Tying in Humans’ Relation to the Fall

I don’t think you’ll get much of an argument from most anyone that a lot of bad stuff goes on in the world. But you’ll get a considerable difference of opinion over how inevitable sin is. Is it something that humans can stomp out with effort? Or are any attempts to remove sin a hopeless cause? Traditionally, Christians express three different opinions on this issue: 

Humans are born with a clean slate and can make it to heaven on their own. This optimistic view says that Adam and Eve’s sin didn’t directly infect others in later generations. In other words, everyone is born with the same clean slate that Adam and Eve had. Therefore, the logical conclusion is that if people really wanted to, they could go without sinning. As a result, humans can earn their salvation, and God’s grace isn’t truly essential. This perspective, eliminating the need for Jesus’ saving work on the cross (see Chapter 5) is outside of biblical Christian teaching. 

People who hold this view believe that people are basically good. In other words, people may sin, but deep inside, they really want to do the right thing most of the time. Therefore, a logical conclusion is that if you and I try really hard and eliminate the conditions that cause people to sin (such as poverty) and educate them, then sin can be stomped out. That sort of optimism was at a fever pitch a hundred years ago, until the two world wars largely shattered the notion of the innate goodness of humans. Mass exterminations, concentration camps, and populations that looked the other way tend to do that sort of thing. 

God needs to give humans a jump-start. A second perspective drains half of the optimism out. These Christians believe that God’s grace is essential to overcome sin and receive salvation, but after an initial infusion of grace (through baptism), people earn their salvation by cooperating with God’s grace (by partaking of sacraments). Traditionally, Catholics hold this perspective. 

God needs to do all the work. The final view, which Protestants (particularly evangelicals) typically hold, sees the state of humanity more pessimistically. Overcoming sin is only possible by salvation by grace, apart from anything humans can do on their own.

 

From this perspective, Adam and Eve’s sin was more than just a prototype of the future. In fact, their sin infected the entire human race. So, they not only transmitted chromosomes to their children, but a sin nature (a tendency to sin) as well. As a result, all humans have inherited a sin nature and a stained set of clothes, and they’ll never be able to completely get rid of the stains as long as they walk on this earth. Or, to put it in more blunt terms, you’ve probably seen the bumper sticker that says, “Mean people suck.” Well, this perspective says, in effect, “All people suck.” Therefore, the good that both Christians and non-Christians do happens only by the grace of God, not from any innate goodness inside of people. (See Chapter 11 for more.)