Whether it is original sin, or the sins we actually commit, the solution is the same: Jesus and his sacrificial, atoning death.
Most Renewalists I have met or have heard taught believe in original sin, even if they do not understand the details.
This post has been updated, here:
Sec. 5, 1 Hamartiology, Doctrine of Sin: The Basics
And here:
5 Results of Sin, Our Repentance, and God’s Forgiveness
Here is what it means: (1) sin is rooted in the origins of the human race. (2) Sin is present in everyone—believer or unbeliever—from the moment he was born, so it is not learned or imitated as the child grows up, though a child can practice more and more evil in a bad environment. (3) It is the inward root of sin that defiles the human, not just the sins he commits (Berkhof, p. 244).
Berkhof is a extra-conservative Reformed theologian, and this post studies the topic from that perspective. I do not share his Calvinism; in fact I am a non-Calvinist. Other posts in this category look at the problem of sin from a different angle. It’s good to get a variety of views.
Now let’s move on.
Here is an old-fashioned Bible study about sin and the solution to it. In other posts we look at another source of sin. Is it imputed from Adam or imparted from our parents all the way from Adam until now? In other words, does it come with just being human?
I. Original Sin
It is built on verses like these.
A. Original disobedience
In the beginning humans disobeyed God’s law. In Genesis 2:15-16, God issued a law or command not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—or moral law. Humankind was supposed to be innocent of such things and instead be in close, intimate relationship with God. This relationship was supposed to guide humankind in goodness.
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Gen. 2:15-16)
In Genesis 3:1-7, Womankind and Mankind disobeyed this command. This illustrates that humans naturally rebel against God and his law. If a human hears “No!” he says, “Yes!” and does it anyway.
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (Gen. 3:1-7)
B. Sin nature handed down
Now this propensity to sin has been passed down by humankind (Adam).
Romans 5:12, 15 teaches that sin entered the world by one human, and so has death.
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— […] 15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! (Rom. 5:12, 15)
1 Corinthians 15:22 says that in Humankind everyone dies.
22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Cor. 15:22)
These verses teach that by virtue of being humans like Adam, we experience what he did—sin and death. Indeed, we experience them because he did—the first one. They are built into our human nature.
C. Extent of inherited sin
How far does this passed-down sin nature go?
Paul quotes Psalm 14:1-3, which says all have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one (cf. Rom. 3:11-12, below).
1 The fool says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven
on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.
3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one. (Ps. 14:1-3)
Romans 3:10-20, 23 is the famous passage about human sin, because no one seeks God; and all are corrupt and have turned away. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (v. 23).
10 As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11 there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.”
13 “Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit.”
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”
14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”]
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. (Rom. 3:10-20)
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Rom. 3:23)
Psalm 51:5 teaches that sin is present at corruption, indicating that the sin nature is passed down.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me. (Ps. 51:5)
Just before the flood of judgment, all of humanity was thoroughly corrupt, the heart being and doing only evil (Gen. 6:5). When it says Noah found favor in God’s sight (Gen. 6:8), this does not mean he had achieved sinless, moral perfection, but that he walked in the way of the Lord.
5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. […] 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. (Gen. 6:5, 8)
Jeremiah 17:9-10 says that heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Then judgment will come according to our works. We need repentance and mercy.
9 The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?
10 “I the Lord search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve.” (Jer. 17:9-10)
In Matthew 15:18-20, even Jesus—who loves everyone no matter what, right?—says that what flows out of the heart are evil thoughts: murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander. These are the things that defile a person.
18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.” (Matthew 15:18-20)
In 1 John 1:10, If we deny we have sin, then we make him to be a liar. Bad idea.
10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:10)
II.. The Results of Sin
A. We are responsible.
Ezekiel 18:10-18 says that we ourselves are responsible for our sins, not our fathers. Yes, by virtue of being humans, we inherit our sin nature from our ancestors, but each one is responsible for his evil actions. His father will die for his own sins, and the son will die for his own sins.
10 “Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things[a] 11 (though the father has done none of them):
“He eats at the mountain shrines.
He defiles his neighbor’s wife.
12 He oppresses the poor and needy.
He commits robbery.
He does not return what he took in pledge.
He looks to the idols.
He does detestable things.
13 He lends at interest and takes a profit.
Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.
14 “But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:
15 “He does not eat at the mountain shrines
or look to the idols of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.
16 He does not oppress anyone
or require a pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery
but gives his food to the hungry
and provides clothing for the naked.
17 He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor
and takes no interest or profit from them.
He keeps my laws and follows my decrees.
He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. 18 But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people. (Ezek. 18:10-18)
B. We are held accountable.
Jeremiah 17:10 says that the LORD himself searches the hearts and rewards each one according to their conduct and what their deeds deserve.
10 “I the Lord search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve.” (Jer. 17:10)
2 Corinthians 5:10 says that we will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so we can receive from him what is our due, by the things done while living here in our earthly bodies. Now the believer in Jesus will not be at the judgment of those outside of faith in Christ, with the unbelievers. But both will go through judgment for their works at different judgments. The unproductive believers will have their “wood, straw, and stubble” burn away but admitted into heaven, while the unbelievers will be judged for a different eternal destiny.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Cor. 5:10)
C. We die because of sin.
In Genesis 2:17, in the beginning, Mankind (Adam) was told that if he ate of the knowledge of the tree of good and evil (a symbol of moral law), he would die. He ate, and he died many years later.
17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Gen. 2:17)
Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. We die because we sin, and we sin by virtue of our connection to Humankind.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 6:23)
James 1:15 presents a progression of sin. We have desires, and some of them are bad. The bad desires give birth to sin and sinful conduct. When sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.
14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:14-15)
D. We cannot atone for our own sins.
Psalm 49:7-8 teaches a stark truth. No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him, because human life is so costly that no payment is ever enough; he cannot through a ransom live on forever without seeing decay. Then along came Jesus, the God-Man; he was qualified to pay the ransom.
7 No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
8 the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—
9 so that they should live on forever
and not see decay. (Ps. 49:7-9)
In Matthew 16:26, Jesus says if a man gains the whole world, he risks forfeiting his soul. He cannot give anything in exchange for his own soul.
26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? (Matt. 16:26)
III. God’s Salvation
Please look for the categories “Atonement and Cross” and “Salvation” on the front page to this website for God’s solution. We come to him in his way, not ours.
A. Atoning death of Christ
Some Christians teach that the atoning death of Christ was needless and even unscriptural (!). All they have to do is ask for forgiveness of their sins. No need for Christ’s blood! However, they overlook the biblical truth that Christ paid for those sins that they so breezily confess, and the only reason they can stand in God’s presence to ask for forgiveness is through Christ’s bloody sacrifice. That is God’s way. But where does this way come from?
In the New Testament Christ fulfilled that sacrificial system. He was our substitute and took our penalty. He absorbed our sins. Our sins are atoned for through him, once and for all, and our consciences have been sprinkled with his blood, and our bodies have been washed with pure water (Heb. 9:11-28; Heb. 10:22)
More Scriptures supporting Christ’s atoning, sacrificial work: .
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. (Eph. 1:7-8)
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)
2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2)
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Rom. 3:24-26)
B. Old Testament background
In the Old Testament, animals stood in for the human offering it as a sacrifice (Lev. 1-16). It was the human’s substitute. It took on human sin, or the sin was transferred to the animal. The blood was necessary because life is in it. Then the person walked away forgiven because his sins were atoned and forgiven (“atone” can mean “wipe away” or “blot out).
IV. Our Repentance, His Forgiveness
A. We must and need to repent.
Acts 3:19-20 says that when Peter was preaching before the crowd of Jews in Jerusalem, since God worked a miracle through him, he proclaimed that they should repent so that their sins would be blotted out (note the meaning of atonement in the previous point, III). That’s why God sent the Messiah, says Peter.
19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. (Acts 3:19-20)
In Acts 20:21, Paul told the Ephesian elders that that everyone—Jews and Gentiles—must turn to God in repentance and have faith in Jesus Christ. That’s the essential gospel: Repent for the forgiveness of sins and believe in Jesus.
21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. (Acts 20:21)
Yes, we should repent, but we also need to repent.
B. We must and need to confess our sins.
In Psalm 32:1-5, a great psalm, the psalmist says it is a blessing when a man’s sins are not counted against him. Before he confessed his sin but kept silent, he was wasting away. When he did confess, he was forgiven.
1 Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin. (Ps. 32:1-5)
Proverbs 28:13 reminds us that when we conceal our sins, we don’t prosper, but when we confess and renounce them, we find mercy.
13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. (Prov. 28:13)
1 John 1:9 teaches us that when we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse of all unrighteousness—all. Some teach that this verse is directed at proto-Gnostics (mystical unbelievers who denied Christ came in the flesh), but this verse is directed at everyone.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
C. We must and need to turn from sin.
Psalm 34:14 teaches straightforwardly that we must turn from evil and do good.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it. (Ps. 34:14)
Isaiah 1:16 says that we must wash ourselves and make ourselves clean. Evil deeds must be removed from God’s sight; the people must stop doing wrong.
16 Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong. (Is. 1:15)
Then the next verse says we are called to do good works:
17 Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow. (Is. 1:17)
Next, 3 John 11 says that we must not imitate what is evil, but what is good.
11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. (3 John 11)
Repentance means a complete, 180 degrees turnaround, spirit, soul and body.
D. We must and need to hate sin.
Psalm 97:10 says that if we love the Lord, we must hate evil. It’s that simple.
10 Let those who love the Lord hate evil,
for he guards the lives of his faithful ones
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked. (Ps. 97:10)
Amos 5:14-15 says to seek good, not evil, and to hate evil and love good.
14 Seek good, not evil,
that you may live.
Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you,
just as you say he is.
15 Hate evil, love good;
maintain justice in the courts.
Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy
on the remnant of Joseph. (Amos 5:14-15)
God hates evil (Deut. 12:31; 16:22; Prov. 6:16), because it hurts people. Paul in Romans 12:9, quoting Prov. 6:16, says that we believers must hate what is evil.
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. (Rom. 12:9)
E.. We must and need to throw off sin.
Hebrews 12:1 says that everything that hinders us and the sin that entangles us so easily—we must throw it off of us, like dirty clothes. But this does not mean that we are saved after we throw off our sins. This is the sanctification process–or the process of making us holy. Salvation first, sanctification second.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Heb. 12:1)
F.. We must and need to fight against sin.
Ephesians 6:12-13 say we are in a fight against spiritual rulers and powers and spiritual forces of wickedness in high places—evil spirit beings that tempt us to sin.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Eph. 6:12-13)
Hebrews 12:4 says we have to make every effort to be and live holy. This verse is important because some Bible teachers today say that all we have to do is sit on the deck chairs on a cruise ship and “chill” in our Christian walk. Our rest in grace does not mean passivity and laziness. We have to fight.
4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. (Heb. 13:4)
V. Knowing God through His Assessment of Our Sin Nature
A. The presence of sin
It permeates humankind’s entire being. Jesus’s redemption and salvation cannot completely deliver you from the presence of sin, because you live in mortal bodies. We will never achieve sinless perfection in our current state.
B. The penalty of sin
It brings a guilty verdict before a thrice-holy God (Is. 6:3), and it brings death (Rom. 6:23). However, Jesus’s substitutionary sacrifice on the cross can remove the penalty of sin, particularly when you stand before God at judgment. You deserved death, but Jesus died in your place and took away this penalty.
C. The power of sin
It is sin that plagues you specifically, like porn or drugs or unrighteous anger. However, the best news of all in the here and now: Jesus can set you free from the power of sin, so that it no longer has dominion over you (Rom. 6:14).
D. Practical steps towards victory
Here are some practical steps to see the power of sin broken in you.
1. Go to a Spirit-filled, Bible-teaching church.
2. Go to a small group that can help with your personal needs. They can pray for you.
3. During his temptation Jesus overcame Satan by quoting Scripture (Matt. 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). If Scripture was good enough for him, it ought to be good enough for us. And for me it is. Every day I pray Eph. 6:16, which says to lift up a shield of faith, which quenches the fiery arrows of the enemy. “Lord, I lift up over my mind a shield of faith that quenches the fiery arrows of the enemy.” I have in mind my specific weakness, and it has diminished down to almost nothing.
4. Go on a partial fast for thirty days or more days. Skip a meal three or four times a week, and pray specifically for your sin, during that time.
5. If you have your prayer language, use it. It builds up your spirit (1 Cor. 14:4). If you don’t have it, ask God for it and he will give you the Holy Spirit in his fullness and not a counterfeit spirit (Luke 11:11-12). From this fullness can come your prayer language. Then you can pray in it quietly throughout the day, particularly when you fast.
RELATED
Bible Basics about Sin: Word Studies
Is Our Sin Nature Embedded in Our Mammal Nature?
SOURCES
At that link, look for the NIV Study Bible.
Dr. Jim's Essential Bible Teaching 