ARE BABIES BORN IN SIN?
Babies being born in sin is commonly known as the doctrine of "original sin."
Also, it is know as "hereditary total depravity." The doctrine simply stated
is the belief that Adam and Eve's sin ,(the original sin), is transmitted to all
who are born into this world. Supposedly, all who are born into this world
inherit Adam's sin.
Babies are not born in sin as is shown in the following Scriptures.
1. Sin is breaking God's Law.
Each individual becomes a sinner when he breaks God's law. 1 John 3:4
¶ Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
One becomes guilty of sin when he responds to temptation. James 1:13-14
¶ Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God";
for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires
and enticed.
People become servants of sin because they present themselves as servants of sin.
Rom. 6:16-19 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves
slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether
of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you
obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.
18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.
For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness,and
of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your
members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.
2. Sin is not passed on to others. Ezek. 18:20
"The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father,
nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous
shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.
There is a difference between inheriting the "guilt" of Adam's sin and inheriting
the "consequences" of Adam's sin. Mankind has inherited the consequences of
Adam's sin; e.g., pain sickness, and death. However, we do not inherit the "guilt"
of Adam's sin.
When a man commits murder, we do not put his son on trial for the murder. Why?
Because only the guilty are responsible for their own sins.
3. We are to become like little children.
Little children are innocent because they do not know the difference between good and evil.
Isa. 7:15-16 "Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse
the evil and choose the good.
16 "For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the
good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings.
Matt. 19:13-14; ¶ Then little children were brought to Him that He
might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.
14 But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid
them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
Luke 18:16-17 - But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little
children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.
17 "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of
God as a little child will by no means enter it."
Is Jesus saying that we should become like little sinners ? ??
Psalm 106:37-38 - They even sacrificed their sons And their daughters to demons,
38 And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and daughters, Whom
they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with blood.
In sacrificing babies to idols, they shed innocent blood. If babies inherit Adam's sin,
they would not be innocent.
Out of this doctrine comes infant baptism.