This thread is blowing my mind. Can I ask a question.
Winman, your shaking a lot of my foundational thinking here so help me out please. Also I have read the whole thread, so if i still do come across ignorant, I apologize.
Yes, I am sure that I have rattled a few cages over the last several years I have posted here.
1) What Im hearing is, Men arent born guilty, but most likely will sin.
Correct, men are born upright.
Ecc 7:29 Lo, this only have I found,
that God hath made man upright; but
they have sought out many inventions.
Scripture says God has made man upright. The word "they" is plural and points directly to "man" showing this verse is speaking of ALL men, not just Adam.
There is MUCH other scripture that supports this if one simply reads scripture for what it plainly says.
Rom 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
Paul had just explained that he had not known sin except for the law. Sin is not imputed when there is no law (Rom 5:13). In verse 9 Paul explains that he was spiritually alive, but when he learned the law he was convicted as a sinner and spiritually died.
If men are born dead in sin as many teach, Paul could NEVER say he was ALIVE. There is more...
Luk 15:24 For this my son was dead, and is
alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Jesus said when the prodigal son repented, he was ALIVE AGAIN. If we are born dead in sin, then it could never be said we are alive again.
1a) Does this mean that a person could stay holy? (my semi-palagian bell is ringing, you quoted the SBC blog so im not saying YOUR a palagian by the way)
No, the Bible is clear that ALL MEN have sinned. Now, this is not speaking of babies or little children, the scripture is clear that Esau and Jacob had done no evil in their mother's womb (Rom 9:11). But all men when they mature and come to understand the law will certainly choose to sin knowingly and willingly and spiritually die. The one and only exception was Jesus Christ.
2) help me out with this Romans 5:19 business.
As I explained, if Adam's sin is UNCONDITIONALLY IMPUTED to all men, then righteousness would also be UNCONDITIONALLY IMPUTED to all men. It is the only proper and honest way to interpret this scripture using the form of argument Paul is giving.
However, if condemnation and judgment is CONDITIONALLY imputed when we personally sin, then only MANY sin. Babies who die in the womb like Esau and Jacob have committed no evil.
And of course, only MANY will CONDITIONALLY trust Jesus and be imputed righteous. This is the only proper way to interpret vs. 19. Go back and read the short article I provided, it explains in detail if you read carefully.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Correct, only MANY are made sinners when they conditionally sin as Adam sinned. Babies and very little children are not accountable and sin is not imputed to them. See Deut 1:39 where God allowed children of the Jews who sinned in the wilderness to enter the Promised Land, because they did not know between good and evil in that day. This is the age of accountability.
Deu 1:39 Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children,
which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.
So working backwards:
"so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."
Ok this part is easy, those who call upon the name of the LORD will be saved.
"For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners"
Well.. we read elsewhere that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) So then some how some people didnt sin? but then the Bible is in error. Help me unpack this.
Little babies do not sin.
Rom 9:11 (For the children being not yet born,
neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth; )
This verse alone completely refutes Original Sin, because OS claims that we all sinned "in Adam". Some use the argument of Levi paying tithes to Melchisidec because he was in Abraham's loins (Hebrews 7).
But if this were so, then Paul could not say they had done NO EVIL. So Paul refutes Original Sin in Romans 9:11.
We are not born sinners, but every man when he matures will willingly and knowingly choose to sin. Once you see this, you will see ALL scripture supports this. 1 Peter 2:25 is a perfect example.
1 Pet 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now
returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Peter said we were as sheep going astray. You have to originally be in the flock to go astray. Peter said we are now RETURNED to Jesus. You cannot return someplace you have never been. I cannot return to Utah, because I have never been to Utah. I can return to California, because I have been there before.
Just read scripture for what it says and it will be obvious to you.
Luk 15:32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is
alive again; and was lost, and is found.
Just remember, it was Jesus himself who said the prodigal was alive AGAIN. I will believe Jesus, and not the false teaching of Augustine and Calvin.