The History and Theories that Surround the Doctrine of Sin - Essay Example

Table of Contents Table of Contents Introduction 2 Thesis ment 2 Definition of the Doctrine of Original Sin 2 History of the Doctrine 4 Theories used in the Formulation of the Doctrine 4 Biblical Defense of the Doctrine 7 Actual Sin 8 Criticism of the Doctrine of the Original Sin 9 Application of the Doctrine in Bible Studies 11 Conclusion 13 Bibliography 14 Introduction Many Christians today lack adequate knowledge of the doctrines that they strongly adhere to in their Christian faith. On of the most confusing doctrines is the doctrine describing original sin versus actual sin. Multiple theories have emerged with the focus of putting into perspective the definition of original sin and how it spread from Adam to include all the individuals. Moreover, such theories also seek to outline the definition and context of actual sin. This paper will describe the history and theories that surround the doctrine of sin and its history. Thesis Statement From observation, it is evident that there is a persistent tendency to sin in humans. Some people reason that human beings find themselves in the hopeless situation of possessing a sinful nature since birth. It is rational to consider the factors that led to the current condition. Reviewing the story of the initial human parents will provide insights that can help in unraveling the doctrine of sin. Many theorists have relied on the interpretation of the events that transpired at the Garden of Eden to try and demystify the complex doctrine of original sin. The doctrine seeks to offer sound understanding of the process through which sin from Adam spread to affect all human beings1. This paper will handle all these issues surrounding the doctrine of original sin and establish a distinction between the original sin and actual sin. Definition of the Doctrine of Original Sin The doctrine of original sin focuses on explaining how moral corruption inherent in human beings today began. In order to understand the definition of the doctrine of original sin, it is important to examine the common teachings of the doctrine. One of these teachings indicates that the incidence of Adam’s sinning affected the entire race. Adam made wrong use of his will, choosing to disobey the creator. According to this doctrine, many have reasoned that the will of Adam translates to the will of the entire race. Therefore, many adherents of the doctrine teach that the entire race indulged into sin when Adam sinned. The second teaching seeks to elaborate the first one and highlights that the sin of Adam corrupted the human nature2. Considering the fact that human nature was perfect prior to the original sin of Adam, then his sin introduced a form of corruption to human nature. This serves as an explanation why the every human being possesses a corrupt human nature. This doctrine explains that the corrupt nature exists even during birth. Original sin denotes a condition that exists since birth and is unavoidable as long as an individual belongs to the genealogy of Adam. Moreover, the doctrine of the original sin teaches that the sinful nature that resulted from the initial corruption by Adam is the primary source of all sin. This implies that human beings can helplessly fall into sin because they possess a sinful nature. According to this teaching, sin takes toll of many individuals irrespective of the will to abhor it. The teaching describes the extremes of the sinful nature in that it leaves human beings in a helpless situation where they can do nothing but sin. The fourth teaching explains that all human beings are guilty and inexcusable before the eyes of the Creator, a God of utmost justice. The teaching then highlights the ultimate judgment from the just God that will see all the guilty suffer pain in a fiery place described as hell. The fifth teaching of the doctrine points to the condition of new-born babies who are liable to the condemnation described in the fourth teaching. These teachings form the central dogma that identifies the doctrine of original sin3. The doctrine seeks to establish the origin of the sinful inclination that has persisted in humans until today. From the understanding of where the initial sinful nature emanated from, then it becomes easier to understand why sin is a common aspect among all human beings today. History of the Doctrine The doctrine of the original sin has existed for a long time as one of the central doctrines that define Christianity. The doctrine has been used to present people with answers concerning the ever-present compulsion of people to commit what is bad. For the Christians who believe it, it has been serving to put into perspective the relationship between the sin committed by Adam and his descendants4. The doctrine has been a fundamental tool in explaining why death and condemnation occurred to man. From the doctrine, some Christians have been able to understand the inexcusable condemnation that stands before each individual5. The teachings of the doctrine have drawn people to appreciate the remedy presented in Romans that promises to clear the condemnation that resulted from the sin of one man. Theories used in the Formulation of the Doctrine Three theories were of core significance in formulating the doctrine of the original sin. One of these theories is the Augustinian theory of natural headship and the realistic theory. This theory has existed since the fifth century A.D after its formulation by Augustine. The theory’s explanation has its basis on the organic unity that Augustine believed dopes exist6. Organic unity would imply that in Adam was an entire race. Therefore, when Adam committed the initial sin, then the entire race shared this sin through the organic unity7. Consequently, Augustine highlighted that the will of Adam that caused him to stumble into sin translated to the will of the entire species of human beings. Adam’s sin resulted from his choice of disobedience. Instead of remaining obedient, he rebelled against the creator. According to the organic unity affirmation, the entire human race turned to consist of rebels against God. According to Augustine, this was the origin of a corrupted nature of humans8. The basis of Augustine was the emphasis that the entire species of humans were within Adam during his first sin explaining why his corruption affected the entire human race. The second theory came into existence in the 17th century, being the idea of Cocceius. This theory argues that the sinful nature that developed in Adam after he sinned affects his descendants because of an initial covenant agreement that existed between God and Adam. This covenant was double-sided as the theorist explained. On one side, God had declared to Adam that his constant obedience would earn him and his descendants eternal life. This meant that the obedience of the perfect man Adam at that point would translate to the entire human race living to times indefinite under the initial paradise conditions. The other side of the covenant spelled doom for Adam and his descendants if they did not prove to be completely obedient. As the Genesis account indicates, disobedience would translate to death. This side of the covenant would affect his descendants as well9. As things turned out, Adam chose the wrong path. Being the father and head of an entire race, he chose to disobey God. This theorists highlights that the consequences would emerge just as God had stated. Adam’s sin corrupted the perfect nature that had existed before he sinned. Therefore, sin brought about the loss of eternal life. Moreover, the consequences were to spread to the entire race. This theory demystified the Augustinian theory that had failed to offer a clear description of how even the most distant of Adam’s descendants share in the consequences that resulted after his disobedience. The third theory also emerged in the 17th century and was the view from Placeus. Like other theorists, he endeavored to describe how sin from Adam spread to affect all his descendants. Initially, he had opined that the sin of Adam did not count in the imputation of his posterity. However, other theorists and critics refuted this view compelling him to readjust his thinking. Therefore, at a later date, he expressed a new opinion. According to the new opinion, all the human beings possessed a depraved nature since birth. The depravation and corruption existing since birth was a consequence of the sin committed by Adam. This theory bears the name ‘the theory of mediate imputation’. It serves to highlight an additional insight into the understanding of the origin of sin. Contrary to what Cocceius had described in his understanding of the covenant initiated between God and Adam, Placeus reasoned that Adam’s descendants only inherit the sinful nature from being Adam’s descendants. It is this sinful nature that drives an individual farther away from God through its constant compulsion10. Biblical Defense of the Doctrine According to the supporters of the doctrine of the origin of sin, the quote from Romans chapter three verse ten that highlights that none of human beings manages to attain a standard of righteousness. This verse serves as the most substantial evidence that all humans possess a depraved nature and is susceptible to stumbling into sin11. Many of the theorists have ventured into explaining how this resulted. The Genesis account of the fall of Adam highlights that the head and father of the human race disobeyed bringing sin unto himself. Romans chapter five verse twelve has been used to support the idea that one man bears the responsibility of giving sin way into the world.This coupled with the Genesis chapter three accounts where Adam disobeyed augments the argument that the one man referenced in Romans. Verse fourteen of the same chapter ascertains that sin has existed from Adam down his genealogy. This verse highlights the fact that sin emanated from one man and spread to all Adam’s descendants. It is evident that the sin of one individual, Adam, the father and head of the entire human generation, committed sin that resulted to negative consequences to the entire race. As Romans chapter five verse eighteen highlights, the sin of one man translated to the condemnation of all his descendants. This implies that all human beings are subject to condemnation due to the initial sin committed by Adam. Moreover, verse nineteen of the same chapter specifies that it was the disobedience that occurred at the Garden of Eden that resulted to the emergence of sin that spread into the world. One of the translations mentions that the ‘disobedience of one man constituted others as sinners ‘. Through this, it becomes evident that Adam’s disobedience is the source of the sinful nature inherent in humans today. Sinful nature is manifest in every individual sine birth, and is the core of the inherited consequences from Adam’s disobedience12. The fact that sinful nature is an aspect inherent in each individual has served as a basis for advancement of the doctrine13. Moreover, the first letter addressed to the Corinthians by Paul contains highlights that adherents to this theory have relied on to support their theories. Chapter fifteen of letter verses twenty two to forty five discusses how death resulted. It is evident that death is the result of the original sin according to these verses. Moreover, the account in Genesis chapter three made it clear that disobedience would lead to death of Adam. Since all human inherited the sinful nature that has would cause death, all human beings are subject to death. The universality of death also serves as additional support that through Adam all human beings gained condemnation. As mentioned earlier Actual Sin Having described original sin in detail, it is essential to highlight the definition of actual sin. All human beings have inherited a sinful nature as the doctrine above illustrates. Some believers and teachers of the doctrine of the original sin accept the existence of a different definition of actual sin. All human inherited a sinful nature that serves as a powerful inclination towards sin. This is the reason why human beings lack the capacity to achieve righteousness. The sinful nature causes multiple imperfections in human beings making them prone to error. Being constantly susceptible to error because of the compulsion of the sinful nature has led human beings into committing alls sorts of evil. Actual sin comprises any evil that involves deed, thought or word14. There are several categories of actual sin as described by different Christian faiths. However, it is critical to identify the relationship between the original sin and actual sin. The original sin causes inclination s and tendencies within an individual prompting him or her to engage in actual sin. Actual sin has two main categories. The initial category consists of any commission of something evil while the second one involves the omission of doing what is considered good. Although the original sin is inherent in all human beings, there is relief in realizing that each individual has a room to exercise freedom of choice when it comes to actual sin. Although the original sin places a strong compulsion to an individual to commit actual sin, with determination and faith an individual can triumph over the compulsion and stick to doing what is good. However, the original sin exerted a sinful nature that always brings about shortcomings and is the main obstacle to our perfection. Criticism of the Doctrine of the Original Sin Some people have refuted the teachings of the doctrine of the original sin citing that it lacks sufficient biblical basis. Many criticisms have surrounded the theories formulated to support the doctrinal teachings. Some critics disregard the relevance of the Bible book of Romans in supporting the doctrine. For extreme critics, the entire doctrine does not have a place in Christianity. These people often reason that the doctrine is baseless and that it causes the entire humanity to freak out at the mention of the resulting condemnation. Some groups of people would rather forget about the doctrine and its implications. Even for Christians who are aware of the inherent sinful nature inherited from Adam, they receive the doctrine with a high level of reservation and denial. Although some have often experienced the compulsion of the sinful nature, they prefer brushing it off15. An additional group of critics argues that the bible does not support the dogmatic ideas that define the central teachings of the doctrine. For example, critics have highlighted that the idea described by Augustine concerning the organic unity that has led to the inheritance of sin from Adam as a possibility. According to the analysis by these critics, there is a complete lack of evidence that insinuates that organic or biological processes are responsible for the inheritance of sin. These critics have demanded substantial evidence before adopting the doctrine. The ironical reality of the doctrine is the fact that the three different schools of thought supporting the three theories have often criticized each other. For example, Augustine’s followers have presented evidence that the other two theories have no basis. The vice versa has happened leaving all the three theories considered as fallacies. These kinds of criticisms have challenged the reality and standing of the doctrine over the years. With the increasing level of criticisms, it has become increasingly difficult to describe the best theory to describe the doctrine. Other theories accepted by some Christians such as the evolution theory have reduced the credibility of the doctrine. In order to understand the doctrine, some people have tried to merge the ideas of evolution with the doctrine theories in order to understand the organic unity that has caused imputation of the original son16. For other critics; it does not make sense to adhere to a doctrine that believes that all people have a sinful inclination. These critics want to imagine that nobody is inherently wicked but rather people are inherently good. Other critics disregard the theory that argues that Adam was in a committed covenant with God. The fact that the Genesis book does imply that there was any form of covenant between the Sovereign God and Adam. Therefore, it is irrational to argue that Adam breached the terms of a non-existent covenant, as these critics opine. Moreover, they argue that even if a covenant had existed it was between Adam and God and Adam’s descendants were not justly liable to the consequences of a covenant that they had not consented. Like other critics, this group argues that more evidence is crucial to give the doctrine credibility. Application of the Doctrine in Bible Studies A critical study of the bible is essential in order to unravel the message contained in it. The bible does not equal any other literature that Christians read. On the contrary, Christians consider the bible as a compilation of inspired scripture from different authors. The fact that the Bible message is the product of a higher level inspiration makes it credible for any Christian because it does not account events from man, but from a sovereign God. With such an attitude of appreciation, it is critical to examine Bible accounts carefully. Although the doctrine construct has received regard as the ultimate truth, the doctrine should motivate any theology student to analyze its relevance and meaning to the inspired scriptures17. It is evident that the theory takes into account the Genesis chapter three stories that introduced the reason why Adam lost his initial perfect condition. From Paul’s letter to the Romans, it became evident that sin had found its entry into the human race through the father of the human race. According to the verses 12-21 of chapter five of Romans, it is clear that the loss of perfect life occurred, ascertaining the case of Adam in Genesis. As indicated in Genesis, loss of perfection would ultimately lead to death of Adam and his descendants. Romans confirm that this is exactly what transpired that sin gained entry to the world and death results. Although the mechanism of imputation may be tasking to explain, it is evident that perfect people would not result from an imperfect person. Therefore, Cain and Abel were imperfect because they were the offspring of imperfect parents Adam and Eve. Analogous to the way in which a baking utensil affects the shape of the baked product, imperfect parents have passed down the imperfect nature to all their offspring. The sinful nature is evident in everyone, and the universality of death serves as evidence that all human beings possess the attribute of sinful nature from the father of the human race. It is this sinful nature that moves an individual to indulging in actual sin. However, all human beings cannot assert they know righteousness because the inherent original sin disqualifies them irrespective of their good acts. The doctrine has its pitfalls but can suffice to prompt an intensive study into the redemption scheme that the Creator put in place to correct the effects of the inherent sin. Evidently, the consideration of the verses described above appearing in Romans chapter five, the Sovereign God has put measures in place to provide a ransom for the loss of perfect life that occurred. Therefore, dwelling on the emerging criticisms does not have the potential to undo the negative consequences that emerged after disobedience18. Conclusion Many theorists have relied on the interpretation of the events that transpired at the Garden of Eden to try and demystify the complex doctrine of original sin. The doctrine seeks to offer sound understanding of the process through which sin from Adam spread to affect all human beings. . The doctrine has been a fundamental tool in explaining why death and condemnation occurred to man. From the doctrine, some Christians have been able to understand the inexcusable condemnation that stands before each individual. Three theories were of core significance in formulating the doctrine of the original sin. Biblical defense of the doctrine has been the quote from Romans chapter three verse ten that highlights that none of human beings manages to attain a standard of righteousness. This verse serves as the most substantial evidence that all humans possess a depraved nature and is susceptible to stumbling into sin. Bibliography Brunner, Emil, Olive Wyon, and Emil Brunner. The Christian Doctrine of Creation and Redemption. Cambridge: J. Clark, 2002. Cary, Phillip. Outward Signs: The Powerlessness of External Things in Augustines Thought. 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