Sin and Death

Why does death come to all people of all ages, both young and old? Does not death prove that all humans are conceived under the condemnation of sin and death with a nature to sin? If one can choose not to sin and have eternal life -- why do all sin and die?

Answers will be as brief and straightforward as possible. Additional Scripture references may be given for individual study. All Scripture References are KJV

In Romans 5:12 we read, "Wherefore as by one man SIN entered INTO the world, And death by sin; and so death passed upon ALL men, for that (or an alternative reading is - IN WHOM, speaking of Adam) all have sinned”. It is easily recognizable that Paul was referring to the sin of Adam in the garden of Eden. God had told Adam, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17). We then read in the Scriptures that God took a rib from the side of Adam and made Eve, and the two became one flesh as husband and wife (Gen 2:18-25). In Genesis 3 we find Satan, our spiritual enemy, tempting Eve and saying, “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” The woman responded, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.” The serpent then said to Eve, “Ye shall not surely die: --“. After that, “when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”

Regardless of the IF’s, BUT’s and WHY’s that may be asked in foolish questions, God’s commandment was violated. God had told Adam NOT to eat of the fruit of that tree. His wife Eve knew of the commandment and had repeated it to Satan, who also knew of the commandment. The Scriptures tell us that "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." We know then that Adam sinned willingly and deliberately because he was “not deceived”. Many make fun of this tragic event, not considering that all the sin, crime, wars, immorality, diseases, tears and sorrows of mankind are the direct result of Adam’s sin. YES, and all deaths are the result of Adam’s sin. “Wherefore as by one man SIN entered INTO the WORLD, and death by sin; and so death passed upon ALL men, for that all have sinned”. Only a fool would deny that there is DEATH in the world, and that all men face death regardless of their age. Every day an infant dies. Everyday someone dies because of old age. Every day many die, all because of sin. Death is everywhere and death is the evidence of SIN.

Where is the sin that entered INTO the world and IS still IN the world? Is this sin floating around in the air for us to breath? Do all men become sinners by breathing the air? Is this sin in the water? Do all men become sinners by drinking the water? Is this sin in the food? Do all men become sinners by eating the food? Is sin in the material used to make clothes? Do all men become sinners by wearing (or not wearing) clothes? Is sin IN the Rocks, the Trees, the Hills, the Valleys, and the Environment surrounding us so that when we look with our eyes we become sinners? Is sin a contagious disease that can be contacted by touching someone who has it, or having an infected person sneeze or cough in your presence? NO, none of these provide the correct Biblical answer.

Because Adam was the beginning (federal head) of all mankind, when he sinned and fell under the condemnation of sin and death, God concluded ALL of mankind to be under this condemnation. “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Rom. 5:18-19). “For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all” (Rom. 11:32). “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe” (Galatians 3:22). “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; --“ (Rom. 3:23). “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). So death passes upon all of mankind, of all ages, both young and old, because all are condemned sinners unless they have been removed from this condemnation by the grace of God. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:1-2).

But WHY do we sin? Are we conceived with a Nature to sin or do we choose to sin? Do children have to be taught to lie or do they have to be taught to tell the truth? Obviously they must be taught to tell the truth because they are liars by nature. David wrote, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me” and again “The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go forth speaking lies as soon as they be born” (Psalms 51:5, 58:3). Paul tells us, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others” (Eph. 2:1-3). So we must conclude, according to Scripture, we are conceived under the condemnation of sin and death, with a nature to sin against God and need not be taught to sin.

Sin was IN Adam – who willfully and deliberately sinned and transgressed God’s law of sin and death – the sin nature was passed on to all mankind in natural generation. The word "world" means the same as it does in other places where it is talking about people. Most agree that the word "world" in John 3:16 is not talking about the handiwork of God such as the natural beauties of creation and the creatures thereof. NO, the word "world" is talking about people. This means that sin entered into the Human Race through the first parents of all mankind, Adam and Eve. In the beginning God created man, “Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created” (Genesis 5:2). Sin entered “into the world” of human beings through Adam. Sin is passed on to mankind through his seed in natural regeneration.

The world under consideration is Adam's posterity, or those produced by his seed. While it is true that Eve, being deceived, was “in the transgression” of the law of sin and death, as Paul clearly teaches in I Timothy 2:13-14, she was not charged with being the one by whom "sin entered into the world". She was taken from Man, made of man and the two became ONE flesh. Adam was not deceived. Adam hearkened unto his wife who had been "beguiled" or seduced and over whelmed by Satan. James confirms this truth with these words. "But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death".

Sin was passed on to the Human Race when Adam knew Eve and Cain was born. Adam "BEGAT" sons and daughters, and the whole process continued. This seems to agree with what David wrote, "In sin did my mother conceive me" and what Paul said, "We all - were BY NATURE the children of wrath, even as others". Therefore God says, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered the world, and death by sin; and so death PASSED upon all men, for that (in whom) all have sinned". Man is a sinner by nature. He inherits the sin nature from his father's seed (genes). God hath concluded ALL under sin - All have sinned IN their father Adam. As one Elder has said to me, the word world under consideration is Adam Multiplied. But thanks be to God for the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour.