(More Bible Studies Available @ www.marktabata.com)
It is written:
Romans 5:12-14-Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—. 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
Many of our religious friends teach that when Adam sinned, we all sinned in him (even though we were not in existence). It is alleged that Paul teaches this in Romans 5:12-14. However, a study of this passage refutes this idea.
First, please notice that the text talks about “death.” While many believe this is physical death under consideration, the context shows that Paul is talking about spiritual death. When a person chooses to sin against God, he becomes separated from Him. Notice that this is made clear by the fact that the “death” in this passage is compared with the “life” that is imparted when we are set free from sin.
Romans 5:17-18-For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.). 18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
When we are saved, God does not impart eternal life physically, for we still grow sick and die in this world. Instead, He imparts spiritual life. Thus, the death of this passage is not physical death, but spiritual death.
Second, realizing that this passage is talking about spiritual death, it becomes more clear what Paul is teaching. When people choose to follow in the footsteps of Adam, we sin and are spiritually separated from God, even though our sin is different from Adam’s. This pattern of life has been passed down throughout mankind’s history. We are not guilty for the sin of Adam, any more than Adam is guilty for our sins.
Ezekiel 18:20-The soul who sins shall die. 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.
Third, the early Christians clearly understood this and discussed it frequently.
“When the early Christians speak of the “innocence of children,” they mean that children have not inherited any guilt from Adam’s sin. The following are some characteristic quotations from the early Christians about the innocence of children: Barnabas (c. 130): “Having renewed us by the remission of our sins, He has remade us after another pattern. He has created us anew by His Spirit so that we can possess the souls of children.” 53 Aristides (c. 130): “If any righteous man among the Christians passes from the world, they rejoice and offer thanks to God. They escort his body as if he were setting out from one place to another nearby. And when a child has been born to one of them, they give thanks to God. Moreover, if the child happens to die in childhood, they give thanks to God the more, as for one who has passed through the world without sins.” 54 Hermas (c. 150): “These ones are like infant children, in whose hearts no evil originates.” 55 Irenaeus (c. 175): “Who are those who have been saved and have received the inheritance? Those, doubtless, who believe God and who have continued in His love—as did Caleb of Jephuneh and Joshua of Nun. Also, innocent children, who have had no sense of evil.” 56”. (David Bercot, The Historic Faith Commentary Series – Romans: How Romans Was Understood Before Augustine and Luther, 211 (Kindle Edition): Amberson, PA: Scroll Publishing Company)
Fourth, the notion that children are born as sinners entered into the church primarily through the Gnostic groups. These groups tried to combine Christianity with pagan religion. One of the most prominent teachings of the Gnostics was that all matter is evil, and that therefore children are born into a state of corruption and sin into the world. One extremely famous Gnostic was a man named Augustine. He was converted from the Gnostic group known as the Manichaeans. One researcher has noted:
“Protestant Reformed theology in the sixteenth century was built on Augustine’s foundation through Martin Luther (an Augustinian monk) and Calvin (an ardent disciple of Augustine). The prestige of Augustine as a theologian-philosopher may be unsurpassed in Western Christianity, yet Eastern Christianity does not revere him.[ 3] He is not a father of the Eastern Orthodox Church as he is in the Roman Catholic Church, nor does Eastern Christianity quote him as an important authority as occurs in Protestant writings. This book explores Augustine’s conversion from the traditional Christian view of free choice in salvation (battling Stoic and Gnostic determinism) back to his prior Manichaean view of divine unilateral determinism of eternal destinies (heaven or hell). Within Christianity, theological truth is not primarily measured by its antiquity, but by its conformity to scripture, logic, and then with a consideration of tradition. The 500-year-old theology of John Calvin was directly derived from Augustine who strayed from the foundation of traditional patristic theology over a thousand years prior to Calvin. We need to explore the novel foundation on which Augustine laid his later Christian theology. This will expose the fact that Augustinian-Calvinism’s impressively logical skyscraper has been built upon an unstable foundation of pagan syncretistic (mixing pagan and Christian ideas) sand. Augustine of Hippo’s early influences from Stoicism, Neoplatonism, and Manichaeism ultimately determined his final theology, with his later deterministic interpretations of scripture reverting to his pre-Christian Manichaean interpretations. The key scriptures cited in modern defenses of Reformed theology are the very ones used by the heretical Manichaeans in the fourth and fifth centuries and imported into Christianity by Augustine. Numerous scholars cite these scriptures and cite Augustine as proof for the validity of their Augustinian-Calvinist interpretations. They remain unaware of the pagan Stoic, Neoplatonic, and Manichaean origins of these highly deterministic interpretations of scripture. Augustine invented the five points of Calvinism that comprise TULIP: Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible grace, and Perseverance of the saints.” (Ken Wilson, The Foundation of Augustinian-Calvinism, 21-22 (Kindle Edition): Regula Fidei Press)
The notion that children are born as sinners has led to several terrible heretical practices, including infant baptism (of which there is no trace of in the New Testament Scriptures). It has also led to some horrible beliefs about mankind. I still remember how one Calvinist friend told me that there will be babies in Hell, and that they deserve to be there. Anyone who knows Jesus knows what a terrible teaching this is, and reemphasizes the need for us to return to the teaching of God’s Word.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.