How Have Scholars Undertood Romans 5: 12 Summary

How Have Scholars Understood Romans 5:12?

Introduction

Paul’s claim in Rom 5:12 that ‘sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin’ is the foundation on which the doctrine of original sin has been developed. Pre-Augustinian scholars predominantly agreed that Adam’s sin was the source of evil in the world and that only Christ’s redemption could overcome its effects on mankind. Less certain, however, was how literally the Genesis narrative should be interpreted, what made Adam’s sin universal and why all people need forgiveness. In providing clear responses to these areas of enquiry, Augustine brought definition to the doctrine of original sin: the Genesis narrative should be viewed literally, Adam’s sin corrupted

Originally, mankind was free from disease and mental limitation; they existed in ‘justification, illumination and beatitude’, enjoying God’s grace and absolute freedom of choice. Grace made them good, and free will enabled them to choose to accept or reject that goodness. Because they already had it in full, humanity did not need additional grace in order to will and do good. Creatureliness was Adam’s only weakness. Being changeable, he could turn away from good. This he did, by the use of his will. In desiring to substitute self for God as the goal of his being, Adam turned away from God. Being the first of all humanity, with a uniquely free will, Adam’s sin was the most fatal of all sins, to the extent that the whole human race became diseased with sin and propagated sinners. The mind was debilitated and darkened so that spiritual truth could no longer be perceived clearly, and the will was weakened so that man could no longer obey God’s commands. Despite free will, sin operates as a power over mankind, from which they cannot free themselves. Thus mankind became incapable of choosing good by their own

All mankind was in Adam, so all derived his sin and sinned with him in it. Being generated from and sharing in Adam’s nature, they also share in his will. The tendency to evil and sin self-perpetuates and is propagated through sexual generation, which is carnal in both the saved and unsaved. All are therefore guilty and corrupted in nature through sharing in Adam’s free act - even those who have not yet wilfully sinned. Through mutual rebellion with Adam God’s image, though still remaining, was tragically altered. Human nature was so distorted that it could no longer desire good except by God’s grace. Desire became corrupt and so the will became defective, rendering all men in need of salvation. Evidence of this alteration may be seen in man’s enslavement to ignorance, concupiscence and death. Concupiscence refers to every inclination which causes man to turn from God to find satisfaction in temporal, material things; the most violent being sexual desire. While it is both the fruit of original sin and is itself sinful, concupiscence is not identical to original sin, since baptism does not remove the corrupt desire - only its