Sin is an unpopular word today, but it is thoroughly biblical and accurate about human nature. This post summarizes original sin and the three main theories on the transmission of sin from Adam to people, if it is transmitted: imputed, inherited, or personal. But a solution is offered at the end!

Let’s begin.

I. Scriptures

A. Scriptures

Paul strung together Scriptures in Romans 3:9-18. Here are more verses, each with the context explained:

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.

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 (Adam) 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.

In all those verses I see imputed and 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). Here are Paul’s strung-together verses:

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)

Next, this is very famous, for it locks everyone under sin. Paul lied the prophet Isaiah, and the prophet saw a vision of God’s holiness and glory. Seraphim proclaimed God’s holiness and glory. It is in this context that we should read this short verse:

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Rom. 3:23)

All sin and good works, in light of our salvation, should be measured against God’s glory. Then we realize that we cannot work our way into heaven. We need Christ to impute sin to us.

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)

B.. Summary

All of the verses quoted in the section above can support inherited sin, imputed sin, and personal sin, as seen below.

II.. Definitions of Sin

A. Brief intro.

In this section I draw from Moody Handbook of Theology, p. 324.

B.. It is a transgression of the law of God.

“Transgression” means to overstep or go beyond the borders==God’s boundaries.

 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? (Rom. 2:23)

[…] because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.(Rom. 4:15)

Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.(Rom. 5:14)

 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. (Gal. 3:19)

And finally,

Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. (1 John 3:4)

C.. It is a failure to keep the standards of God.

As noted above, the Greek term hamartia means to miss the mark or the bullseye. It departs from the way of righteousness.

D.. It is a principle within humans.

The Greek word sarx can mean flesh, but it also can mean the sin nature.

¹⁴ We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. […]  ²³ but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. (Rom. 7:14; 23)

All people have a sin nature:

Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. (Gal. 3:22)

Sin is the power that deceives people and leads people to destruction.

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (see Heb. 3:13)

Jesus says sin is a condition or character quality

As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. (John 9:4)

If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. (John 15:24)

Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” (John 19:11)

E.. Sin is rebellion against the law of God.

We saw above that a Greek term for sin is anomia, which literally means “lawless.” It is lawless deeds. It is often translated as “wickedness.”

[…] Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:14)

⁷ and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless ⁸ (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard) (@ Peter 2:7-8)

F.. It is wrongful acts against God and people.

Ungodliness means to fail to keep God’s command and ignore God himself

¹⁸ The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,  (Rom. 1:18)

Unrighteousness fails to live righteously before other people. Here are the mighty Ten Commandments.

² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

³ “You shall have no other gods before^[a] me.

⁴ “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

⁷ “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

¹² “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

¹³ “You shall not murder.

¹⁴ “You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵ “You shall not steal.

¹⁶ “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

¹⁷ “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Exod. 20:2-17)

So sin is breaking the law before God and people.

G.. Summary

Sin destroys people while they live. It degrades the soul and in some cases the body (e.g. addictions). Great news! Out of his deep love for people, God offers us a solution from this living destruction through his Son Jesus Christ.

III.. Original Sin

A.. Key Scriptures

First, let me quote Romans 5:12. Note the last clause: “because all sinned.”:

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— (Rom. 5:12).

Also, Romans 5:15 adds clarity to 5:12. Death through one man and grace (and life) through the one man, Jesus Christ was passed along.

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. 5:15)

Death was passed on without our receiving it. We die. So some interpreters say original death, not original sin. In all of Paul’s theology God’s grace is the basis on which we stand to receive salvation by faith:

Side comment: Note the word “many.” It merely means the opposite of “few.” Paul means “everyone” or “all,” as seen in 5:12, above, and 5:18-19, below. In the NT, “many” is often interchangeable” with “all.”

Finally, let me quote Romans 5:18-19. Adam’s trespass “resulted in” condemnation for everyone. One righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.

¹⁸ Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (Rom. 5:18-19)

Key clauses: “resulted in condemnation” and “were made sinners.” So it seems something happened to Adam and then was imputed or passed on (inherited) to all of humanity. “Condemnation” implies guilt, so some interpreters say that guilt was also passed on. Next, in Paul’s larger theology, justification has to be received by faith in Christ. So it is offered to all, but is received only by those who have faith.

I wrote a long paragraph on “made righteous,” but that’s not the point of this post on sin. Let’s move on.

But how was sin passed on? By imputation or inherited?

Let’s explore this question.

B. Definition of original sin

Here is what it means according to Reformed theologian Louis Berkhof (p. 244):

1.. Sin is rooted in the origins of the human race.

2.. Sin is present in everyone—believer or unbeliever.

3.. From the moment he was born sin is present, 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.

4.. It is the inward root of sin

5.. This root defiles the human, not just the sins he commits.

Here are the three main theories on what happened to Adam and then the transmission of his trespass to later generations, including us, if his trespass is transmitted (one theory says not transmitted.

IV. Theory One: Imputation of Sin

A.. Meaning of the term

Imputation comes from Latin imputare, which means to “reckon” or “credit to one’s account.” It’s a banking or business term.

B.. Three imputations

1.. Imputation of Adam’s sin to human race

2.. Imputation of humankind’s sin to Christ.

3.. Imputation of Christ’s righteousness to believers.

C. Transmission

Sin is imputed directly from Adam to me and you. Everyone is imputed with Adam’s sin.

Adam
↓
Everyone

D. Scripture

It comes from Romans 5:15 and 18-19. Something transpired directly from Adam to you and me, thousands of years later. Paul leaps from the first man to people of his day, without flinching. And see the second table after the one immediately below.

E. Penalties

Physical death

F. Remedy

The remedy is the imputed righteousness of Christ. The moment a sinner repents and places his full trust in Christ, Christ’s righteousness is imputed to the new believer. As all people are in Adam, so now all believers are in Christ.

Christ
↓
Repentant, Trusting Believer

Christ’s righteousness is imputed to all who repent of their sins and place their full faith and trust in Christ.

V. Summary Table of the Imputation of Sin

A.. Brief intro.

This table, next, shows various views on how Adam’s sin is imputed, if it is. It seems these views latch on to one verse and interpret it differently.

Imputation of sin is one way, but inherited sin and personal sin are two other theories. we will look at those in the next two major section.

B.. Pelagianism

Named after a British monk born c. A.D. 370 and taught in Rome c. 409. Every soul was directly created by God innocent and no direct relation to Adam. No original sin. Each man sins by choice and then is guilty.

C.. Arminianism

Jacobus (James) Arminius (1560-1609), a Dutch theologian. God imputes sin and guilt when people want and purpose to sin, though they had the power to live righteously

D.. Federalism

First preached by Cocceius (1603-69). God entered into covenant of works and would bless entire human race with eternal life, but Adam sinned and plunged entire human race into sin and suffering and death. Federalism means “covenant,” and all of humanity is in it, so Adam is our representative or head of the covenant.

E.. Augustine’s view

Augustine (A.D. 354-439, one of the doctors of the Catholic church. Two ways:

(a.) seminal view: As Levi, Abraham’s great-grandson, paid a tithe to Melchizedek through Abraham seminal presence and Levi was not yet born, (Heb. 7:9-10), so all humanity was “seminally present” in Adam. Therefore,  Adam’s sin and death was charged to all because all are guilty in Adam.

(b.) The other view says Adam is our federal head or representative of the covenant of works. We are in it whether we like it or not.

F. Summary table of the imputation of sin.

Now let’s summarize the various views of imputation in a table:

Views of the Imputation of Sin
Views	Romans 5:12	Adam	Humanity	Modern Adherents
Pelagianism	People incur death when they sin after Adam’s sin.	Sin infected Adam alone	No one infected by Adam’s sin	Unitarians and others
Arminianism	All people consent to Adam’s sin; then it is imputed.	Adam’s sin partially infected humanity. Humans not considered having guilt because of Adam’s sin.	Depravity is not total; corrupt nature from Adam, but not guilt	Methodists, Wesleyans, Pentecostals, Holiness groups
Federalism	Sin is imputed to humanity because of Adam’s sin	Adam alone sinned, but humanity infected. Adam is federal head or representative of entire human race	Depravity is total; sin and guilt are imputed	Presbyterians Others in covenant theology
Augustinianism.	Sin is imputed to humanity because of Adam’s sin	Humanity sinned in Adam. All sinned, are participant in Adam’s sin.	Depravity is total; sin and guilt are imputed	Reformers, e.g. Calvin, Luther, William Shedd (1820-94), Augustus Strong (1836-1931), Later Calvinists
Adapted from Moody’s Handbook of Theology, pp. 325-27

VI. Theory Two: Inherited Sin

A.. Inherited from parents

The sinful state is inherited from our parents, from one generation to the next, all the way back to Adam and then forward from him to us. It is called the sin nature because it is the root nature (recall Berkhof’s definition, above)..

Adam
↓
Thousands of Generations
↓
All Parents
↓
Everyone

B.. Total depravity is connected to inherited sin.

This means that depravity extends to every aspect of humans. The term literally means “not standing the test.” Depravity infects all aspects of people’s nature. However, the term does not mean that people cannot do good works or enjoy a symphony or a sunset. People can do good works in the sight of others or even of God. Goodness exists in people, relatively speaking. However, total depravity must be measured against the holiness of God. Nothing they do can merit their salvation.

C. Scriptural support

First, the long list of Scriptures about sin quoted above is important. But more particularly, Romans 5:15 and 18-19 indicates that something transpired from Adam to you and me.  And see the table, below.

D.. The penalty

It is spiritual death.

E.. Remedy for inherited sins

Redemption of the sin nature includes so the believer is no longer bound to be enslaved to sin (Rom. 6:18; 8:1; Gal. 5:4)  We are to crucify the flesh. The old self is not perfected until the Second Coming. Indeed, we will get a new resurrected and glorified body.

VII. Theory Three: Personal Sins

A.. Everyone commits sins, except babies.

The sins are overt (observable) and in people’s thoughts.

B. No imputation or inheriting of sin

Sin is not inherited from one generation to the next, nor imputed to us from Adam to you and me..

C. Scripture

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— (Rom. 5:12, emphasis added)

And so we’re sinners because we all sin. This is our personal sin. No imputation or inheritance. In reply, however, Rom. 5:15 and 18-19 seems to indicate that condemnation “resulted” from Adam’s original sin and and we were “made sinners” from his original transgression. But see the Scripture, in the table, below.

D. Remedy

It is forgiveness.

VIII. Summary Table of the Three Theories on Sin

A. Brief intro.

Note the differences between inherited and imputed sin in its transmission.

B. The table

Three Theories on Sin
Aspect	Scripture	Transmission	Main Consequence	Remedy
Inherited Sin	Eph. 2:3	Generation to generation	Spiritual death	Redemption and gift of Holy Spirit
Imputed Sin	Rom. 5:12	Direct from Adam to me	Physical death	Imputed righteousness
Personal sins	Rom. 3:23 1 John 1:9	None	Loss of fellowship with God	Forgiveness from God
Adapted from Ryrie, Basic Theology, p. 263. I also borrowed from his chapters on inherited sin (36), imputed sin (37), and personal sin (38).

C. Other interpretations

It should be noted that some theologians today interpret Paul’s theology in Romans 5 differently. They believe we inherit Adam’s death, but not sin and guilt. The death principle causes us to degrade and sin, and we become guilty by our own personal sin. This seems close to Pelagianism, as described in the table and just above. They claim to have scriptural support. Maybe they would add a row in the above table to read: “Inherited Death.”

Another interpretation says that the death that Adam spread to humanity was spiritual or moral only. Death was already present in the world. They reason that all animals existed, and the predators had to eat the prey animals. Adam may have stepped on an insect in the Garden. Therefore Romans 5:12-21 is about humankind and sin and spiritual death, and not the death of nonhuman creatures.

D. My opinion

I have not made up my mind about the two tables, except I reject Pelagianism, but only if he is represented fairly. And I’m not sure imputed sin is the right one, and inherited sin may be better. I like inherited death. Perhaps I should say I believe people are born with a sin nature in need of Christ and his salvation. And for sure Christ’s imputed righteousness to believers is true.

Here is my speculative post about inheriting sin because we have a mammal nature, which we get from our ancestors or the fact of our being human:

Is Our Sin Nature Embedded in Our Mammal Nature?

The thesis of that linked post is supported with lots of Scripture. But it is speculative. If you are easily upset, then don’t click on it.

E. Honorable mention: Irenaeus’s Recapitulation

Irenaeus lived born c. 120/140, Asia Minor—died c. 200/203, probably Lyon. I don’t know where to place his wonderful idea, but since it concerns Adam. let me place it here. It teaches that Christ restores or reverses everything bad Adam did. This theory goes as far as the cosmos. Adam brought disorder into it, when Genesis 1 was about God bringing chaos into order. Christ will reverse this cosmic wrong. I don’t know if this includes new creation in Revelation 21-22, in Irenaeus’s theology, but I insert it here.

I like the idea that Christ, going through his life, burial, cross, and resurrection and ascension, reverses Adam’s fall. I don’t know much more than this, but you are certainly welcome to pursue this further.

IX.. 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 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)

Second 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)

X.. Application

A.. Solution

So what is the solution? Can humans approach God their own way, without regard to God’s way of getting clean and the guilt removed? Humans must follow God’s way.

In the Old Covenant, sacrifices were offered, and the animal stood in for (substituted) for the person offering it and paid the penalty for him (Lev. 1-16).

In the New Covenant, Christ stands in for the sinner and takes the penalty. He is our substitute and absorbs our punishment that comes out of God’s justice-wrath-judgment.

So the answer is to receive Christ by faith. Pray the prayer, next.

B.. Pray

Pray this prayer:

“Father, I confess all my sins to you, because I am sinful by nature and by my actions. I have lied and stolen small or big things or time. I lust and am greedy for other people’s positions and money and sex. I have committed many other sins. But now I surrender them to you. I repent of all of them. I trust that Jesus Christ cleanses me from all unrighteousness. I proclaim him to be the Lord—and my Lord. I believe in my heart that God raised him from the dead. I surrender my entire life to you. Now take it and use it as you please. In Jesus’s name, amen.”

C.. Results

If you have prayed that prayer sincerely, you are now clean and consecrated to God. You have been transferred from light to darkness. Your old sins and addictions and habits no longer have dominion or power over you (Rom. 6:14). You can begin a new life in Christ. Read the New Testament from beginning to end. Get involved in a Spirit-filled, Bible-teaching church.

The remaining posts throughout Theology 101 expand on this simple solution.

D. Final word

Even after the Fall and sin became widespread, God still says humankind has been crowned with glory and honor.

“What is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    a son of man that you care for him?
⁷ You made them a little lower than the angels;
    you crowned them with glory and honor
⁸     and put everything under their feet.” (Heb. 2:6-8)

Let’s never forget to treat humans, whether sinful or saintly, with honor and glory. Let’s picture this invisible crown of glory and honor on them.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

I drew heavily from Moody Handbook of Theology, chapter 23.

Ryrie, Basic Theology, chapters 36, 37, and 38.

Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology, a section titled Man in the State of Sin.

Works Cited