CHILDREN in the BIBLE
© Original material and text. 2019.

Section Ten

Original Sin

Are humans born sinful? This key question has been debated for a very long time. It is still a key question. What happens to babies and children if they die before they have had any opportunity to come to faith? This is an important question if we accept that salvation comes through a personal decision to accept Jesus. For example, Romans Chapter 3 verses 23 to 25 suggest that because everyone falls short of God’s glory, and because we justified by God’s grace, then Jesus’ death on the cross is a means of redemption as long as we accept this by faith. The concept that humans are born sinful and separate from God has its origins in a doctrine called ‘original sin’. Original sin is a phrase first coined by someone called Augustine (often known by his title Augustine of Hippo). The concept is based on three verses found in the Bible. This section will look at some of the issues around original sin and at some of the questions it poses. Of course, within this whole debate is still the question of what we mean by ‘sin’ or being ‘sinful’. This is a question too detailled for here, so the working assumption is that sin is anything that separates us from God.

The Verses

The three verses that gave rise to the doctrine of original sin are: Psalm 51 verse 5 Romans Chapter 5 verse 12 Romans Chapter 5 verse 18

Augustine of Hippo

Lived: 354 - 430 AD He was a theologian and philosopher who wrote several books. He became the bishop of Hippo Regius (in modern day Algeria). He is often called one of the most important early church Fathers because his works influenced the early church a lot.
CHILDREN in the Bible
© 2019

Section Ten

Original Sin

Are humans born sinful? This key question has been debated for a very long time. It is still a key question. What happens to babies and children if they die before they have had any opportunity to come to faith? This is an important question if we accept that salvation comes through a personal decision to accept Jesus. For example, Romans Chapter 3 verses 23 to 25 suggest that because everyone falls short of God’s glory, and because we justified by God’s grace, then Jesus’ death on the cross is a means of redemption as long as we accept this by faith. The concept that humans are born sinful and separate from God has its origins in a doctrine called ‘original sin’. Original sin is a phrase first coined by someone called Augustine (often known by his title Augustine of Hippo). The concept is based on three verses found in the Bible. This section will look at some of the issues around original sin and at some of the questions it poses. Of course, within this whole debate is still the question of what we mean by ‘sin’ or being ‘sinful’. This is a question too detailled for here, so the working assumption is that sin is anything that separates us from God.

The Verses

The three verses that gave rise to the doctrine of original sin are: Psalm 51 verse 5 Romans Chapter 5 verse 12 Romans Chapter 5 verse 18

Augustine of Hippo

Lived: 354 - 430 AD He was a theologian and philosopher who wrote several books. He became the bishop of Hippo Regius (in modern day Algeria). He is often called one of the most important early church Fathers because his works influenced the early church a lot.