THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST VS THE DOCTRINE

OF ORIGINAL SIN…

Edward O’Hara,

In Heb.2:14 we read “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil”

And in John1:1,14 we read “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

From these we have the basics for the teaching that is known in the Bible as the “doctrine of Christ”. A doctrine that is so necessary to know and believe as Christians that John said in 2John1:9 that if we do not believe this doctrine of Christ we “have not God”. So it is very important that we learn and know from the very beginning of our life with Jesus this doctrine of Christ. 

From these verses we see that Jesus was both fully God and He was also fully man. That God Himself had taken on the form of man so that He could live a life just as any man does by being tempted by sin and going through all of the same hardships that all men go through. Heb.2:18 says that this was to help us know that He is able to “succour”, which means to give comfort to, all men who likewise are tempted and endure hardships.  

Now, many have been taught that it is only because the man Jesus Christ was also God, that He was able to keep Himself free from sin. And Heb.4:15 confirms that Jesus indeed knew no sin. But, by assuming that it was because Jesus used His power as God to keep Himself from sin, we find ourselves contradicting other parts of scripture concerning the doctrine of Christ. And that is that for Jesus to be tempted in every way just as all men are as Heb.4:15 says He was, He would need to be as susceptible to sin as all men are. Because if as God He could not be tempted as James1:13 says, and this is how He kept from sinning, then that would contradict Heb.4:15 that says He was tempted in every way just as all men are, yet without sin. 

Since God can not be tempted with evil as James1:13 says, then to act in His capacity as God to keep from sinning would make it impossible for Jesus to have been tempted in every way just as all men are. And as natural men who are not God we could not act on that power that makes us immune to sin as God is. So our temptation would be a real temptation. While Jesus’ could not be because as God He could not be tempted. 

So we see that it could not be that Jesus used His power as God to keep from sinning. Because if He did then He was not really tempted to sin just as all men are as Heb.4:15 says He was. Which means we still need to find the real reason that explains Biblically why Heb.4:15 can truthfully say that Jesus knew no sin when living as a man. And since it can not be because Jesus was also fully God and used that power to not sin, it must be found in His being fully human that Jesus had the ability to know no sin. Which in turn means that all men can do the same…. If they were to choose to. 

Ah, but that would also mean that men must be free to make such choices. But, since most have been taught that all men have a sin nature they inherited from Adam which not only makes it impossible for men not to sin, but they also believe that it also makes men sinners from conception because of inheritance. So not only do those who believe sin nature believe that it is impossible for men not to sin. Which is a denial of free will. They also believe men knew sin and were actually sinners from the time they were conceived. This is why they have come to believe that no man can keep from sinning. And is why they interpret Rom.3:23 to mean that all men are sinners by nature and not by choice. 

But, believing that all men are sinners from conception is a denial of the things we have just seen the scripture say about Jesus. About the doctrine of Christ. Because as God Jesus can not even be tempted by sin. So He had to somehow lay aside His power as God to live as a man just like all other men do, to be able to even be tempted. Because only by laying aside His power as God could Jesus be as susceptible to sin as all men are. And being as susceptible to sin as all men are, Heb.2:14 says “He knew no sin”. This proves that as a man we do not have to sin. 

What? Jesus laid aside His power as God? Is there scripture for that? Yes. We see that Jesus laid aside His power as God in Phil.2:6-8. “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” And again in Heb.2:9,10. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angelsfor the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”

These sufferings were not just the sufferings of the cross. They were also the sufferings that all men endure just by the fact that they are mortal men. 

So Jesus laid aside His power as God so He could be tempted in all points just as all men are. And in doing so He proved that all men can keep themselves from sin…. If only they would choose to. But, how can men choose to do something that we are told is contrary to their nature because they have a sin nature? But, is it really contrary to their nature to not sin? Why do people believe it is? Because they have been taught to believe that men are born with a sin nature they inherited from Adam. 

Here is the first question one should ask if they are told such a thing. Is it possible to inherit something from someone who does not have it? The answer is obviously no. And do we see any scripture that says that Adam’s nature changed to a sin nature after he ate the fruit? Again the answer is no. 

The question then is why would we as Christians let anyone convince us of something the scriptures never say? We must not. And if we do not then we will see for ourselves by reading and believing what the scripture does say, instead of being convinced by things the scripture does not say, that Adam’s nature did not change after he ate the fruit. So he never had a sin nature to pass on to his progeny by inheritance. Which means that men are not born with a sin nature they inherited from Adam. 

There is no scripture anywhere in the Bible that says Adam’s nature changed after he ate the fruit. Therefore that is a belief that has no basis for acceptance for the Christian. And if Jesus acted in His capacity as God to avoid sin it would not only be a contradiction to Paul’s teaching in Phil.2:6-8. But, it also contradicts Heb.4:15 that says He was tempted in all points just as all men are. Because as God James1:13 says God could never be tempted by evil.

This is why when one believes in the sin nature doctrine they leave themselves with these 3 alternatives. 1. They must either believe that Jesus was also a sinner by nature because He was fully man. Or 2. that at the least He was not tempted in all points just as all men are because He used His power as God to deflect temptation. Or 3. that Jesus was not fully human and therefore could not be tempted by sin at all. However, all of these alternate choices are a rejection of the doctrine of Christ. 

We must understand what we are doing when we proclaim the sin nature doctrine. To see this here is what John says of those who deny this doctrine of Christ. 

“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” 2John1:9

Such are the perils of believeing in false teachings like the doctrine of original sin with it’s teaching that man has a sin nature they inherit from Adam. Only when we reject it in full, and believe what the Bible plainly says, can we be free from the chains of bondage to sin that this false doctrine places on all in who believe it. 

Will you be free from those chains? Will you know that you are free from sin when you trust in Jesus? Will you know that because you have been given free will as a gift from God when you were conceived you do not have to be a captive to sin? Will you know that any captivity to sin is the result of the rejecting the doctrine of Christ? Will you repent from that rejection to believe the doctrine of Christ? Will you know that He lived as a man just as all men do so that He could comfort us who are mortal and live in this world? And by that comfort bring you to have the eternal life for which He died to provide you with? If you will then pray with me now so that you can be free from sin and death just as Paul said all who have trusted in Jesus are. 

Thank you Jesus for showing me the truth about the false doctrine of original sin. A doctrine that has kept me bound to sin by it’s deception. I believe you lived as a man to show us that we are not sinners by nature and do not have to sin. That we are not made that way by inheritance. And that you do not condemn us for things that happened in the past that we had no part in. But, that you only hold us accountable for our own choices. And not the choices of others. I choose you as my Lord. And I believe you have raised from the dead. Thank you for delivering me from death by the power of your resurrection. Thank you for being Lord of my life. And for giving me eternal life. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

I am so glad that you prayed that prayer with me. Because now you are free from the false doctrine of original sin so that you will now be able to learn and experience the liberty that is in Jesus. And now you will be able to read the Bible through God’s eyes. Because little by little as you read the Bible you will no longer have the false doctrine of original sin blinding you to the truth that is found in the plain language in the Bible. 

See ya there or in the air!

Edward O’Hara

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