Sunday, November 30, 2008

Was Original Sin Wiped Away at the Cross?

I have recently had the pleasure of interacting with a gentleman and his wife in the comments section of one of my older posts. In the original post and the comments, two issues have come up that are causing concern. The first is how I articulate God’s disposition to the sinner when I say something similar to, “God hates the sinner.” The second surrounds my contention that children, from conception, are guilty before God and deserve – deserve – an eternal punishment for our sin in Adam. And the gentleman has come back and stated that it is his belief that original sin was ultimately dealt with on the cross and that we are sinners only when we know right from wrong and choose wrong.

So, in an effort to more fully answer this objection, I am dealing with it here. I will, in effect, be trying to answer this question: Did Jesus’ death on the cross forgive the personal effects for all of humanity of Adam’s sin? In a request for Scripture passages that would positively affirm the position that original sin has been dealt with for all men, I was given the following Scriptural passages that I will deal with: John 1:29; Romans 5:12,13, and Hebrews 9:26.

The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

I must honestly say that I was shocked to see this text used to prove the above assertion. No where does this text or the surrounding context specify that the singular use of the word “sin” refers to original sin. Actually, in this context one could just as easily use this verse as a proof text for universal salvation (God forgave all men of all sin for all time so that all will go to heaven) just as easily as my commenter has used it to fit his presupposition to make this verse say that original sin is what the “sin of the world” was that forgiven of all men.

It is true that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world – yes and amen. But we must look through the rest of the Scriptures relating to His ministry as the sacrificial Lamb to find out exactly what was done for whom. John 1:29 is not a passage proclaiming that Jesus’ death forgave original sin for all men of all time. There is no basis in the context to make this assertion.
Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. (Hebrews 9:26)

The context of the above passage in Hebrews is the author’s argument for how Christ in His ministry and sacrifice supersede and replace that of the old Mosaic covenantal system of priests and sacrifices. The old system had a high priest enter a “mere copy” of the holy place and sacrifice with blood not his own on a “year by year” basis, whereas Christ went to the true holy place with His own blood to make His sacrifice once. It seems to me that the context here is referring not to a specific individual sin that was put away, but the fact that sin was put away by His once for all sacrifice, and therefore it does not need to be repeated. Furthermore, the context of Hebrews 9 and the work that is being done is about accomplishing eternal redemption.
and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:12)

Hebrews 9 is a great place in Scripture to look at for the singularity and the finality of the sacrifice of Christ for the salvation His own, but is not saying that Christ was manifested to put away original sin for all men of all time by the sacrifice of Himself. To make that statement would do great disservice to the text and be rending it out of context.

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned-- 13 for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. (Romans 5:12,13)


In the first few chapters of Romans, Paul goes to great lengths to show how all humanity has sinned. And Romans 5 helps us to put our understanding of sin and death in a comparative context with salvation and redemption. Adam’s sin was imputed to all men, and thus all men are guilty. Christ’s righteousness was imputed to all men who have faith and their sin is imputed to Him, and those men are now not guilty (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21).

The imputation of sin that seems to be in view in this passage is the sinning against the Law of Moses, and this seems to be brought out in the next verse when Paul writes, “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.” In other words, even though the Mosaic Law may not have been individually transgressed by babies in the womb (those are the ones who die who have not sinned on their own in the likeness of Adam), but they die because they are guilty of sinning in Adam – original sin. Death doesn’t occur except where sin is, and babies die before they can overtly sin. Therefore sin must be reigning in them because of their father Adam and the sin that we are guilty of in him.

John Piper gives a good illustration as to why we should understand the “all sinned” in verse 12 as being original sin or “all sinned in Adam” instead of “all sinned individually”.
Let me try to illustrate what's at stake. If you say, "Through one man sin and death entered the world and death spread to everybody because all sinned individually," then the comparison with the work of Jesus could be, "So also through one man, Jesus Christ, righteousness and life entered the world and life spread to all because all individually did acts of righteousness." In other words, justification would not be God's imputing Christ's righteousness to us, but our performing individual acts of righteousness with Christ's help and then being counted righteous on that basis. When Paul saw that as a possible misunderstanding of what he said, he stopped to clarify.1

Original sin was not universally dealt with on the cross for all people of all time so that babies are born without original sin. We are conceived in sin (Ps 51:5) every thought of ours is only evil and sinful (Genesis 8:21). The sin of man is dealt with in Christ Jesus on the cross and is applied by faith to those who repent of their sin and trust in Him. However lovely and loveable our children are when they are born, our children are born with original sin and with only the propensity to desire and act upon that sinful nature.

The next common question has to do with babies and what happens to them when they die. To be sure, I don’t have as solid of a case to make for them, but I can tell you that on the basis of what I see in the Scriptures, namely 2 Samuel 12:23, that there is some distinct gracious mercy of God extended to children who die in or before infancy.

1http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/ScriptureIndex/10/22_Adam_Christ_and_Justification_Part_2/

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Eric--Something just jumped out at me while reading Rom.5:10-A BIG - much more.

Rom 5:10 For if when we were enemies, we were RECONCILED to God through the death of His Son, MUCH MORE, being reconciled, we shall be SAVED by His life.

All Men were reconciled to God by the Death of Jesus, but that does not mean that all men were saved by His Death. I do not mean to be disrespectful of His death but we are Saved by His Resurrection Life -- according to the above verse.

We as believers must never separate His Death and Resurrection.
They go together like Love & Marriage.

Rom5:18 Therefore as by one offense sentence came on ALL MEN to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of One the free gift came to ALL MEN to justification of life.
Rom 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One SHALL many be made righteous.

(Only to those who SHALL exercise their free gift of faith to believe in Christ.)

Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to every one who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. But set your mind to be right-minded, even as God has dealt to EVERY MAN the measure of faith.

(Faith To believe in the Death and Resurrection of Jesus for the sin of Adam and for all of our many sins individually.)
Shalom & Blessings
Reg

Rom 5:8 But God commends His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
Rom 5:10 For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
Rom 5:11 And not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation.
Rom 5:12 Therefore, even as through one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed on all men inasmuch as all sinned:
Rom 5:13 for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
:14 But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is the type of Him who was to come;
:15 but the free gift shall not be also like the offense. For if by the offense of the one many died, much more the grace of God, and the gift in grace; which is of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
:16 And the free gift shall not be as by one having sinned; (for indeed the judgment was of one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses to justification.
:17 For if by one man's offense death reigned by one, much more they who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ.)
Rom:18 Therefore as by one offense sentence came on ALL MEN to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of One the free gift came to ALL MEN to justification of life.
Rom 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous.

Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to every one who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. But set your mind to be right-minded, even as God has dealt to EVERY MAN the measure of faith.

Faith to believe in the Death and Resurection of Jesus for our reconciliation to God, and to be forgiven and saved from the penality our own individual sins.

EJ said...

Reg -

Re: Rom 5:10 and “much more”: remember that the “we” in this verse goes back to verse 1 and it is the “we” who have been justified by faith and are now at peace with God. This is not all people.

Re: 5:18 & 19 – the gift is only applied to those who have faith, agreed. This doesn’t relate to the issue of original sin and human depravity from birth. At least it does not say that men are NOT sinful from birth or that Christ’s death and resurrection DID wipe away original sin from all people.

Re Rom 12: Yes, it is on the basis of faith that we receive the forgiveness of sins – Adam’s sin as well as my sins – by the death and resurrection of Christ.

Re Rom 12:3 and “every man” – context context context. Reg, come on, read the first five verses of 12 and you’ll see that Paul is referring to the brethren (i.e. Christians) and that “every man” in verse 3 is referring to the members of the body, not to non-believers.

That is a proof text if I’ve ever seen one. Please, read the context.

Anonymous said...

Re: Rom 5:10 and “much more”: remember that the “we” in this verse goes back to verse 1 and it is the “we” who have been justified by faith and are now at peace with God. This is not all people.
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Me: Rom 5:10 For if when WE were enemies, we were reconciled to God

His Death covered original sin – thus we are RECONCILED back to God and no longer Enemies of God. No faith involved on our part.
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Re: 5:18 & 19 – the gift is only applied to those who have faith, agreed. This doesn’t relate to the issue of original sin and human depravity from birth. At least it does not say that men are NOT sinful from birth or that Christ’s death and resurrection DID wipe away original sin from all people.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Me: Agreed we are sinful from birth – but do you agree that His death reconciles us back to God ? Without this happening first --no one could receive the gift of faith to believe. Our choice is to use that Gift.
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Re Rom 12: Yes, it is on the basis of faith that we receive the forgiveness of sins – Adam’s sin as well as my sins – by the death and resurrection of Christ.

Re Rom 12:3 and “every man” – context context context. Reg, come on, read the first five verses of 12 and you’ll see that Paul is referring to the brethren (i.e. Christians) and that “every man” in verse 3 is referring to the members of the body, not to non-believers.

That is a proof text if I’ve ever seen one. Please, read the context.
Me: Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace GIVEN TO ME, to every one who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. But set your mind to be right-minded, even as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Me: When was this grace of faith given to Paul? Rom 5:8 But God commends His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

Shalom & Blessings
Reg

Anonymous said...

Thanks Eric for that article by John Piper –He explains it very well.

The deepest reason why death reigns over all is not because of our individual sins, but because of Adam's sin imputed to us. So the deepest reason eternal life reigns is not because of our individual deeds of righteousness, but because of Christ's righteousness imputed to us by grace through faith.

O how much light this sheds on why Paul embarked on this paragraph at all! He did it for the sake of our faith and our assurance and our joy. He did it to underline the fact that our right standing with God and our freedom from condemnation is not based on our righteous acts but on Christ's righteous acts.

This is the foundation of the great Biblical truth of justification by grace alone through faith alone. It has rescued thousands of saints from the despair of legalism and the paralyzing fear of imperfection. Christ became obedient even unto death so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (see 2 Corinthians 5:21). Here is rest for your soul. Here is a message that everyone you will ever meet needs to hear. Christ is our righteousness. Trust him. Trust him. Trust him.

Shalom & Blessings
Reg

Anonymous said...

Brother Eric
You should call your Ministry
"Iron Sharpens Iron" for that is what you do.
My fellow Elder Prophesied this last Sunday at our Church in N.J. called Praise Tabernacle, talking about the "Trauma of the Fall". Their are no Co-incidences with God.

2. From: Joe Stabler
Sunday, November 2, 2008 10:30 am

The Lord was saying to my heart this morning, the trauma of the fall is now deceased. The Son of Man was manifested that the trauma of the fall has now deceased. And the Lord would encourage you this morning to lift your eyes up and see He who was once on the cross, see Him now who is seated on the throne of glory forever and ever. And the Spirit of the Lord would say unto you this morning, now the Son of Man has been manifested and the trauma of the fall has been disintegrated and now is the time for revelation, now is the time for understanding, now is the time for seeking My face. Does not My word say that the mystery was hidden in times past but now has been revealed through My Son, Jesus Christ. Why do you desire to live in the trauma of the fallen nature when I have destroyed it, saith God. When I have made a way that you might rise up in the glory of My Son, that you might know that your sins have been washed away but the precious blood of My Son. Yeah, and the Lord would say this morning, the blood

Shalom & Blessings
Reg

Anonymous said...

Im sorry the last part got cut off:
From: Joe Stabler
Sunday, November 2, 2008 10:30 am

The Lord was saying to my heart this morning, the trauma of the fall is now deceased. The Son of Man was manifested that the trauma of the fall has now deceased. And the Lord would encourage you this morning to lift your eyes up and see He who was once on the cross, see Him now who is seated on the throne of glory forever and ever. And the Spirit of the Lord would say unto you this morning, now the Son of Man has been manifested and the trauma of the fall has been disintegrated and now is the time for revelation, now is the time for understanding, now is the time for seeking My face. Does not My word say that the mystery was hidden in times past but now has been revealed through My Son, Jesus Christ. Why do you desire to live in the trauma of the fallen nature when I have destroyed it, saith God. When I have made a way that you might rise up in the glory of My Son, that you might know that your sins have been washed away by the precious blood of My Son. Yeah, and the Lord would say this morning, the blood of Abel cries out for vengeance but the blood of My Son this morning cries out mercy, mercy, mercy. Will you not rise up and accept my mercy, says the Lord.

Shalom & Blessings
Reg

EJ said...

Brother Reg -

Be very careful. Very Careful. I have many friends in Pentecostal churches, but my warning would be the same to them as it is to you....be careful.

You quoted your preacher/prophet/friend/someone who prophesied and who spoke for God as the prophets of old did. Be ever so careful because of the responsibility and weight that comes upon those who blaspheme God. And if it is not blasphemy to put words in God's mouth that He did not say - it has got to be close.

You quoted Joe Stabler, "the blood of Abel cries out for vengeance but the blood of My Son this morning cries out mercy, mercy, mercy."

There are two verses that refer to Abel's blood speaking (Heb 11:4; 12:24) and none give any indication that his blood "cries out for vengeance". Nothing in the context would say that.

In my experience, modern day prophets speak much but say very little - and what they do say often is either (A) quoting Scripture or (B) contradicting Scripture.

Sola Scriptura,
EJ

Anonymous said...

Eric as you know the word says we are to desire prophecy but also to judge prophecy--according to Gods already written word- so lets do that.
Ables blood did cry out.
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Gen 4:10 And He said, What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries to Me from the ground.
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(Vengence was set by the Lord-most probably because Able asked that His blood be avenged.
Im quite sure Ables blood did not ask for mercy)
---------------------------------
Gen 4:11 And now you are cursed more than the ground which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.
:12 When you till the ground, it will not again give its strength to you. And you shall be a vagabond and a fugitive in the earth.
:13 And Cain said to Jehovah, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
:14 Behold! You have driven me out from the face of the earth today, and I shall be hidden from Your face. And I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth, and it shall be that anyone who finds me shall kill me.
(Was that the decree from the Lord, who finds him shall kill him.I think it was -why else did he say that? Did Cain show remorse for being hidden from the face of the Lord and the Lord relented from his death sentence)
Gen 4:15 And Jehovah said to him, Therefore whoever kills Cain shall be avenged seven times. And Jehovah set a mark upon Cain so that anyone who found him should not kill him.

Heb 11:4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts. And by it he, being dead, yet speaks.
----------------------------------
I see no contradiction of Gods Word. God wants to edify us with this word.

"Now is the time for understanding, now is the time for seeking My face. Does not My word say that the mystery was hidden in times past but now has been revealed through My Son, Jesus Christ. Why do you desire to live in the trauma of the fallen nature when I have destroyed it, saith God. When I have made a way that you might rise up in the glory of My Son, that you might know that your sins have been washed away by the precious blood of My Son".

Shalom & Blessings
Reg
P.S. What did you think of John Pipers explanation? He even said it could explain why babies who die go to heaven. Jesus Death took away the penality of them being born in sin.

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