Inherited Sin

Adapted from the Bible Doctrine

by Wayne Grudem

Inherited Sin

• ? When do you start to become a sinner?

• This is a teaching that anyone cannot think of unless this is revealed by God.

Inherited Guilt

• Romans 5:12– “Therefore, just as sin entered the world

through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned”

• We are guilty of Adam’s sin

What is Paul saying here?

All men sinned

• It isn’t about the actual sins we commit everyday.

• Paul is saying that through Adam’s sin, all men have sinned.

• God thought of us all having sinned when Adam disobeyed.

What made us guilty?

• Are we guilty because of Adam or because of the law we disobeyed?– for before the law was given, sin was in the

world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 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 was a pattern of the one to come. (Romans 5:13-14)

Proof that you are guilty based on Adam

• From Adam to Moses there was no law.

• But people died.

• It means that even if the people’s sins were not counted against the law, people died and are considered sinners.

The fact that they died showed that God counted them as guilty since one of the consequences of Adam’s sin is that now Adam will die,

We are counted guilty because of Adam’s sin!

• When Adam sinned all sinned!

• One sinned became condemnation for all (Romans 5:18-19)

• God thought of us as guilty even before we existed!

Is this fair?

Arguments why God is right

1. All who protests are sinners anyway. Just look at our lives.

2. If we were in Adam’s place we would also have sinned.

3. Best Argument: If we cannot accept this then we shouldn’t accept God’s solution of Christ representing us believers when He died on the cross for all of us

RepresentationAdam

Man

Jesus

Believers

Adam represented all mankind in that Garden of Eden Episode in human history

Example in Sports

This is why we need Jesus!

• Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 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.

Romans 5:18-19

Inherited Corruption

• We can do good works but…1. In our natures, we totally lack spiritual good

before God.– I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in

my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

(Romans 7:18)

Inherited Corruption

• We can do good works but…2. In our actions we totally lack spiritual good

before God.– All of us have become like one who is unclean,

       and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;        we all shrivel up like a leaf,        and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isaiah 64:6)

It Shows How Helpless We Are!

• Jesus says – “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man

remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothingapart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

It means there is nothing in us to please God

Application• If God gives anyone a desire to repent, one

should not delay.• This desire only comes from God since we don’t

have the capability to do this due to our sinful nature.

• We should not harden our hearts and delay since this offer is not forever. – “As has just been said:

   "Today, if you hear his voice,       do not harden your hearts    as you did in the rebellion." (Hebrews 3:15)