The Origin of Sin in the personal act of Adam

By

Roberto H. Robinson Sr.

 The Lesson before us presents a questions that has been considered, and debated

over the ages “ the origin of sin”. Specifically (The origin of sin the personal act of

Adam).

Adam and Eve were made in the image and likeness of God possessing intellect,

sensibility and will.(Soul). According to king Solomon they were “made upright”(Eccl

7:29) “?As individuals they had the knowledge of self in relation to a known law of right

and wrong.” Possessing this knowledge gives credence to the fact that they had the power

of choice. Yes! The logical (Soul) part of man had the ability to reason as to whether or

not to conform to the law of God. This ability to reason was affected by Satan’s words

“Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat of thereof, then your

eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil”(Genesis 3:4-5).

Accordingly Satan’s words cause turmoil in the reasoning of man, consequently leading

to man’s choice to sin

Adam’s sin of disobedience introduces sin in to the world. The act of eating the

fruit of the tree of knowledge good and evil, had an immediate affect on the nature of

man, His relationship with God,” the woman God gave him”, the beast of the field and

nature itself. His Choice by reason opened his eyes to the nature and power of sin. Sin

separates it is its basic make up, it stands against good, holiness and righteousness.

The nature of sin has caused many to reason as to its actual origin. There are those

of the thought that sin is self existents, they claim that it existed from the very beginning

with God,(cosmic dualism) they believe that sin exist as a countermeasure to God’s good
nature in order to provide balance in the universe. According to Henry, ?Thiessen “This

theory makes God a finite dependent being” an in order for God to be God he must be

absolute, sovereign. “He cannot be sovereign and limited”.

Others believe that sin originated in our finiteness. “A necessary result of the

limitations of our being” suggesting that God could not create anything without

limitations. using man’s physical limitation and presumably man’s moral nature as and

example.

Thiessen states that this theory ignores “the distinction between the physical and

the moral.” He; however acknowledges man’s physical limitations but argues that man’s

physical limitations does not necessarily suggest that man was created with moral

weaknesses’ and spiritual limitations. In fact man did not have to sin “he could have

perfectly obeyed God.” it was by an enactment of his freewill that he chose to sin. God

did not set man up to sin via limitation he gave him a choice of which the result is

history.

One more belief is that sin had its source in our sensuous nature, which would

therefore itself be evil, implying that the connectivity of the soul with flesh resulted in a

latent sensual ecstasy of self-gratification just waiting to happen. Thiesen once again

argues that “our senses are not in themselves sources of sin though they frequently

become the instruments for the carnal nature and in the commission of sin”. Because of

this theory many practice asceticism, seeking to weakening their flesh.. They believe that

type of practice will purge them from sin and increase spirituality.

Conclusion:
 Clement of Alexandria and early church father declares, ?“Man directs the

voluntary motions of his own actions. And thus there are some things which have been

created for the end, that in their services they should be subject to necessity, and should

be unable to do aught else that what has been assigned to them; and when they have

accomplished this service, the Creator of all things who arranged them according to His

will, preserves them. However there are other things in which there is a power of will,

and which have a free choice of doing what they will. These, as I have said, do not

remain always in that order in which they were created, but according as their will leads

them, and the judgment of their mind inclines them, they effect either good or evil; and

therefore He hath propose rewards to those who do well, and penalties to those who do

evil”

Bibliography
Henry C. Thiessen Lectures in Systematic Theology WMB Erdmans Publisher
pp.179

Dr. Norman Geisler: Systematic Theology Volume Three BethanyHouse

Publishers pg 115

King James Study Bible, King James Version

Thomas Nelson Publishers Nashville