THE DOCTRINE OR TEACHING CONCERNING Original Sin is mentioned quite a lot in religious circles (some folks reject it), but how many really understand what it is and what its implications are for us today?  Does it apply to each of us in some sense or not? Is the doctrine of original sin merely an old, outdated institution that has no use in modern theology?  It may surprise you to learn that a number of respected theologians and preachers have strange or even aberrant views of "original" sin: to the point that some think it is a myth.  First, here is what original sin is not: The doctrine of "original sin" is not a doctrine that merely describes the original sin or the fall of Adam and Eve.

It has specific reference to the consequences of the fall or the cascading product of the fall upon all mankind.  Eve was deceived, but Adam sinned deliberately (1Tim.2:14).  Adam's intentional sin brought death upon all subsequent men, women, and children, without exception--all were "in his loins" (Rom.5:14).  The fall (the sin) of Adam brought a certain effect upon all human flesh.  It was death.  The cause of death in the world today is Adam's original sin.  But are we talking about physical death, spiritual death, or both?

Biologically speaking, all physical bodies live in the expectation of physical death.  All struggle to stay alive.  Any time a life is directly threatened, human or animal, young or old, a mighty struggle ensues.  Something inside every living thing, from insect to animal and beyond, tries to maintain life. Yet, life cannot biologically be maintained forever.  As finite beings, the whole creation marches relentlessly toward a final sunset.  Adam was a finite being.

Within the Garden of Eden was a tree called "the tree of life" from which Adam never ate. Two particular trees are mentioned in the account.  "The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there he put the man whom He had formed.  And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" (Gen.2:8-9).  Adam and Eve ate of the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" but they did not eat from the "tree of life."  They could have stumbled upon it, however.

"And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, 'Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die' " (Gen.2:16-17).  Evidently, God neither identified the tree of life nor mentioned it as being off limits.  And the devil was not about to point it out. Adam ate of the forbidden tree because he wanted it more than he wanted God.  The original sin, therefore, was idolatry and disobedience.

The tree of life was able to make one live forever--it was the tree of immortality.  "And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever" (Gen.3:22).  (Notice here that man does not have immortality, as in an "immortal soul.")  Was it a tree of spiritual immortality?  Nobody knows.  But Adam never had immortal life--he was mortal and was naturally destined to die as a man, unless he gained special immortality.  However, the act of eating from the tree of knowledge probably barred Adam from any possibility of immortal life.  Adam disqualified himself on the spot. "So He drove out the man; and he placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life" (v.24).

Conclusion: the death of Adam was both physical and spiritual.  The threat coming from God, even if it was only physical death included, of necessity, spiritual death.  God removed the possibility of immortality from Adam.  Thus, he could never live forever as a regenerated child of God.  Had Adam eaten of the tree of life, he would have gained immediate immortality, since eating of the other tree achieved immediate death.  So, the death that came upon all humanity because of the "original sin" of Adam is both physical and spiritual.

Today, the finality of physical and spiritual death continues in every human being, man, woman, or child, unless God intervenes.  But the child of God has cheated the finality of both physical and spiritual death because he dies in Christ at his own baptism.  The believer gains immortality by being raised with Christ.  He does so by partaking in the believer's first resurrection with Christ according to Col.2:12.  THIS IS THE FIRST RESURRECTION!  One FINAL resurrection is at the last day (John 6:40).    (END).