ANSWER:<\/strong>\u00a0The idea of the “original sin” of Adam being passed on to all mankind is based on several different Scripture passages: “Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned … Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam’s transgression, who is a figure of Him that was to come … So then as through one trespass the judgment came unto all men to condemnation; even so through one act of righteousness the free gift came unto all men to justification of life. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners even so through the obedience of the one shall the many be made righteous<\/em>” (Romans 5:12,14,18-19). Notice that Romans 5:12 states that all became sinners because “all sinned” — not because Adam made them guilty of his sin. He brought sin into the world, and that is the way all become sinners.<\/p>\n The apostle Paul writes on this subject again, “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive … So also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit<\/em>” (I Corinthians 15:21,22,45). To claim that Adam’s sin makes one a sinner, without any volition or action on his or her part, would (according to the passage above) make everyone saved in Christ without any volition or action on his or her part. That is, of course, ridiculous, as we shall show.<\/p>\n God declared to Israel, “Yet say ye, Wherefore doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? when the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all My statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. The soul that sinneth, it shall die; the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him<\/em>” (Ezekiel 18:19,20). In other words, each shall answer to God for his own actions, not for his father’s nor for Adam’s. This is affirmed repeatedly in the Bible.<\/p>\n “So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God<\/em>” (Romans 14:12). “For we must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad<\/em>” (II Corinthians 5:10). Notice that again, carefully. Each of us will be judged by “the things done in the body,” in our own body, not Adam’s body or our father’s body. We “shall give account of ourselves<\/em>” to God, not give account for Adam or our parents.<\/p>\n It is clear, then, from the Scriptures, that “the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father.” Each – father or son – shall bear his own iniquity and shall answer to God for himself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Clem Thurman via Gospel Minutes, Vol. 57, No. 5, Feb. 7, 2008. QUESTION: I have a friend that believes that all babies are born into the world as sinners because of Adam’s sin. Could you please discuss this for me? ANSWER:\u00a0The idea of the “original sin” of Adam being passed on to all mankind is…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[1196,113],"class_list":["post-19787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-inherited-sins","tag-original-sin"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":66504,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-is-federal-headship\/","url_meta":{"origin":19787,"position":0},"title":"What is “federal headship”?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 11, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I really enjoy the content you put out. Very straight and to the point. What do Calvinists mean when they talk about \"federal headship?\" I've heard someone mention this in a podcast in an episode on Calvinism. I had not heard the expression until listening to the podcast. Answer:\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":47265,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-babies-are-not-sinners-then-why-do-some-babies-die\/","url_meta":{"origin":19787,"position":1},"title":"If babies are not sinners, then why do some babies die?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, The Bible says for the wages of sin is death. If you claim that babies are not born sinners why do babies die? Thanks Answer: \"Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":33561,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-could-christ-die-for-sinners-if-we-dont-inherit-sin-from-adam\/","url_meta":{"origin":19787,"position":2},"title":"How could Christ die for sinners if we don’t inherit sin from Adam?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 28, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi, I came across your website doing a bit of research regarding sin and the choices we make. I am a little confused by your statement that we are not born sinners. I am under the understanding that sin has been passed on through Adam and Eve, e.g. irrational\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9189,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-we-didnt-inherit-adams-sin-why-arent-we-all-starting-in-the-garden-of-eden\/","url_meta":{"origin":19787,"position":3},"title":"If we didn’t inherit Adam’s sin, why aren’t we all starting in the garden of Eden?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 1, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Regarding Adam and not inheriting his sin: If that were so, wouldn't we all start in the Garden of Eden and each be given a chance to follow the command not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil? No. We are sent\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1593,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-proof-is-there-that-mary-was-born-without-sin\/","url_meta":{"origin":19787,"position":4},"title":"What proof is there that Mary was born without sin?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 20, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What proof is there that Mary was born without sin? Answer: Every person in the world is born without sin. Catholicism and most forms of Protestantism teach that Adam and Eve's fall brought sin into the world and that sin is passed down from generation to generation. This causes\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14278,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-adams-sin-isnt-inherited-why-do-all-women-experience-pain-during-childbirth\/","url_meta":{"origin":19787,"position":5},"title":"If Adam\u2019s sin isn\u2019t inherited, why do ALL women experience pain during childbirth?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 2, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I disagree with your teaching that Adam\u2019s sin is not inherited. If Adam\u2019s sin isn\u2019t inherited, why do all women experience pain during childbirth? Why do all men have to work hard to feed their families? 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There is no such thing as “inherited sin.” Sin is defined as “transgression of the law<\/em>” (I John 3:4). What your parents did, or what Adam did, cannot make you a sinner, any more than they can make you a saint. It may influence you in that direction, but each person becomes a sinner or a saint by his own choices and actions. A sin is an act of disobedience to the Will of God, and each one sins when he or she makes the choice to disobey God. But it is his or her choice, not that of Adam or his parents or others.<\/p>\n