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Dear Catholic Exchange,
I was recently talking to a Protestant friend about baptism and she had never heard of original sin. Could you provide a scriptural reference to original sin?
Mr. Christensen
Dear Mr. Christensen Peace in Christ! The term “original sin” is not explicitly found in Scripture. There is however considerable Biblical support for the doctrine itself, which is expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (Catechism), no. 402:
All men are implicated in Adam’s sin, as St. Paul affirms: “By one’s man’s disobedience many [that is, all men] were made sinners”: “sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned. . . .” (Rom. 5:12, 19). The Apostle contrasts the universality of sin and death with the universality of salvation in Christ. “Then as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to acquittal and life for all men” (Rom. 5:18) (cf. Catechism, no. 403).
While Adam’s (and Eve’s) was a “personal” sin, Adam stood in for all mankind. Thus, their sin “affected the human nature that they would transmit in a fallen state.” Original sin deprives all mankind of original holiness and justice and therefore is called “sin” analogically, meaning that “it is a sin ‘contracted’ and not ‘committed’ — a state and not an act” (Catechism, no. 404). While Baptism erases original sin, our wounded nature or inclination to evil called “concupiscence” remains (Ibid., no. 405; cf. nos. 407-12). Stated positively original sin contains the idea that human nature is incapable on its own of achieving salvation. For this reason, to be saved men need supernatural help and this explains why God Himself became man, suffered, died, and rose from the dead. God came down to the human level that men might be raised to His level. Original sin is the bad news that makes the “good news” of Jesus understandable; original sin (which leads men to commit actual sin) is in essence the condition from which men have to be saved. That men need a savior and cannot save themselves is fundamental to the Gospel message. The Catechism cites one key New Testament text supporting original sin, namely Romans 5:12-21. The Council of Trent, which reaffirmed the dogma of original sin, used also Hebrews 2:12-14 which speaks of men being subject to lifelong bondage. Another key text is Ephesians 2:3-8 which states that men are by nature “children of wrath” who must be saved “by faith through grace” and not “of themselves.” 2 Corinthians 5:15 teaches that Christ “died for all,” which is because “all have died” which St. Augustine among others interpreted to mean that men are born “spiritually dead.” Paul seems to imply this also when he asserts that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 15:50)” and that the gift of the Spirit is absolutely necessary. In the Old Testament, there are several verses which seem to assert the same thing regarding man’s natural standing before God. In Psalm 51:5, the author asserts that he “was brought forth in iniquity” while Job 15:14 has Job’s friend claiming that “what is man that he can be clean? Or he that is born of woman can be righteous?” One striking passage in Jeremiah 31:10, states that as it is “the fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge” while in the coming age (after God’s salvation arrives) this will no longer be the case as “each man will die for his own sin (cf. Ezek. 18:2).” Please feel free to call us at 1-800-MY FAITH or email us with any further questions on this or any other subject. If you have found this information to be helpful, please consider a donation to CUF to help sustain this service. You can call the toll-free line, visit us at www.cuf.org, or send your contribution to the address below. Thank you for your support as we endeavor to “support, defend, and advance the efforts of the teaching Church.”
