The Doctrine of Salvation
How
"Righteousness by Faith"
Really Works
"Righteousness by Faith"
Really Works
Transcript of A-4
Welcome back to our study on The Doctrine of Salvation - How “Righteousness by Faith” Really Works
We are still in Section A: What Is Sin? and this is Lesson 4: What about Original Sin?
We are still in Section A: What Is Sin? and this is Lesson 4: What about Original Sin?
If the Bible does not teach that we are sinners by nature, condemned and lost because we are born in a world of sin, why has the doctrine of “Original Sin” become the majority belief among Catholic and Protestant Christians?
As is true for most errors in doctrine, there are some texts which seem to support the doctrine of Original Sin. This final Lesson of Section A will look at these texts, to see if they really teach that we are born guilty and condemned.
What does "in sin" mean? Psalm 51:5 says; Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Does this text say we are born guilty and condemned? No. Notice that David does not say that he was a sinner from birth. Some Bible versions say this, but that is a theological misinterpretation, not a correct translation.
Where else could David have been born except in iniquity and sin? His mother and father were sinners, and he was born in pain because of the sin of Adam and Eve. David was born in a sinful world to sinful parents.
If a child was born into a family of thieves, where thievery was practiced and taught by the parents, he would be born “in thievery.” Would this make him a thief? No.
Likewise, to be born “in sin” does not automatically make the infant a guilty and condemned sinner. Although, it does mean that one's circumstances from birth are extremely undesirable, and that one is most likely to end up a sinner.
Are we "children of wrath" ? Ephesians 2:3 says:...and were by nature the children of wrath. Does this text say we are born guilty and condemned? No.
This text clearly says that our fallen natures deserve nothing but wrath (anger). Our fallen natures are not righteous, and the only just response to our sinful natures is destruction. Our inheritance from Adam is definitely not good. We need to search the Scriptures a bit more.
Are we born condemned? Romans 5:18a tells us: Therefore as by (Because of) the offence (sin) of one (Adam) judgment came upon all men (humans) to condemnation. Does this text seem to say that all men are condemned? Yes.
Yes, this first part of the text (v18a) states rather unequivocally that all men are condemned because of Adam's sin. This is exactly what the text says – so far. We will look at the last part of the text in a minute.
There are some rather unique texts in the New Testament which speak of Christ's work for the whole human race. Following are a few of those texts.
Did Christ die for all men? 2 Corinthians 5:14 says: If one died for all, then were all dead (condemned).
Christ died for all. In a very important sense Christ's death affected all human beings. That includes Adam and Eve, and it even includes Cain and Hitler. In some way, all were dead (spiritually) separated from God, the source of life.
Are there other texts that say a similar thing? Yes:
Christ's redeeming work includes not only the sins of those who believe in Christ and have repented, but He has done something for all the sins that have ever been committed. The work of the atonement was a work of reconciliation -- a removing of barriers to restore fellowship and love.
In other words, there were no hindrances on God's part to man's restoration to the unity and harmony that existed between God and humans before man’s fall. Now, the only barrier is on our part, if we refuse to accept what Christ has done for us.
What do all men receive from Christ? Now let’s read the whole text: Romans 5:18 Part A said: Therefore as by (Because of) the offence (sin) of one (Adam) judgment came upon all men (humans) to condemnation; Now let’s read the whole text, Part B explains: even so (in the same way) by the righteousness (right-doing, obedience) of one (Jesus Christ) the free gift (forgiveness) came upon (was given to) all men (humans) unto justification of life (salvation).
Romans 5:18a tells us that we are all condemned because of the situation that Adam’s sin put us all in, as a result of his sin, not as punishment for his guilt. How many were condemned because of Adam's sin? All men.
What about those who have never even heard of Adam or creation or the fall? Are they still born condemned? All men, the entire human race, were legally destroyed by Adam's sin, because it separated the human race from God, the source of life. Irrespective of knowledge or choice, every human being was doomed by Adam's rebellion as a result of his sin.
But is this the whole story? No! Right in the same verse that explains our condemnation by being separated from God because of Adam’s sin, we have God’s solution of how Christ atoned for our hopeless situation – giving us a second chance.
Not only were all men affected by Adam's sin, but all men were also affected by Christ's perfect life and sacrificial death. The same “all men” who were doomed by Adam's sin were freed from condemnation by Christ's righteousness. What Adam did to the human race, Christ undid for the same human race.
But what about those who have never heard of Christ or His sacrifice and the atonement? Do they still receive the free gift? All men, the entire human race, were legally reconciled to God by Christ's life and death. Irrespective of knowledge or choice, every human being was reconciled to God by Christ's sacrifice.
The word “justification” in v18b has the meaning of “acquittal,” being cleared of the charges brought against one. In Romans 5 all mankind is acquitted of the correct charge of rebellion, which was brought against the whole human race. In other words, the race -- and each individual in the race -- is no longer under condemnation.
Corporate condemnation through Adam is cancelled by corporate acquittal through Christ. Although our condemnation has been cancelled, we each still suffer under many of the results of sin, because of Adam's “original sin.” One of the results is our inherited fallen nature, but this does not constitute guilt, and it no longer separates us from God to cause our condemnation.
Conclusion: Now we can see the total picture. If it is true that we are all condemned through Adam, it is far more importantly true that we are all freed from that condemnation through Christ. Just as Adam condemned all men, Jesus freed all men from condemnation, both events caused their results without our personal involvement or choice, and both events occurred at the same instant in time.
All human beings (condemned by Adam’s sin) were given a second chance (by Christ’s atoning sacrifice) to make their own choice regarding God’s gift of personal salvation. The practical reality of all this is that while we are born in a sinful world with a fallen nature, we are not born guilty sinners. We become guilty and personally condemned sinners by willfully choosing to sin when we know the difference between right and wrong.
Unfortunately, an entire gospel system is based on the false belief that we are born guilty sinners. This false gospel distorts the Biblical teachings about justification, sanctification, and our present assurance of salvation. But with the correct diagnosis of what sin really is (choice), we are free to study the Bible further to understand how God’s plan for our salvation and healing really works.
As is true for most errors in doctrine, there are some texts which seem to support the doctrine of Original Sin. This final Lesson of Section A will look at these texts, to see if they really teach that we are born guilty and condemned.
What does "in sin" mean? Psalm 51:5 says; Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Does this text say we are born guilty and condemned? No. Notice that David does not say that he was a sinner from birth. Some Bible versions say this, but that is a theological misinterpretation, not a correct translation.
Where else could David have been born except in iniquity and sin? His mother and father were sinners, and he was born in pain because of the sin of Adam and Eve. David was born in a sinful world to sinful parents.
If a child was born into a family of thieves, where thievery was practiced and taught by the parents, he would be born “in thievery.” Would this make him a thief? No.
Likewise, to be born “in sin” does not automatically make the infant a guilty and condemned sinner. Although, it does mean that one's circumstances from birth are extremely undesirable, and that one is most likely to end up a sinner.
Are we "children of wrath" ? Ephesians 2:3 says:...and were by nature the children of wrath. Does this text say we are born guilty and condemned? No.
This text clearly says that our fallen natures deserve nothing but wrath (anger). Our fallen natures are not righteous, and the only just response to our sinful natures is destruction. Our inheritance from Adam is definitely not good. We need to search the Scriptures a bit more.
Are we born condemned? Romans 5:18a tells us: Therefore as by (Because of) the offence (sin) of one (Adam) judgment came upon all men (humans) to condemnation. Does this text seem to say that all men are condemned? Yes.
Yes, this first part of the text (v18a) states rather unequivocally that all men are condemned because of Adam's sin. This is exactly what the text says – so far. We will look at the last part of the text in a minute.
There are some rather unique texts in the New Testament which speak of Christ's work for the whole human race. Following are a few of those texts.
Did Christ die for all men? 2 Corinthians 5:14 says: If one died for all, then were all dead (condemned).
Christ died for all. In a very important sense Christ's death affected all human beings. That includes Adam and Eve, and it even includes Cain and Hitler. In some way, all were dead (spiritually) separated from God, the source of life.
Are there other texts that say a similar thing? Yes:
- 1 Timothy 4:10 - ...who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
- 1 John 2:2 - And he is the propitiation (appeasement) for our sins: And not for ours only, but also for the sin of the whole world.
- 2 Corinthians 5:19 - God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.
Christ's redeeming work includes not only the sins of those who believe in Christ and have repented, but He has done something for all the sins that have ever been committed. The work of the atonement was a work of reconciliation -- a removing of barriers to restore fellowship and love.
In other words, there were no hindrances on God's part to man's restoration to the unity and harmony that existed between God and humans before man’s fall. Now, the only barrier is on our part, if we refuse to accept what Christ has done for us.
What do all men receive from Christ? Now let’s read the whole text: Romans 5:18 Part A said: Therefore as by (Because of) the offence (sin) of one (Adam) judgment came upon all men (humans) to condemnation; Now let’s read the whole text, Part B explains: even so (in the same way) by the righteousness (right-doing, obedience) of one (Jesus Christ) the free gift (forgiveness) came upon (was given to) all men (humans) unto justification of life (salvation).
Romans 5:18a tells us that we are all condemned because of the situation that Adam’s sin put us all in, as a result of his sin, not as punishment for his guilt. How many were condemned because of Adam's sin? All men.
What about those who have never even heard of Adam or creation or the fall? Are they still born condemned? All men, the entire human race, were legally destroyed by Adam's sin, because it separated the human race from God, the source of life. Irrespective of knowledge or choice, every human being was doomed by Adam's rebellion as a result of his sin.
But is this the whole story? No! Right in the same verse that explains our condemnation by being separated from God because of Adam’s sin, we have God’s solution of how Christ atoned for our hopeless situation – giving us a second chance.
Not only were all men affected by Adam's sin, but all men were also affected by Christ's perfect life and sacrificial death. The same “all men” who were doomed by Adam's sin were freed from condemnation by Christ's righteousness. What Adam did to the human race, Christ undid for the same human race.
But what about those who have never heard of Christ or His sacrifice and the atonement? Do they still receive the free gift? All men, the entire human race, were legally reconciled to God by Christ's life and death. Irrespective of knowledge or choice, every human being was reconciled to God by Christ's sacrifice.
The word “justification” in v18b has the meaning of “acquittal,” being cleared of the charges brought against one. In Romans 5 all mankind is acquitted of the correct charge of rebellion, which was brought against the whole human race. In other words, the race -- and each individual in the race -- is no longer under condemnation.
Corporate condemnation through Adam is cancelled by corporate acquittal through Christ. Although our condemnation has been cancelled, we each still suffer under many of the results of sin, because of Adam's “original sin.” One of the results is our inherited fallen nature, but this does not constitute guilt, and it no longer separates us from God to cause our condemnation.
Conclusion: Now we can see the total picture. If it is true that we are all condemned through Adam, it is far more importantly true that we are all freed from that condemnation through Christ. Just as Adam condemned all men, Jesus freed all men from condemnation, both events caused their results without our personal involvement or choice, and both events occurred at the same instant in time.
All human beings (condemned by Adam’s sin) were given a second chance (by Christ’s atoning sacrifice) to make their own choice regarding God’s gift of personal salvation. The practical reality of all this is that while we are born in a sinful world with a fallen nature, we are not born guilty sinners. We become guilty and personally condemned sinners by willfully choosing to sin when we know the difference between right and wrong.
Unfortunately, an entire gospel system is based on the false belief that we are born guilty sinners. This false gospel distorts the Biblical teachings about justification, sanctification, and our present assurance of salvation. But with the correct diagnosis of what sin really is (choice), we are free to study the Bible further to understand how God’s plan for our salvation and healing really works.