I wrote yesterday how my antennae now go up when I hear Bible teachers and preachers engage in proof-texting. If someone needs to hop all over the Bible and cherry pick verses, plucking them out of context, in order to establish a doctrine, there's reason to be highly suspicious of the doctrine.
Which brings me to the doctrine of "Original Sin". I don't have a firmly established belief about Original Sin, but I can see why it would be important to give it some thought. I've watched a couple of YouTube videos on the subject and I have questions:
- Is there an agreed upon definition? Or is this another one of those theological terms that means different things to different people?
- How is Original Sin different from simply believing people are sinful?
- How long has the doctrine been around? Where did it originate?
- What are the ramifications of the doctrine? Of its opposition?
- What are the alternatives to Original Sin?
- Which denominations/sects are on which side of the question?
- MOST IMPORTANTLY: What Bible passages are used to establish the veracity of the doctrine? What Bible verses support the opposition's position?
In other words, I am way past just asking what the past and current leaders within my own faith tradition have tended to believe - and then just accepting that position on their authority.
I don't have any answers yet. Just my questions.
Systematic theologies would probably be better sources than YouTube videos for a definition of original sin. I think the way it’s usually defined is the idea that human beings are sinful by nature because of Adam’s sin. We’re not just sinners because we sin; we sin because we’re sinners. Our nature is broken. We are not the way we’re supposed to be. This has never been a popular idea, but I’ve always liked G.K. Chesterton’s quip that it’s the only Biblical doctrine that can be empirically verified by human history and experience. I’m honestly not sure what the alternative would be. If perfect people exist (other than Jesus), I’ve certainly never met them.
ReplyDeleteI've just been dabbling in what some popular preachers and commentators are saying about Original Sin - partly because I am just starting to get familiar with the topic and partly because I am curious what people in the pews are being taught about it.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that the alternative is that people aren't sinful. I guess my questions have to do with what guilt humans carry from Adam's sin. One practical application question would be this: Are infants born sinful and guilty in God's eyes? Does a baby who dies face judgment or "get a free trip to heaven"?
I've heard people use the line "we're not sinners because we sin, we sin because we're sinners" for years. But that is just the sort of line that I am questioning these days. Where is the biblical justification for that "truth"?
Ever since I finished Wayne Grudem's systematic theology, I have had little use for such things. ;-)
Those are exactly the questions systematic theologies are meant to address. 🤣 Don’t stop at Grudem. Go on to the good stuff.
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