Does Romans 5 really teach inherited sin?

Question

Ezekiel 18:19-20 "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 soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”

The notions of inherited sin and inherited guilt are nowhere to be found in Jewish tradition. Neither is there any indication that these ideas were held in the Church prior to the 5th Century AD.
The doctrine of “Original Sin” originated with Aurelius Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, in North Africa. The central passage of Scripture for this doctrine is Romans 5:12
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (English Standard Version).

Notice that the passage says that death passed to all. It does not say that sin or that guilt passed to all men. This is an obvious reference Genesis 2:16-17
"You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."
Adam did indeed die on the day of his disobedience, but his death was not physical; rather it was a spiritual death. Just as physical death is the separation of man's spirit from his body, so spiritual death is separation of man from God. It is the opposite of spiritual life, which is fellowship and communion with God.
Spiritual death is separation, alienation, from God. It is not something wrong inside of man, but a negative or wrong relationship between man and God. Spiritual death is like a barrier between man and God.

A careful interpretation of Romans 5:12 depends upon the Greek prepositional phrase eph hos. This phrase is made up of a preposition (epi) and a relative pronoun (hos).
The preposition has several different meanings depending upon the immediate context and the case of the noun or pronoun with which it occurs. Since the relative pronoun (hos) is in the dative case, it should be translated "on the ground of", "by reason of", "on the condition of", "because of".
The meaning of the relative pronoun depends upon its antecedent. In the Greek language the relative pronoun agrees with its antecedent in number and gender. Here the relative pronoun is singular in number but it may be either masculine or neuter in gender. In this passage, the Greek noun thanatos (death) is the nearest singular noun, making thanatos its logical antecedent.
In this scenario then, the prepositional phrase eph hos would be equivalent to epi thanatos (because of death). In that case, the phrase should be translated "because of which" or "upon which condition."
With this meaning given to the prepositional phrase, the whole clause may be translated "because of which all sinned" and interpreted to mean that all men sinned because of the death (spiritual) that of Adam.
What this means is that Adam sinned. The result of his sin was death (separation from God). Adam was subsequently driven from the Garden and banned fro the Tree of Life.
This has resulted in a "death sentence" upon all of humanity. All of mankind is born (physically) with a spiritual separation from God.

This idea is further developed in the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus in the third chapter of John. "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:5-6)

Here Jesus is telling Nicodemus that a spiritual birth is needed in order to have a right relationship with God, since mankind is born spiritually dead (separated from God).
Jesus is not saying that there is an inherent sinfulness to the physical birth; simply that a physical birth is not sufficient. Since God is Spirit, we must be born of the Spirit to have a relationship with Him.

Rene · Accepted Answer

The mechanism for the transmission of inherited sin false: 

Spiritual consequences of sin cannot be transmitted from father to son but only falls on the one who committed the act: Ezek 18:1-4; 18-20; Jer 32:29-30 

Exodus 32:31­33 In this passage, Moses wanted to receive the punishment for someone else's sin. In verse 33, the one who sinned is removed from the book, not the one whose parents have sinned. 

We will be judged only by our own actions: Mt 12:36-37; Rom 2:6; 2 Cor 5:10; 1 Pe 1:17 

Isa 59:1-2, "Your sins have separated you from your God" not Adams 

Sin is committed by individually breaking God's law: 1 Jn 3:4 (Infants have done nothing) 

Where is one Bible verse that says we will be condemned for sin other than our own?

Grela LaTuc · Answer

You're correct. Mankind is born in innocence, but we are born into a sinful world. Every child eventually attains the age of accountability, and this is when we begin to sin. 

We were both spiritually and physically separated from God by Adam's transgression. But, through Christ's atonement, death has been overcome. And through obedience to God's will, we will no longer be spiritually separated from God.

Someone who cares · Answer

I think you are quite correct in your doctrine, however, the belief in inherited sin was present among Jewish leaders and even among some of Jesus disciples, although Jesus corrected this erroneous belief that there really is no inherited sin.

Jesus healed the blind man...note the apostles were asking Jesus if the man's blindness was due to the man's sin or his parents sin (inherited sin) and Jesus corrected them to say neither was the case...
John 9
  2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 
  3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 

Later the Jewish leaders, when questioning the man about how he was healed of his blindness erroneously claim inherited sin is to blame...
John 9
32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 
  33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. 
  34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

Mreeman · Answer

I think you answered your own question.

The whole idea of being born sinful, or considered a sinner because of Adam is absolutely ridiculous.

Blaise Brown · Answer

In Adam all die.

Psalm 51:5 David was found with sin at conception.

Anonymous · Answer

Rom. 3:20 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Mosa A · Answer

All the human are children of Adam and Eve Who sin to God  
They do mistake for one God .which the same our God 
so the children of Adam has disgrace of their father sins .
not inherit same same mistake,but the fault and blemish of it.
so that they do it in other form of sin 
but Jesus take the original sin in the cross 
and the same other nature sins of it ,as we belong to sin of Adam
If we are not belong to Adam sin we stay without remission even for our sins.  
and in the baptism God forgive it to us and give us the new life.

read Eph 2:1-8   
2:1And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2:2Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 2:3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 2:4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 2:5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 2:6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 2:7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 2:8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

God give us the possibilities of repent, and return back new,not only from father Adam mistake but also from our daily sins .

Anonymous · Answer

You came to R&S with a serious theological question?

Wow. Really...just, wow. I'm both impressed and yet saddened at how disappointed you're going to be.

Anonymous · Answer

no..

Trending News

Does Romans 5 really teach inherited sin?

9 Answers