The Original Sin Doctrine, Universalism and Imputation of Sin
A. Some teach that Adam’s sin was automatically imputed to all men, that children are born sinners, that salvation in Christ is not automatic but by personal choice or faith.
B. Universalists teach that Adam’s sin was automatically imputed to all men without their choice; therefore, the righteousness of Christ has also been automatically imputed to all men resulting in the salvation of all men including Adam.
C. Another group teaches that Adam’s sin was not automatically imputed to all men just as Christ’s righteousness is not automatically imputed to all men, that children are born innocent until they make their choice for righteousness or sin. But they believe that Adam’s sin had effect on all creation.
The above are the three main views on Romans 5:12-21.
Concern over human will comes to play. Group C insists that God cannot impute Adam’s sin to others without their choice. They see that as injustice. They say that if Adam’s sin was automatically imputed to all men, it negates the place of the will and choice.
Second, they assert that if Adam’s sin was automatically imputed to all men without their choice, it means that Christ’s righteousness must be automatically imputed to all men without their choice.
So, the debate has been raging for ages.
So, let us establish some biblical facts.
1. Evidently, all creation suffers for Adam’s sin (Rom. 5: 15, 18; 8:18-25). His sin affected all creation. Romans 8:20 clearly states that the “creation was subjected to vanity, not willingly”. This means that all creation including mankind became subject to death and decay due to Adam’s fall but against their own will. Scripture says “not willingly”.
“For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of him who subjected it in hope.” (Rom. 8:20, NIV).
This is an irrefutable fact. We became mortals not by our own choice but because of Adam’s sin.
Children are born as mortals and outside the garden of Eden.
2. Participation in Christ is purely by faith.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
This is the second biblical fact. Participation in Christ is only by faith. No man can come into Christ except by faith.
The problem then is that in the case of Adam participation in the consequence of his disobedience is not by choice. But in the case of Christ, participation in the benefit of his sacrifice is purely by personal choice.
These two facts are irrefutable.
So, we have to find a ‘middle ground’.
The middle ground is found in Hebrews 7:12. There is a change in the rules of engagement in the two cases.
Why the change in the rules of engagement?
Adam is natural; Christ is spiritual (1 Cor. 15:44-49). Adam represents us as our natural ancestor, but Jesus represents us by appointment through his resurrection.
The rules for the two orders (natural and spiritual orders) are not the same.
The natural order demands patriarchal representation. That means that a father automatically represents the children in the natural order without their choice.
Parents decide for children to be born without the children’s consent.
Levi paid tithes in Abraham without his personal consent (Heb. 7:9, 10).
Aaron’s children became priests by birth; they were elected as priests before they were born.
But representation in a spiritual order demands a personal choice (Goliath represented the Philistines by delegation and not by patriarchy, 1Sam 17: 8-10).
We have to personally accept Christ as our representative before we can benefit from his acts.
Hebrews 7 teaches about the change in order of representation from the natural (patriarchal) to the spiritual (delegated).
Abraham serves as an example of natural (patriarchal) and spiritual (delegated) representation (Rom. 4:16).
Adam was natural. Christ is spiritual. There are two orders. So, the rules are not the same.
In the natural order, Adam represents us by birth. We are included in him by natural birth (1Cor 15: 22).
In the spiritual order, Christ represents us only by faith (2 Cor. 5:17). The first death is the end of Adam. The resurrection is the beginning of the spiritual order.
If you die without accepting Christ, you cannot participate in the spiritual order.
The rules are different.
The natural comes first. We die as naturals (1 Cor. 15:44, 46).
So, Romans 5 should not be seen as automatic for the two orders. The natural order is by natural birth. The spiritual order is by faith. These are clearly stated in scripture.
Universalists, like all heretics, choose to believe something that is clearly contrary to what is plainly written in Scripture. So, we should not bend Scripture in a bid to counter them.
In the natural order representation is by natural means. Adam represents us as our father. In the spiritual order, representation is by faith. Jesus represents only those who believe in him.
In the natural order, the father makes a choice for his children; in the spiritual order every one makes his own choice.
We were included in Adam by birth; we are included in Christ when we believe (Eph. 1:13). Salvation is not automatic. “If any man is in Christ…” (2 Cor. 5:17). Not all men are in Christ.
Universalists may insist that Romans 5:19 is arbitrary and automatic, but many scriptures show that participation in Christ is purely by faith. So, in the face of so many clear scriptures, we can conclude that indeed participation in Christ is by personal choice or faith.
But is it the same with participation in Adam?
How do we participate in Adam?
Do we choose to be born naturally? Were we consulted before we were conceived?
The answer is NO!
So, any sincere person can see that there are two different orders here, the natural and the spiritual, and the rules are quite different.
Abraham also exemplifies these two orders.
He has natural children. They were circumcised and made partakers of his covenant without their choice.
He also has spiritual children who become his children purely by choice or faith (Rom. 4:11-17).
This is where we stand, with clear Scriptures.
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