ORIGINAL SIN


ORIGINAL SIN

In Kafka's famous novel, The Trial, the protagonist Joseph K. is unexpectedly arrested, investigated, tried, found guilty, condemned and executed, but he never finds out just what crime he committed. Kafka's works are generally considered to be symbolic, and I have often thought that it could have been this “born in sin” doctrine that he had in mind, but I'm by no means certain of it.

One of the arguments that is often used by those who accuse God of being unjust is the doctrine of original sin. It is generally defined as: “that sin and its guilt that we all possess in God’s eyes as a direct result of Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden.” It is often taught that we are born in sin and we retain that guilt until we are relieved of it by Christ, which, for most, means by the vicarious sacrifice of Jesus's suffering on the cross. One process for accepting that relief is to declare it publicly and be baptized. There are various doctrines about baptism, but it usually is accompanied by becoming a member of the baptizing church. This interpretation of scripture also contradicts Jesus's own words: “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice’” . He was quoting the prophet Hosea.

Within this scenario God's accuser finds many arguments to support his accusation. First, it is clearly unjust for one person to be punished for what another does. Therefore God is unjust for judging each of us for what Adam did. He is also unjust in relieving of us of the guilt by punishing Jesus for sins that others committed.

But the implications of being “born in sin” are appalling. Interpreted literally, it implies that an infant that dies an instant after birth spends eternity in hell. What could be more unjust?

The story of Adam and Eve is itself a symbolic tale, with its own message. Interpreted literally, it makes no sense at all. Eve being the only female, there was no wife available for either Cain or Enos. But the context reveals that there were actually other lands in existence at that time.

So; what is the real message of the Garden of Eden?

In view of what we have already learned about God's attitude toward sin, it seems clear that He does not recognize evil and therefore He does not punish any of His children, and therefore we don't have a reason to fear Him. Therefore Adam's sin was disobeying God's admonition by partaking of the Tree Of Knowledge of Good and Evil; which wasn't knowledge at all, but a lie. The lie that God would recognize evil, and therefore punish it; and therefore we had to fear Him, and therefore seek separation from Him. The implications of this lie will be discussed in a later post, but for now the important point is to understand what it does not mean. It does not mean that anyone is born guilty in God's eyes.

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