Original Sin

YES, the bible affirms the innocence of children.

Original Sin has led to the creation of different meanings of the word sin. It is said that there is both “original sin” which is something we possess from birth referred to as the “seed of sin,” and “actual sin” that is something we ourselves commit. However, that is totally foreign to the biblical understanding of sin. God defines sin as disobedience, missing the mark, transgressing the law, and to know to do right and not to do it, and things we do in doubt (lack of faith) against our own conscience, none of which can be applied to an unborn child in their mother’s womb who has done neither good nor evil, according to Romans 9:11 “for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil."

If an unborn child has not yet done either good or evil, as Romans 9 states, then how is that unborn child sinful? If we all “sinned in Adam,” then how is it said that they had not done any evil? Isn’t all sin evil? It is clear that we will be rewarded and judged, each man according to his “works” (Matthew 16:27; Revelation 22:12, Revelation 20:13), what we actually do and do not do!

The doctrine of Original Sin requires both twisting of our understanding of what sin actually is, but also a twisting in what it means to be either guilty or innocent. If David truly meant to convey that he was guilty of sin from birth, then he would be in contradiction to 1 Corinthians 14:20, which instructs us to be as babes when it comes to malice (evil).

1 Corinthians 14:20

Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice [kakós] be babes, but in understanding be mature.

1 Corinthians 14:20 (ESV)

Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

The word for “malice” here is kakós, which is translated wicked and evil numerous times in the New Testament.

Here are some definitions:

HELPS Word Studies

2556 kakós (an adjective, and the root of 2549 /kakía, "inner malice") – properly, inwardly foul, rotten (poisoned); (figuratively) inner malice flowing out of a morally-rotten character (the "rot is already in the wood").

[2556 /kakós is often a pronominal adjective (i.e. used as a substantive) meaning, "wickedness, inner evil."]

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin

a prim. word

Definition

bad, evil

NASB Translation

bad (1), bad things (1), evil (32), evil men (1), evil things (1), evildoer (1), harm (4), loathsome (1), wretches (1), wrong (5).

If infants are by nature wicked and evil why are we being instructed to be as they are concerning evil? The clear meaning here is that babes are innocent of evil. Paul is saying to the Corinthians, when it comes to kakós, i.e. being “inwardly foul” or “morally rotten,” be innocent as infants are! He instructed the Romans to do the same. This would make no sense if children were born morally corrupted in nature.

Romans 16:19 (NKJV)

For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple [akeraios] concerning evil [kakós].

This verse again instructs that we be skilled, excellent, or “wise” in what is good but akeraios literally “unmixed, pure, innocent” of evil (kakós).

How can a babes be both innocent and pure concerning evil and be “sinful and guilty”?

The clear, simple, straight forward truth in Scripture is you are a sinner because you sinned! You are condemned to judgment because of what you have done. You are without excuse because you did so knowing it was wrong (Romans 1) even with a lack of the written “law” you sinned against your own God given conscience. Babies are innocent and remain innocent until they are able to discern right from wrong and choose to do evil.

Isaiah 7:16

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.

Deuteronomy 1:39

‘Moreover your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there; to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.

God did not hold the “little ones and children” accountable for the sins of their parents, because they had “no knowledge of good and evil.” So, they were allowed to possess the promise land! Before Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they were innocent having “no knowledge of good and evil.” Children, like Adam and Eve before the fall, innocent.

Children have to mature to the point of being able to choose the good and know to refuse evil. They have to grow to be old enough to do anything that could be considered sinful, because God does not impute sin until there is knowledge of sin. Unlike the heathen who are without excuse, who although they do not have the law, have a conscience that condemns them (Romans 1), the infant and young child does not know the law or truly understand the difference between right and wrong. Their conscience and ability to understand what is good, is not yet developed. This is why they can run around naked without any shame. The Scripture teaches that we should not be ignorant as children, or immature, without understanding (Hebrews 5:13, Ephesians 4:14) but innocent as they are, and must become like children to enter the kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:3, Mark 10:15) For the “kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14), and “out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise” (Matthew 21:16).

Jesus taught that the innocence of children should be preserved and they should be taught to do what is right and not led astray or caused to sin (Matthew 18:6).

The verses that are used to teach that we are wicked from birth or “from the womb” must be interpreted in light of the verses that teach the unborn have done neither good nor evil, and that babes are innocent of evil, and that sin is not a substance but something we do. When we take the time to rightly divide the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15) and seek to understand what it actually says and means, there is no biblical justification for teaching we are born with “sin” already in us, or with a nature that is inherently sinful.

(Source: DV Gainey)