Born In Sin, Fact Or Fiction

Born In Sin?

FACT OR FICTION?

Teaching Series

By Rev. J. Edward Brown III

2013

We Were Born In Sin, And Shaped In Iniquity

What does this really mean?

Introduction

This doctrine is accepted as fact almost universally in our churches, the doctrine that all of humanity sinned in Adam when he ate the forbidden fruit, that Adam's sin, its guilt, and its curse were imputed to all his descendants, and that all of his descendants are now born with an Adamic sin nature which makes sin unavoidable and makes us "by nature the children of wrath."

What makes this incredible doctrine believable is the fact that there are verses in the Bible which seem to teach it. Psalm 51:5 comes immediately to the mind of the Christian who has been taught to believe in the doctrine of original sin: "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." This settles it for the Christian. If the Bible says we were "shapen in iniquity" and "conceived in sin," then it has to be so.

And the above text would teach that men are born sinners if it were meant to be taken literally. But the language of this text is not literal, it is figurative. Both context and reality demand a figurative interpretation of this text.

For example, let's compare Psalm 51:5 with Job 1:21, which says: "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither." If Psalm 51:5 can be interpreted literally to teach the doctrine that David and all other men are born sinners, then Job 1:21 can be interpreted literally to teach the doctrine that Job and all other men will some day go back into their mother's womb.

Neither Psalm 51:5 nor Job 1:21 is to be understood literally. They are both figurative expressions. Both context and our knowledge of reality demand a figurative interpretation of these two texts.

Let's deal with Psalms 51:5.

Literal; Being in accordance with, conforming to, or upholding the exact or primary meaning of a word or words. without interpretation or embellishment

Figurative; Figurative language is a word or phrase that departs from everyday literal language for the sake of comparison emphasis, clarity, or freshness.

We Were Born In Sin, And Shaped In Iniquity

What Does This Mean?

(Research Study Ps. 51:5)

Psalm 51:5, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” This verse has nothing to do with the very popular statement “We were all born in sin, and shaped in iniquity” David was speaking figuratively, not literally.

First of all, let's look at the verse in it's proper context. David said Behold, I WAS SHAPEN, He did not say WE were shapen.

This clarification alone automatically disqualifies the statement said by so many people trying to include all of us in Davids statement. David was only talking about himself in this verse.

Next David said, IN INIQUITY. The word iniquity means “gross injustice”. Now the first part of this verse says, ***Look at me, I was fashioned in gross injustice,*** He was saying, my being fashioned was a gross injustice.

Next David said, and in sin, (In Hebrew the word sin, comes from the word chet it means error, crime, Fault, offense) (strong”s Hebrew # 2399)

Next David said, “did my mother conceive me” which means she became pregnant.

(The true meaning of this verse is)

Look at me, I was fashioned in gross injustice, and in error did my mother get pregnant.

David was in so much pain about his sin, that he wished that he had never been born. His statement had nothing to do with our being born in sin, and shaped in iniquity.

"We Were Born In Sin, And Shaped In Iniquity

What Does This Mean? (2)

(Research Study Ps. 51:5)

David was saying that, the fact that he was fashioned (shapen), was a gross injustice to the world. And that it was a crime (sin), that his mother ever got pregnant with him. David was not accusing God of creating him a sinner.

David was not born in sin because there is no evidence that his parents were not married.

Had they not been married, David would have been considered a bastard and not allowed in the congregation

(Deut. 23:2 This was the law for bastard children)

But if David intended to affirm that he was literally "shapen in iniquity and conceived in sin," then he affirmed absolute nonsense, and he charged his Creator with making him a sinner; for David knew that God was his Maker:

Thy hands have made me and fashioned me. Psalm 119:73

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body, and knit them together in my mother's womb. Psalm 139:13 (Living Bible)