This article is an examination of the popular doctrine of “total inherited depravity” or “original sin.” This has been a topic I have been studying for quite some time now, considering different texts that proponents of this doctrine use to show it is taught in scripture. After studying these things on my own, I have decided to write about the conclusions that I came to from scripture. If you disagree with any of the arguments that I make below, please send me your thoughts, comments, or questions so I can consider them and test the conclusions I came to.

God Made Man Upright

Eccl 7:27-29 – Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things— ²⁸ which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found. ²⁹ See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”

Solomon is speaking of things that he has observed in his life under the sun. One of these things he has seen is: God has made man upright, but they have sought out sinful things. This text seems to be referring to each individual person, and not Adam specifically. Each person is made by God upright, but sin against Him and seek to do their own will.

God Forms the Baby in the Womb

Psalm 139:13-16 “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. ¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; ¹⁶ Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.”

The baby in the womb is a work of God. He “wove” the child, and made the child. Does God make and form a sinful child in the womb or an innocent one? Instead of being fearfully and wonderfully made, was David sinfully and corruptly made?

Be Like Little Children

Matthew 18:3 "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:13-14 “Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ But Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

According to those who hold the doctrine of original sin, children are all little sinners. They say, “just go to Chuck E. Cheese and sit there for awhile. You will see that children are rotten sinners!” This argument presupposes why they are ‘sinners.’ It’s begging the question. It assumes they are sinners because they were born this way. There is an equally valid possibility that children can be taught to sin through nurture, by lack of training and discipline, or by giving into temptation as you and I do. This also raises the question, “should we label a child a ‘sinner’ if they do not have a knowledge of good and evil and ignorant of the consequences of their choices?” There is reason to debate this.

Again, Jesus does not say that children are rotten sinners. He says that we need to be like little children. Is He saying that we need to be sinners?

Children are innocent/ Have No Knowledge of Sin

Deuteronomy 1:39  “Moreover, your little ones who you said would become a prey, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, shall enter there, and I will give it to them and they shall possess it.”

Isaiah 7:14-16 "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel . ¹⁵ "He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. ¹⁶ "For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken.

These two verses show that children are not sinners. They have no knowledge of sin. They are ignorant of good and evil. They are not making sinful choices in rebellion to God. The prophecy of Jesus Christ in Isaiah 7 (quoted above) shows that Jesus was just as the children of Israel. Neither had the ability to choose between good and evil. They do not qualify to be sinners.

Sin is a choice to disobey God and His law.

1 John 3:4 – “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.”

Sin is a breaking of the law of God. It is not meeting the standard, falling short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23)

Did Jesus Have a Sinful Nature?

Hebrews 2:14  -   “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil”

Jesus had a human nature just like us. Jesus shared in the flesh, "the same." The text does not say He was like us, except for the sinful nature.

Hebrews 2:17 -  “ Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”

Jesus was made like his brethren in ALL THINGS!!!! If He wasn’t, He was not the perfect and faithful high priest that this verse is talking about. If we have a sinful nature from birth, Jesus had to also.

Hebrews 4:15 -  “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”

Our high priest can sympathize with us. Calvinists say that we are tempted by a sinful nature that we have had since birth. Jesus was tempted in every way we are. Was He tempted by a sinful nature as we are? If not, He wasn’t tempted in ALL ways as we are. This shows that men do not have a sinful nature from birth.

If Jesus were fully god and fully man (just as we are), why doesn’t he have a sinful nature? The answer is: He doesn’t, because men don’t have one either from birth. There is a theory that the sinful nature is passed through the man, but there is no scriptural evidence at all.

Sin Transferred to Descendants?

Heb 7:9-10 “One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, ¹⁰ for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.”

This verse is commonly used to prove that sin can be transferred to the next generation through the father because we are all still ‘in the loins” of our fathers as Levi was, and just as Levi paid tithes through Abraham, we sin through our fathers. Those who use this verse to say this miss the point of the entire verse. The verse does not even mention sin. It mentions a good thing being done and “passed” to a descendant. It actually teaches a contrary thing than proponents of the “sinful at birth” doctrine are trying to use it for. IF we use their logic in approaching this text, can we say that since our parents do good things in service to God, we have those things put onto our account? No. This is not what the text is teaching. The point of the text is not to teach how the acts of our ancestors are put onto our accounts. The Bible does not teach such a thing. It actually contradicts it (Ezekiel 18).

Sinful at Birth?

Psalm 58:3 "The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies."

The word for estranged means to turn aside, which means they perform an action. The verse is not saying a person is sinful before leaving the womb. Do people speak from the womb? NO. This verse is meant to be hyperbole.

Psalm 51:5 "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me."

Some modern translations say “I was a sinner at birth,” making the focus of the verse David. But all literal translations say that the mother was the sinner. It may also be saying that the sexual act that his mother conceived him with was sinful. Either way, David in this psalm is using hyperbole to show how sinful he is because of his sins with Bathsheba and Uriah. To say these two verses are teaching original sin misses two things, 1) the poetic nature of what is being said (hyperbole), and 2) the Jews never interpreted these verses to teach original sin.

By Nature Children of Wrath

Ephesians 2:1-3 “ And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, ² in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. ³ Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind , and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest”

Those who believe in the sinful nature take the last part of verse three to prove their belief, but completely disregard the first 2 ½ verses that show WHY we are children of wrath. It is because of our practices. We walked in trespasses and sins (vv1-2), and we lived in the lusts of the flesh and indulged in our desires (v3). Remember, we must allow the context define what Paul is talking about as the “sinful nature.” Within the many definitions of the Greek word for “nature” is the definition that something becomes ‘natural’ through practice:

nature – “a mode of feeling and acting which by long habit has become nature”: ημεν φυσει τεκνα οργης, by (our depraved) nature we were exposed to the wrath of God, Ephesians 2:3 (this meaning is evident from the preceding context, and stands in contrast with the change of heart and life wrought through Christ by the blessing of divine grace”—Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon

Thayer defines the word in this text as something we do by practice that becomes habit, and he shows from the context why this is the definition of the word out of the possible choices. This is one of the 4 definitions he gives for this Greek word. The context is used to define it correctly.

Romans 2:14  -  “For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.”

Gentiles can “by nature” do the law. This verse contradicts the doctrine of original sin that says that man is incapable of doing non-sinful things. This verse says they can by nature follow the law even though they do not have it.

Slaves of Sin

Romans 6:12-20 “ Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, ¹³ and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. ¹⁵ What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! ¹⁶ Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, ¹⁸ and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. ¹⁹ I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.”

Nowhere in the text is it mentioned that we are born slaves of sin. Verses 12 -20 shows that sin becomes our master if we let it reign in our bodies. We choose to present ourselves to sin and to be its slave. Once again, remember the context of the verse to define what a verse means.

John  8:31-36 “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; ³² and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." ³³ They answered Him, "We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?" ³⁴ Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. ³⁵ "The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. ³⁶ "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”

He that sins is a slave to sin. Jesus doesn’t say those who are born are slaves to sin, but that we become a slave of sin by practicing sin.

Did Cain Have the Ability to Master Sin?

Gen 4:7 "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it."

Cain is told by God that he had the ability to master sin. He was not a slave to it after the fall. Temptation was there. Sin was at the door. But Cain could choose not to do it AND be the master over it. Only when you practice sin do you become its slave (Rom 6:12-20- discussed above).

Wicked Hearts

Jeremiah 17:9-10  "The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? ¹⁰ "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.”

This verse teaches what it says. Everyone agrees that the heart of man is sinful and sick. We disagree as to why. Some believe it is because they were born that way, which I disagree with. Some believe they are sinful and sick because they with knowledge practice sin (disobey the law of God).

Mark 7:21-23 “"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, ²² deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. ²³ "All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."

Is Jesus saying here that the heart is sinful and evil from birth? No. He says out of the heart of “men” come evil things. This verse does not even deal with the question of why the hearts of men are like this. We can only assume this based on what we already believe.

Sinful from our Youth

Jeremiah 3:25 “Let us lie down in our shame, and let our dishonor cover us. For we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day, and we have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.”

Gen 8:21 The LORD smelled the soothing aroma; and the LORD said to Himself, "I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.

The Jeremiah passage is giving a time reference (from youth till today). It does not say “from birth.” There is a Hebrew word that means ‘from the womb’ or ‘from birth’. The author doesn’t use it. There is also a word for baby that is not used in the text.

Genesis 46:34 uses the same phrase. “Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers.” Does this mean that the sons of Jacob were shepherds from birth? It is inconsistent to say no and then to say that the above verses are referring to a condition from birth.

None Who Do Good?

"THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; 11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; 12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE." 13 "THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING," "THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS"; 14 "WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS"; 15 "THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, 16 DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, 17 AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN." 18 "THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES." (Romans 3:10-18)

Who are the “all” who have turned aside” and the “none” who are righteous and not seeking God that this verse is talking about? This very text answers who it is talking about. It says that these people “HAVE TURNED ASIDE.” This is an action that someone does. An infant, who does not have the ability to break the law of God, is unable to “turn aside.” They have become useless, which means there was a time in which they were not useless. After turning aside, they became useless. The context of this passage is teaching that all men are under sin because “their throats are open graves,” they “use their tongues to deceive,” their “mouths are full of cursing and bitterness,” their “feet are swift to shed blood,” etc. These are all actions that men are guilty of, showing that they are under sin. Are infants guilty of any of these sins mentioned in the context of the verses 10-12 that say that all have turned aside and have become useless?

All shut up under disobedience?

”Just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.” (Romans 11:30-32)

This text is saying that God is showing mercy on those who were disobedient. These people sinned. The verse does not say they were born this way. Verse 32 is just finishing the thought of verses 30-31 that clearly show that they all sinned. The same is the case with the following Galatians passage:

“But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.” (Gal 3:22-24)

This text is saying that God is showing mercy on those who were disobedient. These people sinned. The verse does not say they were born this way. Verse 32 is just finishing the thought of verses 30-31 that clearly show that they all sinned. The same is the case with the Galatians passage. The context of the Galatians passage you quoted are showing that the Law gives men the knowledge of their sinfulness so they can be led to the Savior.

No man living is righteous

“Hear my prayer, O LORD, Give ear to my supplications! Answer me in Your faithfulness, in Your righteousness! 2 And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For in Your sight no man living is righteous. 3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul; He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead.” (Psalms 143:1-3)

I agree that no MAN that is living is righteous without the mercy of God. What does the condition of men have to do with infants again? David in the context is talking about his sins and the sins of his enemies that are persecuting him. He is not talking about infants. We must be careful to not read into the text things that are not being spoken of in it.

We are liars if we say we have no sin

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:6-10)

Who is the apostle John talking to in the context? Christians! If we as Christians say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves. We as Christians are not immune from sin. After we become Christians, we still need to approach the throne of mercy and grace to ask for forgiveness of our sins. That is what this verse is teaching. It is not saying anything about the spiritual condition of infants.

Romans 7: Paul’s Conflict Under Law

For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. 17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. 21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.” (Romans 7:14-25).

Paul begins this chapter by showing that Christians are no longer under the jurisdiction of the Law because of our dying with Christ. We have died to the law so we can bear good fruit for God (v4). In the following verses, Paul shows how the law puts one into bondage, and how it is only through Jesus we can be freed from the bondage that the Law puts us under (v25). We, left to ourselves, will never be able to obey the law perfectly. To point to it as where we will gain righteousness only brings condemnation to ourselves. This seems to be the point of the text.

With this said, Paul is talking about a man who is under the law. Because he knew the law that says, “do not covet,” he had produced within him all kinds of coveting. This is what trying to practice the law leads to. The one question I have is this, where are infants mentioned in this passage. Paul says that “nothing good” dwells in him” as a man under the law, but he nowhere in this text mentions that babies are in the same boat. This is assumed into the text by proponents of the original sin doctrine, just as in many of the other verses that this article examines in context.

Romans 5 Commentary

This text is a central text in the debate over the doctrine of original sin/total inherited depravity.

“¹² 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

This verse does not say that sin was imputed by death. Because of Adam’s sin, everyone will die. There is debate if this is talking about physical or spiritual death. I presently believe it is talking about spiritual death.

Death spreads to all men not because they were born as sinners, but because all men sinned!

¹³ for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.

Sin was in the world before the law of Moses was given. All men have the law written in their hearts (Rom 2:14-15) and disobey God who puts it there.

¹⁴ Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

We sinned (v12), but not the exact sin as Adam. (remember also, sin and death reign over us because we practice sin. This is what makes us slaves – Rom 6:12-20)

¹⁵ But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.

Throughout this text, I will keep a consistent interpretation. The text is contrasting the results of Adam’s one single act impacted everyone who sins. The single act of Christ on the cross has a impact on all those who believe the gospel.

¹⁶ And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.

Both of these acts had far reaching consequences. The consequence of Adam’s sin was that condemnation/death spread to all men (because all sinned – v12). The consequence of Jesus’ sacrifice brought justification to men who sinned.

¹⁷ If, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

Once again, death reigned because of Adam’s sin and our following in his steps by sinning (v12). Christ’s sacrifice brings the gift of eternal life to those who believe (Rom 1:16).

¹⁸ Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.

One sin led to the condemnation of all men who sinned (v12). Jesus’ one act of righteousness led all who believe to be justified and to have life.

¹⁹ For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Adam’s one sin led all to be made sinners. Once sin entered the world, there was no keeping every man from sin (all sinned v12, Rom 3:23). Jesus’ obedience leads those who believe to be made righteous.

²⁰ Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

The law cam to show men the depth of their sin against God, but also to show the depth of the grace God is willing to give those who believe.

²¹ so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Sin ‘reigned’ by bringing death to all who sinned (v12). Grace reigns and brings righteousness through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.

As you see, Romans 5:12-21 does not teach that the sin of Adam was imputed to us. We need to interpret it based on what has already been said within the book of Romans; that all men sin and are guilty before God (chs. 2-3), and can saved and justified by faith in the blood of Christ. This specific text opens up the same way in verse 12 when it says that death spread to all men because all sinned. This makes the most sense of the passage to me.

1 Corinthians 15:21-23

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. ²² For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”

I disagree with how many people interpret this verse in trying to use it to refer to a spiritual death that comes to all men because of Adam’s sin. This, to me, completely disregards the context of the passage. The whole context is referring to the physical resurrection of Christ. It shows that because we know that Christ was raised from His tomb, we will be also when He returns. This text is not talking about the spiritual death that Adam’s sin brought into the world, but physical death. The text is teaching about the physical resurrection of Christ and believers and the physical death that was brought about by Adam’s sin and men losing access to the tree of life.

Early Christian Teachings on the Nature of Man¹

I will just quote the early church fathers (Pre-Nicene Fathers) without any commentary so you can see for yourself what they believed about the nature of man. You may be surprised that it was not until the time of Augustine in the AD400s  that being born sinners was taught as universal doctrine in the church. The opposite was taught until then.

“Therefore, the prophets used to exhort men to do what was good, to act justly and to work righteousness…because it is in our power to do so.” Irenaeus (c. 180, E/W), 1.519

“God has created us naturally social and just.” Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E), 2.307.

“Let them not then say that he who does wrong and sins, transgresses because of demons. For then he would be guiltless. Instead, a person becomes a demoniac man by choosing the same things as do the demons: by sinning and being unstable, frivolous, and fickle in his desires – just like a demon. Now he who is bad (having become sinful by nature, because of evil) becomes depraved. He has what he has chosen. And, being sinful, he sins also in his actions. Likewise, the good man does right.” Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E), 2.502.

“Entire freedom of will, therefore, was conferred upon man in both tendencies. So that, as master of himself, he might constantly encounter good by the observance of it, and evil by its spontaneous observance of it…But the recompense for good and could not be given to the man who is found to have been either good or evil through necessity, and not choice.” Tertullian (c. 207, W), 3.315.

“Is not [the doctrine of the Gnostics] from the beginning and everywhere an invective against the flesh? Their doctrine is against its origin, its substance, its casualties, ant the invariable end that awaits it. According to them, it is unclean from its first formation of the dregs of the ground. It is even more unclean afterwards from the mire of its own seminal transmission. According to them, it is worthless, weak, covered with guilt, laden with misery, full of trouble.” Tertullian (c. 210, W),3.548.

“It is evident from all this that no one is pure either by essence or by nature. And no one is polluted by nature. The consequence of this is that it lies within ourselves and in our actions to either possess happiness and holiness, or by sloth and negligence to fall from happiness into wickedness and ruin…” Origen (c. 225, E),4.260.

“There is no rational creature that is not capable of good and evil. Origen (c. 225, E), 4.265.

“A man may possess an acquired righteousness, from which it is possible for him to fall away.” Origen (c. 225, E), 4.265).

“Certain men who hold different opinions [i.e., heretics] misuse these passages. They destroy free will by introducing ruined natures incapable of salvation and by introducing others as being saved in such a way that they cannot be lost. Origen (c. 225, E), 4.308.

“Let us use the following illustration from the gospel. There is a certain rock with only a little surface soil. If seeds fall upon it, they quickly spring up. But not having root, when they spring up, they are burned and withered when the sun rises. Now, this rock is  human soil, hardened on the account of its neglect. It has become a stone because of its wickedness. For no one receives from God a heart created of stone. Rather, it becomes such a heart because of wickedness. Origen (c. 225, E), 4.314.

“We, however, who know of only one nature in every rational soul, maintain that no one has been created evil by the Author of all things. Rather, many have become wicked through education, perverse example, and surrounding influences.” Origen (c. 248, E), 4.491.

“Nobody can be born vicious. Instead, if we make a bad use of the affections, they become vices. If we use them well, they become virtues. Lactanius (c. 304-313, W), 7.181.

“The Son clothed Himself with flesh so that – the desires of the flesh being subdued – He might teach us that to sin was not the result of necessity, but of man’s purpose and will.” Lactanius (c. 304-313, W), 7.127.

What do you think? I am sure there will be many people that disagree with the conclusions that I have come to from my study of scripture. I look forward to hearing any thoughts you may have. All I have attempted to do in this study is show what I have gotten from the scriptures in my own studies. I did not reference any commentaries from either side of the issue as I wrote this article. I just looked at each verse in its context and interpreted it. If you disagree, I would love to hear from you so I can test these conclusions that I came to.

1. all early Christian quotes from A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs by David W. Bercot, Editor