The Doctrine Of Original Sin
George Burnside
Why Seventh-day Adventists have always rejected this God-dishonoring Dogma.
Original sin and baby christening go together. The reason people hasten to baptize babies is because they believe the babe has inherited damnation from Adam’s sin. Baptism they claim will wash away that damnation.
BABY CHRISTENING, AND ORIGINAL SIN, LIKE SUNDAY SACREDNESS, IMMORTAL SOUL THEORY, AND ETERNAL TORMENT CREPT INTO CHRISTENDOM THROUGH THE PAPACY.
“Original sin is universal. Every child is, therefore, defiled at it’s birth with the taint of Adam’s disobedience. Hence baptism, which washes away original sin, is as essential for the infant as for the full grown man, in order to attain the kingdom of heaven.” Cardinal James Gibbons, “Faith of Our Fathers,” page 271.
The Council of Trent stated “If any one denies, that, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ which is conferred in baptism, the guilt of original sin is remitted, or says that the whole of that which has the true and proper nature of sin is not taken away let him be anathema.” Quoted in “Shaking of Adventism.” Page 47. By Geoffrey J. Paxton.
PAXTON, FORD AND BRINSMEAD UPHOLD THE DOGMA OF
ORIGINAL SIN.
Mr. Paxton, a Church of England minister, and hence an advocate of original sin and baby christening was pleased to see some professed Adventists drifting his way. He writes:
DR. DESMOND FORD.
“Dr. Desmond Ford was explicit in his affirmation of the doctrine of original sin. He taught this consistently through the 1960’s and into the 1970’s.” The Shaking of Adventism” page 116 by Geoffrey J. Paxton.
ROBERT BRINSMEAD.
“It seems that Brinsmead was the first within Adventism to develop and set forth the doctrine of original sin in a systematic way.” lb. 99
“Brinsmead’s teaching... is as strong, on original sin, as one will find anywhere including Luther and Calvin.” lb. 99 (Footnote).
“It appears that the teaching of Brinsmead brought the doctrine of original sin to the forefront in Adventism theology for the first time.” lb. 109.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS HAVE NEVER UPHELD THE DOCTRINE OF
“ORIGINAL SIN”.
“The denial of original sin” is “also given unrestrained expression in much of the ‘synthesis theology’ of Seventh day Adventism today.” Ib. 144.
“M. L. Andreasen unequivocally asserted that Seventh day Adventists do not believe in original sin.” Ib. 109.
We can be thankful that Seventh-day Adventists have always rejected this God-dishonoring dogma. This i s the reason they do not practice baby christening. All who practice baby christening do so because they accept the dogma of “original sin.”
If “Original Sin” is such an important doctrine why is it that it is never once mentioned in the Bible? Further, it is never once mentioned in the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy.
At the reformation great light was discovered from the Scripture, but the reformers certainly never discovered all truth. They never discovered the Sabbath, that is so plainly taught in the “Scripture of Truth”. They held on to the immortal soul theory and eternal torment and with it the likewise pagan belief of original sin. Notice the reformed belief:
ORIGINAL SIN DEFINED IN THE “CONFESSIONAL” OF PROTESTANT
PRINCES 25TH JUNE, 1530.
“Article II Confesses Original Sin. Since the fall of Adam all men descending from him by ordinary generation are born in sin, which places under condemnation and brings eternal death to all who are not born again by baptism and the Holy Ghost.” The History of Protestantism by J. A. Wylie Volume 1 page 597.
Baby christening is to wash away original sin. Original sin, as clearly stated in the Confession, means that every new born babe, unless baptized, faces “eternal death”, as it is under the “condemnation” of Adam’s sin.
INNOCENT BABES ARE NOT CONDEMNED TO DAMNATION
Deuteronomy 1:39 “ Your little ones, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.”
Innocent babes would go into the promised land, which was a figure of our promised inheritance.
Matthew 18:2-4 “Jesus called a little child unto Him and said. Except ye become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:5 “Whoso shall receive one such little child in My Name receives Me.”
Matthew 18:10 “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 18:14 “It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.”
Matthew 19:14 “Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
In the face of these clear statements it is hard to read into them the damnation of children. Remember these words come from the lips of our Lord; He who is the Judge of all.
The Spirit of Prophecy also teaches the salvation of infants.
IN THE RESURRECTION OF THE REDEEMED THERE WILL BE “LITTLE INFANTS”.
Selected Messages, Volume 2, page 260: “But hope bears our spirits up. We are not parted forever, but shall meet the loved ones who sleep in Jesus. They shall come again from the land of the enemy. The Life-giver is coming. Myriads of holy angels escort Him on His way. He bursts the bands of death, breaks the fetters of the tomb, the precious captives come forth in health and immortal beauty. As the little infants come forth immortal from their dusty beds, they immediately wing their way to their mother’s arms. They meet again nevermore to part. But many of the little ones have no mother there. We listen in vain for the rapturous song of triumph from the mother. The angels receive the motherless infants and conduct them to the tree of life.”
At the “Resurrection of Life” many “little infants” rise to immortality. Even “many” of the little ones have no redeemed parents. It is very evident that they did not have “original sin”. They were not born damned to the second death. The dogma of “original sin” is a lie. It is not in the God it has been rejected by Seventh-day Adventists.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS HAVE REPUDIATED THE DOGMA BECAUSE IT IS CONDEMNED BY SCRIPTURE
Ezekiel 18:2 “What mean ye, that you use this proverb saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?
The fact that it is called a proverb indicates it was a common and popular saying. But like many other old sayings it is not true. God condemns this popular saying in the strongest terms.
Ezekiel 18:3 “As I live, said the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.”
Jeremiah 31:29, 30 Also refers to, and likewise condemns this proverb.
“They shall say no more, the father’s have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.”
It is the eater whose teeth are set on edge not another. Thus this proverb is false and absurd. It was popular because it destroys the sense of personal responsibility, and was used as an excuse for sin.
CHILDREN DO SUFFER FOR THE SINS OF THEIR PARENTS.
Every one who thinks and observes knows that in this world the innocent do suffer by the guilty and with the guilty, but as far as moral responsibility for sin and its condemnation is concerned, this proverb is entirely contrary to the principles of our God.
Jeremiah 31:30 “But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eats the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.”
Ezekiel 18:4 “The soul that sins, it shall die.”
The drunkard-may pass on his weakness to his offspring, but not his condemnation. God does not inflict damnation on the innocent.
Ezekiel 18:31 “Why will ye die?”
The death of sin, the “second death” is in the sinner’s own hands. He is not damned for another’s sin. We have freedom of choice. We cannot blame heredity.
1 Corinthians 10:13 Remember there is always “a way to escape.”
THE DOGMA “ORIGINAL SIN” CAME FROM PAGANISM.
“The popular view was that guilt is inherited; that is, that the children are punished for their father’s sins.” Butcher “Aspects of Greek Genius” page 121.
This “popular view” became a popular proverb which was repudiated by Scripture. Evidently it was brought into Catholicism by Augustine, who was greatly influenced by pagan ideas. From Catholicism it was passed on to protestants.
THE NAZIS CONDEMNED THE JEWS BECAUSE JEWS CRUCIFIED CHRIST. This pagan reasoning is wrong. The present day Jews are not responsible for the sins of their forefathers.
“Those who live in this day are not accountable for the deeds of those who crucified the Son of God.” Ellen G. White, Review & Herald, April 11, 1893 Quoted in Movement of Destiny page 368.
OUR GOD DOES NOT DAMN INNOCENT BABES.
No one will die the second death for an ancestor’s sin. Neither will anyone be saved by an ancestor’s righteousness. Our God does not damn for another’s sin. This is foreign to a God of love.
Adam’s sin cannot be imputed to us. We cannot repent of Adam’s sin.
The responsibility for Adam’s sin is certainly not the theme of Scripture and we certainly need not make it so. While every person comes into this world with a fallen nature, yet no one i s damned because of that.
FROM ADAM WE INHERITED MORTALITY AND WEAKNESS.
But this is completely wiped out by Jesus.
John 5:28,29 “The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice and shall come forth.” “All” good and evil will be raised. What we inherited from Adam is gone.
Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is death.” This is the “second death”. The first death comes by inheritance but Christ has eclipsed this death. The “second death” is for man’s own sin.
Revelation 20:12 Men are “judged according to their works” - not according to Adam’s sin.
Revelation 20:13 “They were judged every man according to their works.”
Revelation 20:6 “Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection, On such the second death hath no power.”
The redeemed have been made “holy” by Christ. They are now beyond the power of the “second death.
Revelation 21:8 “But the fearful (cowards), and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
The “wages of sin is death”. This is the second death. The first death, that all must face is not the result of their sin. It is the result of their inheritance. All face the first death, babes and adults, good and bad, rich and poor. From the first death all will rise. This first death Jesus has undone. It is eclipsed by our Lord. The second death only the wicked face, for this is “according to their work.”
1 Corinthians 15:22 “In Adam all die (babes and adults, young and old), even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” Jesus has undone Adam’s failure. Jesus has wiped out any guilt, condemnation, or so called “original sin”, which it is claimed we received from Adam. All rise from the dead and are given a second opportunity of eternal life, and what an opportunity.
2 Peter 1:3 “According as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to Glory.”
2 Peter 1:4 “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.” To partake of Christ’s divine nature is His promise. None need to come in for the “second death” - the death of guilt. This will be caused by their own deeds. Here is the plain statement of Scripture.
Romans 2:5,6 “After thy hardness and impenitent heart treasured up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds.” They reap as they have sown.