[Trapped]

Certain new theologians dispute original sin, which is the only part of Christian theology which can really be proved. - G.K. Chesterton

Has this concept of "original sin" been discussed anywhere here on the forum?

I'm not sure what Chesterton means by original sin.....but I'm also not sure how much I agree with it either. I believe it means things like:

1) we inherited Adam's sin nature and thus cannot help but sin
2) we are guilty of Adam's sin

But neither of these make sense to me in light of a just God. If we were born with an inherent sin nature and are thus unable to not sin, then how can we say God is just for judging us for things we could not help but do?

If we are guilty of Adam's sin (in the local church I heard things like "well if you were there, you would have done the same thing, therefore we are all guilty") then, again, God is not just for pronouncing guilt upon party B for what party A did thousands of years prior. And we cannot accept "you are guilty because you WOULD HAVE done it too".....even our messed up courts don't pronounce guilt for "would have" crimes!

The Bible is clear that "all have sinned" and thus death spread to all men. In other words, we are judged because we truly have all committed a sin. But I'm not sure if I agree that we are born into a situation in which we cannot help but sin. After all, for example, in the Old Testament God is patient for centuries, admonishing His people to turn back and cease from their sins......this makes no sense if God didn't expect them to be able to do it in the first place. God sending destruction upon them isn't reasonable if He knows they are born with a nature that makes them incapable of obeying.

Not sure how popular my thoughts here will be. But I think this is another important topic because there are some very angry people out there who grew up in a Christian church who hate God because he condemns people to hell for eternity for having them born in a condition where they could not help but commit sins in the first place. It's a legitimate issue to wrestle with, and I'm not sure there is much support for it.

Things like David lamenting that "in sin did my mother conceive me" are the exclamations of a man swimming in the guilt of his horrific actions and overwhelming shame......they are not defined teachings.

Anyway, just some thoughts.

Trapped