The Original Sin -Who should we believe Jesus vs St Paul?

Question

To the Corinthians St. Paul wrote:
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
1 Corinthians 15.22
The Pauline doctrine of Original Sin is, however, contradicted by other passages from the Bible. In Deuteronomy, for example, which is one of the five books of Torah, Moses says:

The father s shall not be put to death for the children, nor shall the children be put to death for the fathers; every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
Deuteronomy 24.16
Contrary to the teachings of the Church, which goes under his name, that all children are born in sin, Jesus Christ confirms their innocence in the following passage from the Gospel according to Matthew:

Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18.3

JESUS OR PAUL?

Answer 1

You pose a very well thought out question. I have wondered the same thing. I believe that Jesus was saying many things that the religious leaders were afraid to hear. They, much like the leaders who are in power now, wanted to keep their power. Jesus made them uncomfortable because he was messing with the status quo.

I think Paul was probably a real person who was a believer. His words have some very powerful implications. However, I believe "Pauline" doctrine was injected into the Bible to get the Bible in line with the doctrine that the Roman Church wanted to put forth. The Roman Church wanted the same thing as the Scribes and Pharisees wanted: Control and power, which is the same thing many of the religious and political leaders of today want. When people think for themselves, those in control lose some of that control. That's why thinking is not often really encouraged. I hope you continue thinking for yourself. It's not always the easiest road but in the end I believe you will be rewarded.

Answer 2

You err because you do not know the Scriptures. There is no contradiction. An old wise theology professor once told me: "When you think you've found a contradiction in the Bible, dig further to uncover a great truth!"

It is true, we are all responsible for our own sin(s). However, we are all born into sin (in Adam). Likewise, we are all made alive in Christ (if we trust Him).

As far as what Jesus said in Matthew 18:3, the context there is faith, not the innocence of children. Look at verses 1-6. He is saying that we need to have the faith like that of a child. He knows how cynical we all are for the most part. Children trust easily. Again, we are all born into sin - everyone is guilty (see Romans 3:23). That includes children. we all inherit, at birth, a sinful nature.

Therefore, what you have done is confused the Scriptures. It is understandable however if one is trying to disprove a doctrine that has stood the test of time and truth by selecting a few Scriptures one does not understand properly. The method you utilize is called isigesis, that is, reading into the text what is not there.

Answer 3

In Jeremiah we read:
In those days they shall no children’s longer say: ‘The fathers have eaten sour
grapes, and the teeth are set on edge.’ But every one shall die for his own sin; each man who eats sour grapes his teeth shall be set on edge.
Jeremiah 31:29-30

And in Ezekiel it is more categorically stated:
Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father? When the son has done what is lawful and right, and has been careful to observe all my statues, he shall surely live. The soul that sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself

Ezekiel l8:l9-20

In the New Testament too there is the evidence of Jesus himself contradicting the theory of inherited sin:

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. And his disciples asked, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, It was not that this man sinned, or his parents. but that the works of God might be made manifest in him.
John 9.1-3

Thus we see that the doctrine of inherited sin propounded by St. Paul as in his first letter to the Corinthians (quoted above) is contradicted by God and Moses in more authoritative evidence from the Bible. Namely in Deuteronomy, Jeremiah and Ezekiel (all of the Old Testament) as well as by Jesus Christ in the Gospels according to John and Matthew (in the New Testament). The Church however is inclined to disregard the categorical evidence of the Torah, the Prophets and the Gospels, which form the main parts of the Bible, and rely on the letters of St. Paul which for no earthly reason were appended to and then incorporated in the Bible.

Answer 4

trust both

but their statements should be taken in context and in the sense of the literature

often in the Old testament the innocent did get swept away with the wicked. The courts of man are limited to the person sinning in the example of Moses, but Adam's sin is different.

Adam was born with a nature that was uncorrupted and could freely choose good or evil. When he sinned his descendents inherrited a radically corrupted nature which is tinged by evil and can freely choose but is limited by the evil tinge. This in a sense, Adam's descendeds freely choose but will not freely choose the best our of pure heart but their own choices are lmited by their tinged natures and are in need of a redeeemer.

Adams descendent can be said to have "all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" both on their own in a sense and also because of the nature inherited. A baby who did not sin the same way as Adam still may die which was part of the curse of Adam and not because the baby did some rebellios act on their own.


Let's look at it another way?
In Adam mankind federally gets a sentence of DEATH
In Jesus those of mankind who are redeemed federally get a sentence of LIFE
In this senses Paul and Jesus are in agreement and are speaking the same message and the question you raise applied not just to Adam's sin but the substitutioary death of Jesus on the cross

there are alot of facets to this and not something to oversimplify
and the issue does in fact tie not just judgement, but redemption together

Answer 5

There are no contradictions in the Bible; only people who don't understand it and therefore think there are contradictions.

When Paul says, "in Adam all die" he's talking about mankind in general, and that God did not create man with eternal life. That's what the serpent said to Adam and Eve, "You shall not surely die...." but they did, they died in their sins without hope.

Paul is making the point that eternal life is gained only by the "second Adam", Jesus. Adam was the first "born" of the old creation, Jesus is the first born of God's new creation.

Answer 6

Jesus - Jesus spoke in parables and always had a deeper meaning than what we think of on the surface. When he references children I believe he is talking about having that child like faith - believing the unbelievable. Knowing in your heart and soul the truth, the way and the life, without having anything humanly possible to prove it. We will all die a human death but we can live through Christ while we are humanly alive or dead, if we accept him and turn from sin.

Answer 7

Jesus never wrote anything.Paul did the writing some 30 plus years after the death of Christ

Answer 8

the lady became mendacity. study the e book of John numerous cases, a minimum of three cases. each and each and every time you study it, it turns into extra sparkling to you. once you study John, word each and every thing Jesus says about sin. if you're interpreting a pink letter Bible for Jesus' words, it truly is straightforward to discover what he reported. also Rom. 5:8, Ephesians 2:8-10, I Cor. 7:10, Rev. 3:20, John a million:12, I Cor. 5:17 Romans 3:23, 6:23. For all have sinned and fallen short of the large difference of God. The wages of sin is lack of existence, although the present of God is eternal existence by Jesus Christ our Lord. ought to the Lord bless you and keep you and make his face to polish upon you and furnish you with peace. Amen.

Answer 9

Cos current christians is following paul's teaching.And they didnt even notice it. They hav been blind by their ignorance.

I dont know how they could accept paul, Jesus enemy during his living days, becoming a prophet only after Jesus ascension.

And the christians believe paul claimed of hearing and seeing the vision of jesus, aand suddnely changed his attitude toward jesus, even change many of jesus teaching. Thus abolishing the law in the old testament. They nly accept certain law in the old testament.

This is what i believe, human intervention and the current bible is corrupted.

Answer 10

everyman will go to death for his own sin..eventually. the wages of sin is death. Jesus said let he who is without sin cast the first stone...everyone put down their stones and walked away.yes everyone is born into a world of sin, originally man didnt not believe the warning about knowing good and evil, they trusted the devil, who was lied they would not die and in so doing they in effect beleived God to be the liar.this was wrong, wrong is sin, and man fell into it and was banished from the tree of life.to become like little children is to mean to become innocent, to be teachable, to look up to their father.by grace Jesus took the sins of man upon himself on the cross,and to death for mans curse and was resurrected as proof the curse of death was defeated and made a new covenant whereby man is saved by faith and not by his works, and cleansed of sin by the blood of Christ if you so believe.John 9:1,2, Jesus says its not that this man or his father sinned, that is not the reason,( wages of sin is death)but to prove Gods grace.