By Larry Shawn Cagle

Recently, I had a discussing with my wife who, just as me, had grown up being taught that the sin of Adam & Eve that forced their departure from the Garden of Eden, was passed down to everyone who was born after they left the Garden. That this sin is called Original sin and we are all born with this sin and therefore stained, held responsible, for their sin. The problem, as I explained to my wife, is that concept is not accurate. What the Bible says is Adam & Eve will suffer because of their sin and instead of being cared for by God, they are on our own and will have to work to survive. I discovered the true meaning of Original sin and what it is to us after first reading then extensivly researching the Bible.

The correct meaning of Original Sin is that it was the “first” sin of mankind. However, there are many churchs, denominations, preachers, ministers, priests and other individuals who believe and teach that Original Sin is a sin passed down from Adam & Eve to everyone. That everyone is born with original sin and we have to either confess or we have to be baptisted to have this sin forgiven and removed. The problem with that belief is that concept of original sin is not Biblical accurate and therefore not true. If it was true we had a sin as soon as we saw life, that would mean we were held accountable and could suffer for actions of another that resulted in sin. There is not a single verse in the entire Bible that states we are responsible for another’s sin. In addition, there is not a single verse that says since Adam and Eve sinned, all future generations have that same sin and they can be held accoutable. However, the Bible has multiple verses stating we can only be held accoutable for our own actions and not the actions of others. Also, these verses clearly state that God will hold no one responsible for the sins committed by another and suffer the second death. By searching the Bible you can find multiple instances where God states only the person sinning is held accoutable.

So if anyone tells you that you are born with Original sin or the sin of Adam & Eve, you will now know these statements are not Biblically sound and simply false. Below you will find a few of the verses that support this position.

“To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.”
Genesis 3:16‭-‬19‭, ‬23 ESV

“Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall 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.”
Ezekiel 18:19‭-‬20 ESV

“Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin.”
Deuteranomy 24:16 ESV

“But he did not put their children to death, according to what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, “Fathers shall not die because of their children, nor children die because of their fathers, but each one shall die for his own sin.”
2 Chronicles 25:4 ESV

“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God . Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin.”
Ezekiel 18:30 ESV

2016