Myth Busting the Doctrine of Original Sin {Part 3}

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In Part 1 of this Myth Busting series on Original Sin we looked at the Scriptures that contradict the doctrine.  In Part 2 we looked at Scriptures purported to support the doctrine - and why they don't.  Today we'll discuss some objections/questions raised by others and some summary thoughts.

On Exodus 20:
In the comment section of Part 1, Jess (also known as Wade) asked about Exodus 20:5 in light of Ezekiel 18.

 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

(Exodus 20:5-6 ESV)

Well, we know from Ezekiel 18 that God is not speaking of visiting spiritual death on people for the sins of their fathers, because He denies that outright.  So, what is He talking about?  First, notice of whom He is speaking about punishing: generations of those who hate Him.  I have a relative whose father is an atheist.  This father hates God.  Sadly, his children will likely hate God...and their children... In fact, as near as I can tell, the father's father hates God.  Sadly...these fathers, through teaching their children to hate God, bring about God's punishment not only on themselves, but on their offspring who follow in their footsteps.  Notice the rest of the passage: but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love m and keep my commandments."  If any of this man's family turns from hating God and keeps His commandments, God will show His steadfast love to that one.  This is not about punishing the children for Adam's sins - this is about the nature of hating God or loving God - our children will, more than likely, follow in our footsteps.

On the "Obvious" Sinfulness of Children:
I received comments on both Part 1 and Part 2 and I responded to those there.  I encourage you to look at those comments if you missed them.  Additionally, I had a couple of private e-mails about the topic.  One friend brought up that children are obviously sinful ("spiritually dead" is how this idea is described in the doctrine of Original Sin) as they throw temper tantrums, are selfish, etc...  My response to this is idea is multi-faceted:

1.  Christians - people in Christ - throw temper tantrums, lie, are selfish, etc..   This does not mean they are spiritually dead. 

2.  There is a time when sin is not imputed: "when there is no law."  We are not responsible for God's law when it does not exist, or we are incapable of knowing it.  Scripture says that there is a time in every person's life when they do not know enough to refuse evil and choose good.

 And as for your little ones, who you said would become a prey, and your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there. And to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.
(Deuteronomy 1:39 ESV)

The children of Israel, those who had no knowledge of good or evil, were not held responsible for the choices the congregation of Israel made.  Even Jesus was once in this condition:

 He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the boy knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be deserted.
(Isaiah 7:15-16 ESV)

Sin is not imputed when there is no knowledge of good or evil - and children have no such knowledge.

3.  Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven is comprised of those like children - which, of course, would be impossible if children were spiritually dead and sinful.

 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
(Matthew 18:1-6 ESV)

 Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” And he laid his hands on them and went away.
(Matthew 19:13-15 ESV)

 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
(Mark 10:13-16 ESV)

 Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
(Luke 18:15-17 ESV)

Could Jesus have been any more clear on the nature of these children?  The kingdom of heaven belongs to children!  (I believe it is sometimes argued that Jesus was only speaking of the humility of children - but that is only mentioned once (separate from the occasion that 3 of the gospels record) and He says this humility is what makes a person great in the kingdom of heaven - not that that is why they go to heaven.) 

Jesus said, " Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."  If the doctrine of Original Sin were true, a sinful (depraved, even?) child could not "receive the kingdom of God" at all.  Obviously, Jesus is teaching that children can and do receive the kingdom of God - it is, after all, comprised of people just like children!

What was taught before Original Sin:
As noted in Part 1, Jews have no such teaching about original sin.  It would seem, were this a doctrine originating at the beginning of human history, the Jews would also teach and believe this.  (Perhaps they did prior to the writing of Ezekiel 18 - it would appear that someone was.)  Not only that, but "early church fathers" did not teach it either - in fact, they opposed the idea:

Justin Martyr (AD 100-165):
"Every created being is so constituted as to be capable of vice and virtue. For he can do nothing praiseworthy, if he had not the power of turning either way."
"'Unless we suppose man has the power to choose the good and refuse the evil, no one can be accountable for any action whatever."
"For if it is predetermined that this man will be good, and this other man will be evil, neither is the first one meritorious nor the latter man to be blamed. And again, unless the human race has the power of avoiding evil and choosing good by free choice, they are not accountable for their actions.”
“I have proven in what has been said that those who were foreknown to be unrighteous, whether men or angels, are not made wicked by God’s fault. Rather, each man is what he will appear to be through his own fault.”
“The human race…from Adam had fallen under the power of death and the guile of the serpent. Each one had committed personal transgression.”

Tertullian (160-225 AD):
" “I find, then, that man was constituted free by God. He was master of his own will and power…For a law would not be imposed upon one who did not have it in his power to render that obedience which is due to law. Nor again, would the penalty of death be threatened against sin, if a contempt of the law were impossible to man in the liberty of his will…Man is free, with a will either for obedience or resistance."
Tertullian also argued that no reward can be justly bestowed, no punishment can be justly inflicted, upon him who is good or bad by necessity, and not by his own choice. (Doctrine of the Will by Asa Mahan, p. 61.)

Origen (185-254):
“How could God require that of man which he [man] had not power to offer Him?”
“The soul does not incline to either part out of necessity, for then neither vice nor virtue could be ascribed to it; nor would its choice of virtue deserve reward; nor its declination to vice punishment.”

Tatian (120-180 AD):
“We were not created to die. Rather, we die by our own fault. Our free will has destroyed us. We who were free have become slaves. We have been sold through sin. Nothing evil has been created by God. We ourselves have manifested wickedness. But we, who have manifested it, are able again to reject it.”

Melito (died ~180 AD):
"There is, therefore, nothing to hinder you from changing your evil manner to life, because you are a free man.”

Ireneaus (2nd Century):
“But man, being endowed with reason, and in this respect similar to God, having been made free in his will, and with power over himself, is himself his own cause that sometimes he becomes wheat, and sometimes chaff.”
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good deeds’…And ‘Why call me, Lord, Lord, and do not do the things that I say?’…All such passages demonstrate the independent will of man…For it is in man’s power to disobey God and to forfeit what is good.”

Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD):
 “We…have believed and are saved by voluntary choice."
“To obey or not is in our own power, provided we do not have the excuse of ignorance.”
“Each one of us who sins with his own free will, chooses punishment. So the blame lies with him who chooses. God is without blame.”


Summary:

1.  Scriptures used to "prove" the Doctrine of Original Sin do not teach it but, rather, one must either infer necessary information (i.e. Romans 5:12) or figurative language must be read as literal (i.e. Psalms 51:5)

2.  There are Scriptures that clearly contradict the Doctrine of Original Sin (i.e. Ezekiel 18, Hebrews 2:17, Romans 7:9).

3.  This doctrine was not held by the Jews (including Jesus), nor was it taught by the apostles or the earliest "church fathers."  In fact, many of the latter denounced it plainly.


Now, I know you have some thoughts!  Don't be stingy - share them in the comment section!


Thank you for joining me on this journey.  In a couple of weeks we'll take on another topic - and please feel free to recommend one!

Tomorrow: back to our regular programming!

{Parts 1 and 2 - and other Myth Busting topics - can be found here.}