THE EFFECTS OF ORIGINAL SIN

By Gary Ray Branscome

The words, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you may not eat of it: for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die,” tell us that death is the primary effect of the first sin (Genesis 2:17). The words, “She who lives for pleasure is dead while she lives,” tell us that a person can be alive physically, but dead spiritually (1Timothy 5:6). And, the words, “He has given you life, who were dead in trespasses and sins… when we were dead in sins,” tell us that before we came to faith in Christ we were all dead spiritually (Ephesians 2:1,5). Therefore, one immediate consequence of mankind’s first sin was that Adam and Eve died spiritually.

The words, “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin,” and the words, “And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died,” tell us that the second effect of the first sin was to begin the aging process that results in physical death (Romans 5:12 and Genesis 5:5). While the words, “Then He will say to those on His left, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels,” and the words, “Who will be punished with unending destruction away from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His might,” tell us that, apart from faith in Christ the final effect of original sin will be eternal damnation (Matthew 25:41, 2Thessalonians 1:9).

The words, “The woman saw that the tree was good for food,” and the fact that Adam and Eve did not die physically until centuries later, tell us that death did not come because the fruit was poison, but because Adam and Eve disobeyed God (Genesis 3:6). The Bible does not tell us why God did not make another commandment the test of Adam and Eve’s obedience. Some theologians believe that since the moral law was “written in their hearts” God chose to forbid something that would not appear to them as evil (Romans 2:15). However, when it comes right down to it, only God knows, and where the Bible has not spoken we should never profess ourselves “to be wise” (Romans 1:22).

In addition to all of the sorrows that have come into the world as a consequence of man’s sin, every specific sin that came after the first sin, is part of the effect of that first sin. The words, “We are consumed by your anger, and terrified by your fury. You have set our sins before you, our secret sins in the light of your face. For all our days ebb away under your wrath: we end our years like a story that is finished,” describe the sorrows that have come into the world as a result of man’s first sin (Psalm 90:7-9). And, the words, “From within, out of men’s hearts, proceed evil thoughts, adultery, fornication, murder, Theft, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and defile a man,” tell us that specific sins are the outgrowth of original [inherent] sin (Mark 7:21-23).

The words, “You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness: nor will evil dwell with you… you hate all who do evil” tell us that God does not take sin lightly (Psalm 5:4-5). And, the words, “The LORD tries the righteous: but He hates the wicked and anyone who loves violence,” tell us that God will not overlook wrongdoing (Psalm 11:5). However, those statements are warnings of God’s law, and, “We know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law… because the knowledge of sin comes by the law” (Romans 3:19-20). And, God wants us to know our sin, so that we will see our need for His forgiveness, repent, and look to Christ for mercy; for, “As through the sin of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so through the righteousness of one the free gift abounds to all men bringing justification and life” (Romans 5:18).