Original Sin

The term “original sin”, first used by Tertullian in the 3^rd century and also called ancestral sin, is the widely held Christian doctrine of humanity's state of sin resulting from the fall of man, stemming from Adam's rebellion in Eden.  According to this belief, the very act of being born makes man guilty of sin by way of Adam and Eve’s acts in the Garden of Eden.

We can sufficiently see from the writings of early Christians such as Clement of Alexandria, Irenaeus, and from early documents such as the Homilies, the idea of original sin was non-existent with the very early Christians.  It is easy to conclude that this was a doctrine born of the philosophies of men to harmonize with previously formulated doctrines that would otherwise not make sense to them.  Among other things, the loss of the doctrine of deification and of the pre-existence of man, as well as the new teachings on grace and the nature of Christ Himself, motivated the Greek to this conclusion.  As was common to the Greek mind, everything must make sense or it cannot be true.

We can trace the development of this doctrine to the era of Constantine.  Although it was initially difficult for him to swallow, it was Augustine who took the most supportive and even hardline acceptance of this doctrine, introducing the idea of total depravity.  This is the idea that we are not only born into sin, but we cannot even choose not to sin. 

Although there were many departures from this doctrine, it has been a part of mainstream Christianity ever since.  Ironically, some of those who attempted to leave this doctrine re-introduced the idea of a pre-mortal existence to more fully explain their theology.  But even though the doctrine of original sin was admittedly inconsistent, confusing, and appalling, none of the challenges lasted. 

What we are left with is centuries of grief and confusion.  Grief for those who have passed on without baptism, or accepting Christ—the most grievous is the thought of the passing of newborn babies.  I can only imagine the grief of parents, told by their ecclesiastical leader that their unbaptized infant, because of the sin they inherited from Adam, would burn in eternal torment.  It is this idea that caused many to attempt to deviate from it.  And secondly, confusion, in trying to combine original sin with the innate and scriptural idea that God is fair and incapable of this apparent injustice.  In 2007 Pope Benedict officially rescinded this doctrine, but only as it pertained to infants, not adults; and with no scriptural or doctrinal reasoning to back up his decision, not to mention the reason it had been firm doctrine in the first place.  What a mass of confusion and needless heartache!  (Pardon the pun)

Thank goodness for the Restoration!  Unlike many of the doctrines of the Restoration that were brought back and reformulated line upon line, this is one that was strong and consistent from the beginning.  As the 2^nd article of faith states, “We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adams transgression.”  What a breath of fresh air!  And to explain more fully the need for the circumstances that occurred in the Garden of Eden, the Book of Mormon, as usual, explains with great clarity, “And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden.  And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created… And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.  But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.  Adam fell that men might be and men are, that they might have joy.”  (2 Nephi 2: 22-25)

The Fall was indeed a fall, but it was a fall forward, not just downward.  The idea that somehow one man, Adam, not only totally messed up God’s plan He had for man, but somehow was able to put a stamp of “sinner” on the forehead of every baby born from then on is atrocious to me.  It was a necessary fall that physically separated us from God for a time.  But in doing so it began the human race and allowed for our trial of faith and the great growth that could occur for every one of those children.  

The reality of a pre-earth life and the infinite nature of the atonement alone (going both forward and backward in time, among other things) makes the idea of original sin untenable.  God knows all from the beginning to the end, and what Adam and Eve did, even Satan’s part in it, was all known and planned on from the beginning.  "The precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb...was foreordained before the foundation of the world." (1 Peter 1: 19, 20)  If the need for Christ and His atonement was known and planned on from the beginning, then the fall of Adam, bringing on the need of it, was as well. 

Now some further explanation from an excellent paper, "Why did Jesus have to die?" found here.

If God did not want man to have a choice, why did he place the fruit of death within his grasp calling it the knowledge of good and evil?  Religious philosophers cannot answer this question. They can only make up reasons and attempt to explain it.   When the man and woman had partaken, the Gods stated that man had become as one of them. (Genesis 3: 22)

Was man's fall a failed effort of a divine creation, or of a short sighted deity? Was God's main plan that mankind live forever in a state of innocent paradise? If this was the case it would make Christ a "plan B" or a back up plan for mankind's salvation? Such is a common explanation of the viewpoint of sectarian Bible scholars and their reasoning.  Their conclusion would lead us to believe that Adam and Eve along with Satan actually thwarted God's original plan.  

Much if not all of historical Christianity has adopted the idea that Adam's transgression was a mistake or even a rebellion.   The New Testament however clearly teaches that Jesus was foreordained to be the Savior of the world.  Would not the fall also be foreordained? Was Adam's fall not part of God's plan?

It is a fairly simple conclusion that Adam and Eve's decision to partake of the fruit would be necessary for the plan of salvation to be implemented.  It is evident that the whole story of Eden and what Adam and Eve knew is not in the Bible.

Adam was not created in a fallen state for a reason.  Yet he had to fall in order for salvation to come. The earth and creation of man was not a random event nor was Adam's choice unanticipated by God. 

Our first parents and we ourselves lived with God before the earth was created in a pre-mortal life.  Many preparations for this life were made at that time. It was then that Jesus was foreordained to be our Savior. 

Adam and Eve were chosen for the purpose of being the first to inhabit the earth.  Through an event dependent on their agency or freedom of choice, man fell from the paradise in the Garden of Eden.   Exposure to the knowledge of good and evil was the result and the only way they could exercise free will, also known as moral agency. This is the concept that we can choose and then be accountable for those choices.  

The knowledge of good and evil was received by partaking of one fruit on the same tree, not two trees in separate gardens.  It was not designated as an evil tree, simply one that had consequences associated with partaking from it.  The consequences were designed by God to allow for mankind to fall into mortality so agency could be given to them.  They would then have the opportunity to receive salvation and exaltation through the redeeming grace of Jesus Christ.  

Neither the creation or the placement of the tree were random events. The availability of this option and partaking in an act of self directed choice was designed by God to advance the human condition not to condemn it.  

God used Satan to advance his purposes by enticing Eve. Would a loving God really condemn humanity for all eternity because of what two individuals did? Did they frustrate the plan of the Almighty?  Orthodox theologian/philosophers have taught this for almost 2000 years.

The fall, however, brings an essential opportunity to gain experience through making choices and learning from the consequences. It is not condemnatory in nature.  The method of redemption was in place before the fall took place.

Without this life and its experiences, we would not receive the experiential knowledge or the physical body necessary for full development. It is through this mortal life that God gives mankind the opportunity to develop their intellect, gain experience and make choices that have real eternal consequences.  All things take place under the umbrella of grace provided by Jesus Christ as creator, his atonement and the perfect justice of his and our Almighty Father.