Tag Archives: sin

Do We Inherit Sin?

Many in the religious world suggest we are guilty of someone elses sin. They say we are guilty of Adam’s sin or, as they put it, “original sin.” There are many reasons why this is just not so, but we want to consider only three.

First, if we inherit sins from our parents, then Jesus would have been born in sin. But this is not the case. Paul wrote, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus was born in the flesh. He was born of a woman (Gal. 4:4). But He had no sins! Some have tried to get around this by saying that May was born without sin, the doctrine of the “Immaculate Conception.” But if Mary could be born without sin, then why cannot we?

Second, consider Jesus’ view of little children. “And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them” (Mark 10:13-16). Would Jesus bless a person, even a little child, and hold them up as an example to be followed, who was stained with sin? Again, in Matthew 18:3, Jesus said, “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” (Matthew 18:3). Jesus blessed the little children as He held them in His arms. Would Jesus describe entering the kingdom of Heaven, into which no sin may enter, as becoming as little children if they were already guilty of sin? How could entering into the kingdom of Heaven justly be described as being stained with “original sin?”

Finally, a passage which clearly ends the matter is found in the eighteenth chapter of the book of Ezekiel, verse twenty. It reads, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him” (Ezekiel 18:20). If I cannot inherit my father’s sin, how can I inherit Adam’s sin? I cannot.

If I stand guilty before God because of sin at all, it is going to be because of my own sin. If I am forgiven of those sins, it will be because I have obeyed the Saviour (Heb. 5:8).

Eric L. Padgett