Original Sin

This is a note I sent to a friend regarding original sin....

What is the effect of Adam's sin (original sin) on us today?
The easiest way to talk about this might be to walk through the second half of Romans 5.

12Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

Death came through one man--Adam. That's the first implication of original sin. We die because our father Adam sinned. But if death is the wage of sin (6:23), then there must be some connection between Adam's sin and us. If there's no sin, there's no death, right? So at the end of that verse Paul says that "all sinned." What does that mean? Does it refer to our individual sins? I would say no; he instead takes a detour to explain that phrase. I'll elaborate on this as I go, but I think the overarching point Paul is making here is a comparison between Jesus and Adam. We would expect him to follow his "just as" in verse 13 with a "so also," but he doesn't. We don't get the "so then" until verse 18--"so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men." The comparison, then is between one act (Jesus death on the cross) leading to righteousness for many, and one act (Adam's sin in the garden) leading to death for many. If this phrase referred to individual sins, the comparison would break down, since we are not saved by individual acts of righteousness.

13for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

As we discussed, sin was not counted before the law was given through Moses. But, says Paul, death still reigned between Adam and Moses. The people's individual sins were not counted against them, but they still died. Why? They had a connection with Adam's sin--this would be imputation. This is a major implication of original sin: Adam's sin is imputed to us, and that is enough to make us worthy of death. Even apart from our individual sins, we would die because of this imputation; even if we didn't sin "like the transgression of Adam," we would die because of his sin.

15But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.


In addition to discussing the similarities of Adam and Christ, Paul also shows the differences. The emphasis remains on one trespass and one act of righteousness (the free gift). Not only does he show that the transgression and righteousness are opposites. He also points to there being greater certainty of the grace of Jesus Christ (verse 15). He points to the gift covering over many trespasses, not just one (verse 16). And he points to the reign we will have over sin and death in Christ (verse 17). Everything about our righteousness in Christ is much more certain and greater than our sin in Adam.


18Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.


Summary....Paul shows in verse 19 that Adam's sin was disobedience, and that Christ's righteousness (and therefore a righteous life) is rooted in obedience. So to summarize, two of the implications of original sin for us are that Adam's sin is imputed to us, and that is why we die; and we can better understand what Jesus did for us on the cross by comparing that with what Adam did in the garden.


Now, one of the other things we discussed was the "sinful nature." That isn't the thrust of what Paul is considering here, and there are other passages that would be good to consider for that topic, but there are a couple of places that seem to allude to it. The first is verse 13: "sin was in the world before the law was given..." And the second is verse 19: "by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners....." I mention that, but I'd like to see if you have any thoughts on the above before digging into other passages.