It is
hard to believe that anyone would even think that babies are born as
sinners. Yet many Protestants and Catholics believe this. They say that
babies are born with a sinful nature and blackened with original sin. Does
the Bible, the Word of God, actually teach this?
Body:
I.
King David
and His Infant Son
·
Read
II Samuel 12:15-23.
“Then Nathan departed to his house. And the Lord struck the child that
Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became ill. David therefore pleaded with
God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the
ground. So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up
from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them. Then on
the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of
David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said,
‘Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed
our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some
harm!’ When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived
that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, ‘Is the
child dead?’ And they said, ‘He is dead.’ So David arose from the ground,
washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the
house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he
requested, they set food before him, and he ate. Then his servants said to
him, ‘What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child
while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.’ And
he said, ‘While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who can
tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But
now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go
to him, but he shall not return to me.’ ” NKJV
Scripture reveals in this passage that the infant would never return to this
earth. Then David said that one day he would go to him, indicating a future
reunion between father and son.
·
David, in more than one place
through inspiration declares his eternal destination to be “in heaven” – the
house of the Lord, in the presence of God. (Psalm 17:15) “As for me, I
will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in
Your likeness.”
NKJV (Psalm 23:6) “Surely goodness and mercy shall
follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.” NKJV
·
Therefore David looked
forward to the day when both he and his infant son would be together in
heaven. The baby was not born a sinner in need of forgiveness but rather
innocent and free of all sin.
II.
The Sin of Adam
·
Read
Romans 5:12.
“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through
sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” – NKJV
Does this teach that we are all born sinners because of Adam’s sin?
Absolutely not! It was the sentence of death, not sin, which spread to all
men. Man has not inherited the guilt of Adam’s sin, but the consequences
[death] of his sin. The only person that bears the guilt of Adam’s sin is
Adam. Read
Romans 5:19.
“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one
Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” NKJV
If all are made sinners because of Adam, all are made righteous because of
Christ. Is every single person who has ever lived saved because of Christ?
Of course not! (Matthew 7:13-14) “Enter by the narrow gate: for wide
is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are
many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way
which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
NKJV Adam introduced sin into the world.
·
Read
Matthew 18:1-3.
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who then is
greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ Then Jesus called a little child to
Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly; I say to you,
unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means
enter the kingdom of heaven.’ ” NKJV Read Matthew 19:13-14. “Then little children were brought to Him that He
might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But
Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for
of such is the kingdom of heaven.’ ” NKJV
If children are born sinners and come into the word with a sinful nature,
why would people have to become as “little children”? Is Jesus saying that
we should become like little sinners? Obviously not! Babies have no sin
and are thus not lost.
III.
Psalm 51 and
Original Sin
Psalm 51 “To the Chief Musician, A Psalm of
David when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to
Bathsheba.” “Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your
lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out
my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from
my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before
me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight
– That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived
me. Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part
You will make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be
clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow, Make me hear joy and
gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from
my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your
presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy
of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach
transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You. Deliver me
from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, And my tongue
shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth
shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I
would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering, The sacrifices of God
are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart – These, O God, You will
not despise. Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of
Jerusalem. Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,
With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on
Your altar.” NKJV
·
Some believe that Verse 5 of
Psalm 51 proves infants are sinful at birth and tarnished with sin. As
always, context is critical.
·
The subject of Psalm 51 is
David’s sin, not some so-called original sin. This sin, or sins, he
committed as an adult. Note the use of me and my in this chapter. It was
for his own sin that he wanted to be forgiven.
·
Things of which to take
note: David’s mother, being an adult, was a sinner. He was also born into
a sinful world. Another strong possibility for the meaning of Verse 5 is
that David had sinned so much in his life that it felt like to him he had
sinned since birth.
·
Read
Psalm 58:3.
“The wicked are estranged from the womb; They go astray as soon as they are
born, speaking lies.” NKJV
Infants cannot speak lies so David is using figurative language here.
Similar language is used in Job 31:18. “(But from my youth I reared him as a
father, And from my mother’s womb I guide the widow);
NKJV These verses should not be taken
literally.
·
God made man upright, not
depraved, at birth. (Ecclesiastes 7:29) “Truly, this only I have
found: That God made man upright, But they have sought out many schemes.”
NKJV
A man’s personal sins separate him from God. (Isaiah 59:1-8) “Behold,
the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy,
That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your
God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your
lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity. No one calls
for justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and
speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity. They hatch vipers’
eggs and weave the spider’s web; He who eats of their eggs dies, And from
that which is crushed a viper breaks out. Their webs will not become
garments, Nor will they cover themselves with their works; Their works are
works of iniquity, And the act of violence is in their hands. Their feet
run to evil, And they make haste to shed innocent blood; Their thoughts are
thoughts of iniquity; Wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way
of peace they have not known, And there is no justice in their ways; They
have made themselves crooked paths; Whoever takes that way shall not know
peace.” NKJV A baby
cannot commit these sins.
Conclusion:
Are
children born sinners? The Bible says no. Do babies inherit a sinful
nature? Scripture again says no. Are infants guilty of Adam’s sin? Once
again, God’s Word says no. Babies are born pure and innocent, free of
any and all sin. They are not old enough to understand the difference
between right and wrong so they cannot commit sin and are therefore safe.
[See
apologetics press.org for more information.]
Bobby
Stafford
April
23, 2017
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