Original Sin

Many critics of the Church believe that all mankind inherited an "original sin" from the fall of Adam.  This doctrine as explained to me states that because Adam was created a perfect being, and sinned against God; all of Adam’s children will therefore be born with Adam’s original sin.

They are surprised why LDS people do not hold this same view. The post below is intended to show why this view is not common among the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The scriptures are clear on the fact that "all have sinned."(1Kings 8:46 and Rom 3:23).The LDS people agree that all mortals do sin, but disagree that all are born into sin.

 The critics often cite Romans 5:12: "wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." The logic of this scripture, according to the critic, is that all men must be born into sin since all die and death is a result of a sinful nature.  If this is the logic, then let me ask a question,

Since all are born into mortality with sin….

 Would that mean Christ received "original sin"?

Christ was born of Mary, a mortal woman, and Christ did die! The critic will say that the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). Christ’s mortal life was ended by his death.  If this logic of “wages of sin is death” were to hold up- Christ would therefore be a sinner (because he died).  Romans 6:23 was referring to a “second death” which is a spiritual death (that is a result of sin) and not physical death (Rev 2:11).   

Read 2Cor 5:20-21, Heb4: 14-15, and 1Pet 2:21-22 which all show that Christ lived without sin, including original sin. These facts show that, if all men have "original sin" because of mortal birth, and Christ was clearly born of a woman he would therefore inherit "original sin".  

Now, since we know that Christ didn't inherit any sin, what else do the scriptures say in regards to sin for the rest of mankind.

James tells us that "him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin." (Jam 4:17) How could one be born with sin if, according to James, that person must first "know" to do good and then choose not to? This example of "knowing" is taught by Jesus in an encounter with the Pharisees.  In John 9:39-41 Jesus tells the Pharisees that he came to make the blind see, and those who can see blind. The Pharisees understanding that he meant spiritual blindness asked if they were "blind." Jesus’ response "If ye were blind, ye should have no sin; but now ye say, we see; therefore your sin remaineth." Here the Lord implies that because they "knew" they were sinners, but had they not "known" they would have remained sinless.

John tells us in 1John 3:4-5 that "sin is the transgression of the law." So how would those born be able to "transgress" the law, before they have even heard the law?

Look at how Christ viewed little children during his earthly ministry. In Matt 18:3-4, 14 "except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." How much sense does it make for Christ to tell these adults to be converted to the gospel (the good news of salvation through Christ) and then for him to tell them to be like the little children "full of original sin"? Truly, he wants them to humble themselves as these little children, but remember the adults are the ones converting. According to the doctrine of "original sin" the children would be worse off than the converted adults. In verse 14 Jesus says, "it is not the will of your father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." Yet how can they not perish if they die in their "sins" before accepting Jesus Christ? With all those I have met that hold the view of "original sin" none have conveyed the idea that children four years of age or younger are going to perish! This goes contrary to the doctrine they espouse which is original sin.  We don't believe in "original sin" because we believe God has more grace than to send to Hell his most innocent (little children).

John 3:16 says "God so loved the world ....that whosoever believeth in (his only begotten son) should not perish, but have everlasting life." What about those who are too young to believe or act on that belief in Jesus? Some say that "original sin" is the reason that they baptize infants; that this “cleanses” them from the sin of Adam. But we know that baptism was done as a sign of repentance (Matt 3:11, Acts 19:4, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16).

So do infants have the ability to repent? The answer is no!

In the Book of Mormon the prophet Moroni says "little children are alive in Christ... if not so, God is a partial God." (Moro 8:12) He continues, "little children cannot repent; wherefore, it is awful wickedness to deny the pure mercies of God unto them." (Moro 8:19) The Lord taught the prophet Joseph Smith that "all men must repent and be baptized, and not only men, but women, and children who have arrived at the years of accountability." (D&C 18:42) In a later revelation the Lord explained that children were to be taught "to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on (of) hands, when eight years old," or "the sin be upon the heads of the parents." (D&C 68:25) In D&C 68:27 the Lord instructs that "children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old and receive the laying on (of) hands."

To conclude, we realize that Adam’s sin could not be passed on to the rest of mankind, or else Christ (who became a mortal man) also would have “sinned.” Man is accountable to God for their own sins and not for Adam’s transgression (Article of Faith #2). Little Children could not be born with sin, by no fault of their own, and God still remain a merciful God. Sin in the scriptures has been laid out as one who knows to do right and does not do it. And this is why the LDS people do not believe in the "doctrine of original sin."