What is Original Sin?

Sin is when we transgress, rebel or disobey the divine law of God. In the Bible we discover God’s laws, teachings and commandments. Therefore whenever we disobey His commandments then we are guilty of committing sin.
1 John 3:4 says: Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

Original sin refers to the first sin of disobedience by the first man (Adam) and the spiritual and domino effect that Adam’s first sin had on the rest of humanity (Genesis 3:1-23).
Original sin is the concept that all human beings have inherited a sinful nature due to Adam’s sin of disobedience when he ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Romans 5:12 says: Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

According to Romans 5:12 sin came into the world through Adam and therefore sin and death spread to all men.
So we are all born with the ability or propensity to sin because of Adam. Due to original sin, we are all born with a sin nature and therefore we all have the ability to break God’s laws or commandments.
Romans 3:23 says: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Adam’s sin impacted both humanity and the Earth in many different ways. Adam’s sin resulted in an imperfect world.
For example, it is because of sin that we have death, sickness and diseases; natural disasters such as earthquakes, famine or hurricanes. It is because of sin we have all forms of suffering and wickedness in the world.

Due to orginal sin – nobody is really considered to be naturally innocent or good before a just and holy God.
Sin causes man to live in rebellion and enmity with God. Sin has eternal consequences and therefore if sin is not spiritually dealt with, it will lead people to condemnation and hell.
Therefore all of mankind is in need of a Saviour who will save us from condemnation and from the eternal consequences of sinning or breaking God’s commandments.
John 3:16-18 says: “For God so loved the world,  that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.  18  Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

In John 8:24 NLT Jesus says: “That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.”

The only Person who can save us from sin and its eternal consequences is Jesus Christ.
Due to original sin, we cannot please God by our own effort or personal works because we will always fall short or miss God’s perfect standard for righteousness. Therefore all of humanity is in need of the grace of God and His undeserved love and kindness, so that we may be saved from our sins.
It is through faith in Jesus Christ that we receive the free gift of salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9  not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Our own good deeds cannot save us from sin, but instead we are saved because of the good deed of Jesus Christ who died on the cross to pay for our sins. Jesus paid the debt; the ransom; the price for sin that we could not pay. Through Christ’s death and resurrection we are saved from sin; we are assured of eternity in Heaven; we are reconciled in good relationship with God; we have Christ’s righteousness imputed on us.

Therefore according to Scripture, if humanity inherited the sin nature through one man Adam – then individually as humans, then through one Man – Jesus Christ, we have the opportunity to have the righteousness of Christ imputed on us, through faith in Him because of who He is and what He did for us on the cross.
Romans 5:15-19 NLT says: But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of forgiveness to many through this other Man, Jesus Christ. 16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ.
18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other Person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.

Conclusion

Adam may have brought sin into this world and therefore upon all of humanity, however, Jesus Christ offers humanity the free gift of salvation by grace so that we may have His righteousness freely imputed on us.
Jesus is the only Person to be born; to live; to die and then resurrect and yet be without sin. Christ is unique and qualifies as our Saviour in that He is the Son of God and though He was tempted in every way, He was without sin (Hebrews 4:15).
Therefore it was the blood of a perfect Man; an innocent Man; a sinless Man that was necessary to fully pay humanity’s debt for sin on the cross.
Ephesians 1:7 says: In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace,

It is also through Christ that we become reconciled with God and be in right relationship with Him. Jesus alone serves as Mediator between God and man.  It is through Christ that all our sins are forgiven and all our sins past, present and future are paid for. It is through Christ that we have eternal life and therefore escape eternal punishment.