A Statement on Original Sin Essay - 593 Words

A Statement on Original Sin First articulated by Augustine (A.D. 354–430), the doctrine of original sin holds that all of Adam’s descendants inherit the guilt of Adam’s sin and thus incur the punishment for Adam’s sin. Inheriting Adam’s guilt at birth, then, presumes one guilty before God at birth and destined for hell. This is the basis for the Catholic need for infant baptism, for the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception (that Mary herself was uniquely conceived free of Adam’s guilt), and for the belief that salvation is only available through connection with the Church via baptism. Moreover, the belief that God holds Adam’s descendants personally accountable for Adam’s sin calls into question the importance of our own free will as†¦show more content†¦That is, if we as Christian believers fail in gaining victory over sin even when we sincerely want to and try, the problem is not with us personally but in our state of having inherited both Ada m’s guilt and fallen nature. But Augustine’s theology was flawed. While we have indeed inherited Adam’s fallen nature, we have not inherited his guilt; thus, the universal suffering that humanity endures is not the punishment for Adam’s sin in particular, it is the consequence of sin in general. And while our inherited fallen nature works against us in overcoming sin, this disadvantage can be overcome through the terms of the new covenant. By means of our personal connection with Christ, the power of God’s grace is imparted by the Holy Spirit (sanctification) and accessed on our part through the exercise of our free will (which God honors for us every bit as much as He did for Adam). That is, God provides us moral victory (imparted righteousness) when we acknowledge our helpless condition and sincerely, continuously, and freely choose to surrender our lives to Christ and invite Him to have complete control over us — i.e. â€Å"Thy will be d one in my life† is our constant appeal; with Paul we say, â€Å"I die [to self] daily† (1 Cor. 15:31). And with Christ having fulfilled the legal terms of the everlasting covenant by assuming our guilt and paying its debt on the cross, and inShow MoreRelatedFeminism and Christianity: An Essential Guide by Lynn Japinga671 Words   |  3 Pagesmany years. I think Lynn Japinga did a very good job in writing about this topic in her book, â€Å"Feminism and Christianity: An Essential Guide†. Japinga includes in her book the use of the male dominated language in the Bible, the blame for the original sin, and the lack of women gender clerical role authority within the religion world. We start out with the use of the male dominated language in the Bible. Much of the development of Christianity has been primarily mostly by men, so our understandingRead MoreThe Incarnation of Jesus Christ893 Words   |  4 PagesJesus was the most qualified to come back to earth. Jesus is our savior and will always be our savior no matter what the situation. â€Å"The renewal of the creation has been wrought by the self same word who made it in the beginning†(athanasius 2). This statement is support that Jesus is the most qualified to come back. Jesus is also the most qualified for many other reasons, one being that Jesus is God and what better person is there than the own creator of our earth? My second question is why are humansRead MoreWhat Was Ambrose s View On Free Will And Grace?1507 Words   |  7 PagesOfficiis, focusing on book one, grace appears approximately 48 times within the text. Grace is considered a gift from God and the primary cleanser of our sins. Within on the Mysteries, Ambrose states, â€Å"It is not of the waters but of grace that a man is cleansed.† (On the Mysteries I.3.17) Augustine took grace to a new level in the sense of â€Å"original sin,† which is the idea that humans are born sinful. Ambrose does not seem to use the term grace in the same manner as Augustine and incorporates the ideaRead MoreThe Western And Western Traditions924 Words   |  4 PagesReligions from around the world all have an ultimate goal that they want to achieve within their lifetime, whether it is reaching enlightenment or getting your will in line with God. The following statement claims that the Eastern and Western traditions only have two goals in lif e and lumps all religions in each region together, â€Å"You Abrahamic faiths are all the same, being religious is an act of will, getting your will in right alignment with God. For us in the East, it is not about will, it isRead MoreMontaigne and Augustine1359 Words   |  6 PagesMedieval and Renaissance Philosophy December 12, 2005 Take-Home Final In regards to Montaigne s statement on page 23 in Apology for Raymond Sebond, I would deduce that he was using the metaphor of nature and natural tendencies in opposition to man s vain, self-seeking faà §ade that displaces God the creator. Montaigne s statement appears to (on the surface at least) value mans naturalistic tendencies and graces in a much better light than our own vain-striving presumptions that claim thatRead MoreMany Symbols in the Scarlett Letter879 Words   |  3 PagesThe Scarlet Letter. The most known one was the letter itself. The meaning of the letter appears clear at first but as the book progresses you see the letter’s meaning shift with Hester’s character. The magistrates intended the letter to represent the sin of adultery. And while of course, people did shun her at the very beginning, the â€Å"shaming† technique could not weather the test of time. The â€Å"A† soon began to lose its shameful meaning and instead become a sym bolic example of Hester’s courage and showRead MoreCatholicism Exposed in The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Essay1303 Words   |  6 Pagesnow it was felt necessary only for the official to speak to each person approaching. (Jackson 366-7) This tradition that the community follows, although violent, stood the test of time and has been going on for a very long time, but Jackson’s statement brings up that the village has taken liberty to pick and choose what elements of the lottery actually happens. In Catholicism, churches have done similar. Every mass has a portion set apart for the Presentation of the Eucharist, but other thanRead MoreAn Integral Part Of All Modern Societies1011 Words   |  5 Pagesall events in the world long before they happened†, as well as the notion of original sin - that â€Å"every person is a sinner by virtue of being human†. This lead to their life revolving around proving to yourself and the ones around you that you have been chosen by god to be saved. Another important point in the Puritan doctrine is that due to the concepts of predestination and their belief that Jesus died to cleanse the sins of only the elect, the idea of atonement through work is non-existent. BecauseRead MoreAnalysis Of Se7en By David Fincher1628 Words   |  7 PagesSe7en Sins Greed. Envy. Gluttony. Wrath. Lust. Pride. Sloth. These acts and feelings are what most Christians consider the seven deadly sins. If you commit any of these sins, you are doomed to hell and and an agonizing death. While most religious people avoid the sins like the plague and see most people as good samaritans, some see the sins in everyone they encounter like it’s written all over their face. Se7en, by David Fincher, explores what happens when the people who see the sins in everyoneRead MoreArt Commission Statement 11333 Words   |  6 PagesArt Commission Statement Paper Art Commission Statement Paper Historically, the Ten Commandments have provided civilization with reason, but are more than a simple set of guidelines. The Greeks originally named the Ten Commands â€Å"Decalogue,† because of its verification to Jesus’ word. The Ten Commandments were a promise made by Jesus to the people and if followed would not be in danger of sin. The Ten Commandments hold many moral principles people hold true even today, even in the