Category:Original Sin

---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

'''Original sin. "Our first parents being the root of all mankind, the guilt of their sin was imputed, and the same death in sin and corrupted nature were conveyed to all their posterity, descending from them by ordinary generation." Adam was constituted by God the federal head and representative of all his posterity, as he was also their natural head, and therefore when he fell they fell with him (Rom 5:12; 1 Cor. 15:22-45). His probation was their probation, and his fall their fall. Because of Adam's first sin all his posterity came into the world in a state of sin and condemnation, i.e., (1.) a state of moral corruption, and (2.) of guilt, as having judicially imputed to them the guilt of Adam's first sin. "Original sin" is frequently and properly used to denote only the moral corruption of their whole nature inherited by all men from Adam. This inherited moral corruption consists in, (1.) the loss of original righteousness; and (2.) the presence of a constant proneness to evil, which is the root and origin of all actual sin. It is called "sin" (Rom 6:12, Rom 6:14, Rom 6:17; Rom 7:5), the "flesh" (Gal 5:17, Gal 5:24), "lust" (Jam 1:14, Jam 1:15), the "body of sin" (Rom 6:6), "ignorance," "blindness of heart," "alienation from the life of God" (Eph 4:18, Eph 4:19). It influences and depraves the whole man, and its tendency is still downward to deeper and deeper corruption, there remaining no recuperative element in the soul. It is a total depravity, and it is also universally inherited by all the natural descendants of Adam (Rom 3:10; Rom 5:12; Rom 8:7). Pelagians deny original sin, and regard man as by nature morally and spiritually well; semi-Pelagians regard him as morally sick; Augustinians, or, as they are also called, Calvinists, regard man as described above, spiritually dead (Eph 2:1; Jo1 3:14). The doctrine of original sin is proved, (1.) From the fact of the universal sinfulness of men. "There is no man that sinneth not" (Kg1 8:46; Isa 53:6; Psa 130:3; Rom 3:19, Rom 3:22, Rom 3:23; Gal 3:22). (2.) From the total depravity of man. All men are declared to be destitute of any principle of spiritual life; man's apostasy from God is total and complete (Job 15:14; Gen 6:5, Gen 6:6). (3.) From its early manifestation (Psa 58:3; Pro 22:15). (4.) It is proved also from the necessity, absolutely and universally, of regeneration (Joh 3:3; Co2 5:17). (5.) From the universality of death (Rom 5:12).