Adam

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Rom5:12, or 'because all sinned'

In Substitution, replacement theology everything hangs on Adam, the ancestral sin theory, sin as a Substance infecting Adam and thereby handed down (or determined) in all human posterity. Consequently the above passage is understood as 'All sinned in Adam', (Latin Vulgate, Ambrose-Augustine) termed in theology as the 'Federal Head' theory, in which Adam, the head of mankind (first man) possessed in his lions the souls of 'all mankind who would be born thereafter in his image (corrupted flesh) 'dead in their sins, separated from God, utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite of all good, wholly inclined to all evil, by 'Nature a child of Wrath', Eph2:3. From this flawed premise they build a theological system that accommodates man 'in his sins with a replacement Savior who does everything in his place and Justifies him freely despite his inability to obey.   

To unravel this mess you need to understand first that NOTHING in Adam's Nature changed after the fall, he was capable of sinning both 'before and after' the initial transgression because he was created a fully mature adult with a moral conscience and nature inclinations, Gen2:9 'every tree created was pleasant to the sight and good for food', meaning just as Eve succumbed to her 'natural inclinations, 'She saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes and desirable to make one wise', Gen3:6, so Adam possessed the natural facilities of every human being; 'eyes, feelings, desires, ability to make moral choices good or bad. Nothing pronounced in the curse, Gen3:14-19, had any effect on his nature-desires-inclinations; they remained the same as initially created, capable of making moral, rational choices between good and evil. The Curse added pain and toil to their lives, a much harsher environment requiring exertion and sweat to survive and a limited life span due to being cut-off from access to the Tree of Life in the Garden, Gen3:22. Again, nothing is said about the physics of their nature being corrupted with a Substances called sin.

Unlike the Angels, who are created as non-sexual beings unable to procreate, Adam and Eve were created fully able to produce off-spring, Gen1:27-28, therefore they (must have) possessed a type of Mortality, in a body of flesh-bone that was 'Perfect in the sense of physical / biological genetics possessing a capacity of 'immorality as long as connection to the Tree of Life was maintained. (otherwise why would the Lord find it necessary to block their access to it, Gen3:22 after the transgression) The question remains whether or not their bodies were in a glorified form, as mentioned in the resurrection, 1Cor15:52-54, but this is unlikely in that 'Death (physical) did not enter the world until AFTER the fall. So we must conclude that they were initially created to Live forever in their bodies, in the presence of God with full access to the Tree of Life. (I think the Tree represents Christ, which is restored to the righteous as Life, Jh14:6, Rev22:2, 14-15, Prov11:30, John11:25)

However Adam's sin did have consequences (all sin has consequences) not in corrupting the Nature of man, but that through the flesh man was made subject to suffering, pain, temptation and human vanity. We are innocent (neutral) when born into this world, (no knowledge of right and wrong, Deut1:39) but 'sinful influence surrounds us, ('shapen in iniquity', Ps51:5, not sin born in you, but you born into a sinful world) This World is Satan's Domain, 2Cor4:4, Eph2:2, 6:12, his minions are lurking everywhere deceiving the masses, the institutionalized Church is Mystery Babylon under Strong delusion. Man looks far and wide in every worldly endeavor, new age phenomenon, desiring to make the world a better place, but the central point that continues to elude him is 'if anyone truly desires to make this present age a 'better place then they must begin by ceasing from sin. It is the Sin you pass on by Tradition, 1Pet1:17, that continues to infect mankind with corruption, not a 'Nature you are born with. Sin is not a substance, it has no atomic weight, it is the consequence of a decision to go against ones own conscience into wrong doing. ONLY our flesh genetics were in Adam's loins, our souls are individually placed in us at birth/ conception, (Ps139:14) the flesh of itself cannot sin, it requires a moral choice of the human will to transgress. (1Jh3:4, Js1:14-16) Animals are made to live by instinct, but man was created to govern over his instincts (desires-inclinations, Gen4:7 'You should rule over it!) keeping them within the bounds of moral restraints. When man's 'desires-lust rule over him, he is then govern by emotions and uses his body (flesh) as a vehicle of self-indulgence, thus he then becomes like a 'brute beast' (2Pet2:12) carousing in the world, eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin, a heart trained (exercised) in covetous. As a infant-toddler man must be taught to govern his emotions, lead by example and discipline, not because the 'nature is corrupt, but because the common flow of influence is bent toward self-indulgence! He will naturally follow the 'traditions of his fathers' (1Pet1:17) and due to the FACT that we are born into an environment in which the lust of flesh, eyes and pride of life have overtaken almost every realm of our existence, church, school, entertainment, media, there is very little (if any) godly influences to guide us into a life of purity and righteousness. Calling children sinners by nature is foolishness, YOU, the 'sinner saved in your sins' mold that child in the ways of iniquity from birth! Its your own flawed beliefs that create the little 'monsters you claim were 'born that way.

Another fact to consider is that Adam was created fully mature and able to make decisions, whereas his posterity thereafter was not. They had to grow-up into a state of mature youth, through the 'process of time', as is clearly shown in Gen3:3, with Cain and Able, both reaching this maturity were then able to make that critical decision between right and wrong and choose to 'RULE over any inclination to do evil. This simple truth alone should dispense with any speculation that man lacks free will to make this type of moral decision, since it is shown that Able offered God a more acceptable sacrifice that his brother through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, (Heb11:4, in other words his DEEDS were right!) But Cain on the other hand refused to Rule over his base instinct of jealously and pride, even when told by God he must, and murdered Able. If man's nature was corrupt or lacking in any capacity to do what is right because of Adam, why did Able follow God and Cain did not? Sin cannot be passed from one generation to another as an inherited Substance within; but the Consequences of it can indeed be visited on future generations, Num14:18, as was the case with Adam. And can be also seen in the example of an alcoholic abusive father passing on the destructive effects of his sin to children and family members. You reap what you sow and the sins of one person can bring much calamity to future generations. But the notion of it also being passed in the genetics form father to son is totally dispelled in Ezk18, written specifically to shut up the false proverb upon land that man inherits sin from his father; confirming the truths found in Genesis concerning the nature of God, nature of man and the nature of sin. In fact, all the foundational truths pertaining to man’s relationship to God are revealed to us in Genesis Chapters 1-3, the nature of man’s free will and ability to make moral choices, the occasion by which sin entered the world and the consequences wrought upon those yet to be born.

Therefore we can logically conclude, minus the theology, that man is born into a state of neutrality, innocent of any crime against God, having no knowledge of right and wrong. The 'LIGHT of conscience is born within him, John1:9, 'the true Light which gives light to every man who comes into the world', (Light of moral conscience, illumination, enlightenment, Heb6:4, 10:32, God cannot create something sinful!) Through the 'process of time' (growth, nature-physis-physics) every person then reaches a maturity of understanding and must make a conscience choice between right or wrong. (Cain & Able) Since sin is not what you are, but what you do, the 'act of wrong doing in violation of your conscience captivates your soul into a state of self-indulgence in which you serve your base instincts (desires-lusts) and are given over to a reprobate mind. This is why the Bible says: 'The soul who sins shall die', Ezk18:20, not death as in cessation of this present life,  (all men pass away and die, Heb9:23) but 'Death 'spiritually, as in the Light of Conscience connected to God is extinguished, no longer 'accusing wrong doing, but 'excusing it as natural conduct. (Rom1:26, 2:15) Consequently becoming 'by Nature a child of Wrath', Eph2:3. However in this 'dead' state, man is still walking around in a psyche (soul) existence in a body of flesh, fully able to make rational choices according to logic and reason, but preferring addiction to lustful habits that enflame the passions of the flesh. Appropriately in this condition it can rightly be said; 'In me, that is in my flesh, nothing good dwells', Rom7:18. All brought about by the Choices made to serve sin, NOT a 'nature or substances' dwelling within, inherited from Adam.

The flesh in of itself cannot contain sin, (flesh, SARX, sinew covering bones) but only suffers from the Curse upon the earth by way of infirmities, weaknesses, subject to temptation due to natural inclinations, desires trained in self-indulgence. (trained-exercised, gymnazō , 2Pet2:14, also used in positive sense; exercise unto godliness, 1Tim4:7, exercise to discern both good and evil, Heb5:14, exercise yields a peaceful fruit of righteousness, Heb12:11) Clearly the use of such language in scripture reveals that man is fully capable of BOTH good or evil, by his Nature that learns and grows by experience to maturity and finally makes a conscience choice between the two. Physical death is a direct result of the fall, the inevitably of a limited life span on this earth, all humans die in Adam. IMO, Rom5:12 could very well be speaking of ‘both physical and spiritual death as result of Adam’s sin, we know that all men are mortal and will see corruption in the ground and we also know that the scriptures tell us ‘the soul who sins shall die’, obviously this is speaking of a different kind of death than our mortality; a psyche-soul death that separates man from his creator on a spiritual level, ‘You who were dead in your trespasses and sins’, Eph2:1, Col2:13, meaning the ‘spirit part of our soul is lifeless having no dynamic connection to God, ‘your sins have separated you from God’, Isa59:2. This is why scripture says that when a person dead in sin repents a time of ‘refreshing takes place, Acts3:19, when their ‘spirit is ‘reborn or revived unto God, this is the ‘recovery of redemption. Again however I reiterate man is NOT born dead in trespasses and sins that would make God responsible because it is He who creates the soul. He is born, as stated, in a state of innocent neutrality. When a child or infant dies their soul returns to God, that’s not to say they were ‘saved in their innocence and then lost in their sins, as though a human is born ‘saved. That’s incorrect reasoning ‘saved or lost’ is not the subject matter here, but rather man’s ability to make a free will choice between good and evil. Undoubtedly a new born infant is wholly incapable of making such a choice, therefore God is not going to hold a soul accountable for something they have yet to commit. Sin entered the world by Adam, because he sinned and those who followed in like manner also sinned and all suffered the consequences. That’s the point Rom5:15-20 is making, not some theological assumption about Adam making all men sinners and Christ magically making them righteous. Yes, Judgment came to all men, ‘who sinned’, just like the ‘free gift’ came to all men ‘who repented and believed’.

It’s the premise from which you read the passage that defines sin as a choice or an inherited disease, if you read, ‘all sinned in Adam’, the remainder only confirms your belief that Adam made all men sinners by birth. But if you understand that sin is a deliberate act of the will to disobey God, as clearly shown in the first three chapters of Genesis, you also understand what made man a sinner; not his 'nature, but his choice to follow the example of wrong doing in a long line of wrong doers. (Rom3:10-18, tracing the sin of both Jews and Gentiles who stand condemned for the wrong choices they have made) Is the Sin all inclusive to mankind, No … 'all born in Adam, BUT not all sinned in Adam, rather they sinned by their own volition, making sin wide-ranging and extensive among the human race, BUT not 'all inclusive because there is still a Choice to be made. And again in Genesis we find the answer in the Righteous line of Seth, Enoch and Noah, who are not numbered among the sinners, but the Saints, because they freely choose to seek God and not commit sin. (even in the midst of a crocked and perverse generation)

Now the obvious questions remain, if man did not inherit a sinful nature from Adam and is not born dead in his sins, why does he need a Savior, it seems he could ‘save himself’ by his own noble efforts. But this is an overstatement based on the original fallacy of inherited sin. The atonement has supremacy over all things created and set into motion by God, Christ is foreordained before the foundation of the world, 1Pet1:20, His sacrifice encompasses every person born into this world, from Adam to now; (backward & forward, blood shed from, foundation of world, Gen3:15 Rev13:8, Lk11:50, its commencement) Both the righteous and the wicked must come through Christ if they are to enter His Kingdom, righteous deeds must be done in faith toward Him or they count for nothing, Enoch walked with God, Noah was perfect in his generation, Abraham obeyed when called, it is this kind of faith coupled with deeds that Justifies. The repenting sinner must also possess this faith and produce deeds worthy of repentance to be Justified. Acceptance into the Kingdom is always based on faith in God and faithfulness to His Commands, therefore regardless of status man must come to God by faith on His terms with no hidden motives. Man is created by God and retains God’s Image within his soul, Gen9:6, the moral conscience then dictates that he must give an accounting to his creator and he cannot escape the consequences of his actions done in the body.  The Old Covenant (as it is called) was a Shadow of things to come, but the BODY is Christ, Col2:17, the Covenant (Old and New) is of Mercy, unto all generations who Love Him and Keep His Commandments, Deut7:9, Dan9:4. It matters not when (timeframe) a person is born, where they are born, or under what circumstances they come into the world, the Covenant embraces them all, 'on the conditions set forth, 'love and obedience, following in the Steps of the faithful who sought out God under the measure of Light they had at the time and walked in Covenant with Him according to the present ability each was given at birth. Therefore as Rom1:20 says man is 'without excuse', cannot plead ignorance or escape his responsibility. He is NOT born defective and will answer to God for the choices he made, because engrafted into his conscience is the capability to 'accuse or excuse' by Nature, the virtue of actions performed 'right or wrong, Rom2:14-16. Common sense and logic testifies of these things and Scripture Confirms them as Truth. So every human must have Christ as their Savior because it is He who created the soul and He who purchased it by His blood on the Cross.

God is not double-minded, He is not trying to mock man by telling him to do something he is incapable of doing. Man himself has muddied the waters with nonsensical theories about inability and generational sin. He provides himself with the perfect excuse to satisfy his lustful indulgences and then calls it Sound Doctrine. Perhaps you should stop for a moment and examine yourself and see who's really responsible for the mess this world is in. Certainly its way beyond anything you have the ability to fix, but you can start by fixing yourself, stop making excuses based on lies, come clean with God and DO what is Right.

Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation (people, gentiles) whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. Acts10:34-35

by Mike D