeper biblical view of the meaning of "suitable helper as ezer or kenegdo", this article helps a lot.

https://margmowczko.com/ezer-kenegdo-subordinate-helper-eve/

Since, the Garden is a Temple of God, and Adam was anointed as High Priest or a Bishop having a jurisdiction over a certain territory, then, what is the role of Eve as a suitable helper then?

In the scripture St.Paul is like a Bishop and his helper or deacon is Phoebe, and just like in the Catholic Church, a Bishop was aided by a deacon or a helper.

The Garden of Eden is a Temple of God, and both Adam and Eve was in communion with God, offering the sacrifices of praise to bless humanity.

Now, in order for us to understand the original sin committed by Adam, we have to delve into a deeper mystery, if Adam was anointed as High Priest, and the Garden of Eden is a Temple of God, can Adam do a sexual intercourse with Eve, right at the very Temple of God?

The answer is a Big NO!

We can see, that in numerous paintings, the external womb of Eve was painted having roots, indicating that it's like a tree, that can bear fruit.

Like in the famous Catholic Church, the "Hail Mary" it depicted, the womb of Mary as a Tree that bear fruit.

"...blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus."

It is evident that the womb of a Woman, is like a Tree, consequently, the womb of Eve represents the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and like Mary the New Eve, the womb of Eve bears fruit, and the fruit was Cain.

And this is more clearly seen after the Fall of Adam and Eve, the punishment of God was about birth pangs, relating it to sexual pro-creation.

In closing, the original sin of Adam, can be seen as sexual in nature, as Genesis3:17 implied.

The Punishment of Mankind 16To the woman He said: “I will sharply increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” 17And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.

God commanded Adam, not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, a symbol, representing the pure womb of Eve, because Adam was an anointed High Priest.