The Concept of Original Sin in Christianity

The Concept of Original Sin

• Original sin is the result of Adam's sin, which affected not only him but also the entire human race.
• Because of Adam's sin, corruption, sin, and death entered the world, and humanity needed a savior to save it from sin and its consequences.

The Consequences of Adam's Sin

• Spiritual death: Adam's sin separated man from God, making it impossible for man to be with God, and leading to a lack of communion between light and darkness.
• Physical death: The consequence of sin is death, and man became prone to illness and disease, leading to death.
• Shame, fear, and suffering: Adam lost the glorified image of God, his reverence, and dignity, and was expelled from the Garden of Eden, carrying the shame of sin.

Corrupt Nature

• Sin settled in human nature, affecting it from all aspects, and leading to fear, anxiety, turbulence, pain, and disease.
• Sin also reached nature, the earth, and the plants, making the animal's nature aggressive toward man.

Why God Did Not Forgive Adam

• God is completely just and merciful, and if He simply forgave Adam, His mercy would contradict His justice.
• God gave Adam a clear warning and provided him with all the necessities to help him obey the commandment, but Adam still sinned.
• God declared the consequences of sin before the fall, and if He did not keep His word, He would be guilty towards divine justice.

The Relationship Between Adam's Sin and Humanity

• The entire human race was in Adam when he sinned, and therefore, we were counted corrupt, sinful, and dead with Adam.
• We were born with the sin of Adam and the corrupt nature represented in him.
• Like a tree that is hit by a disease, every fruit of that tree becomes bad, and the seeds inside its fruit also carry the same disease.

The Divine Liturgy and Our Faith

• In the Liturgy of St. Basil, the priest says "Holy, Holy, Holy indeed, O Lord our God, who formed us, created us, and placed us in the Paradise of Joy..."
• The Liturgy highlights the beauty of the true faith, and the use of the word "we" implicates all of us, not just Adam.

The First Adam and the Second Adam

• St. Paul explains the doctrine in detail in his epistle to the Romans: "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned." (Romans 5:12)
• The word "world" refers to people, and the scripture is clear that through one man, sin entered the people, leading to death.
• The free gift of God through Jesus Christ is not like the offense, but it is greater, and it abounded to many, redeeming us from the original sin.

The Gift of Redemption

• The gift of God is greater than the original sin, and it is through the righteous act of Jesus Christ that we can take solace in knowing that we are redeemed from the original sin.
• The emphasis is that the grace of God is greater, and it reigns through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Conclusion

• The Church's faith on this issue is that we were in Adam when he was created, when he sinned, when he died, and when he was corrupted by sin.
• The Lord Jesus, the Second Adam, came as a new beginning for a new humanity, and we can be united as a whole with Him.
• Christ is the representative for all humanity, and He took flesh from St. Mary, undertaking the act of salvation to save us, carrying our sins, dying, and resurrecting from the dead.

Learn about the concept of original sin, its origin, and its consequences on humanity, including spiritual and physical death. Understand the need for a savior to save humans from sin.