Cursed by a Choice, or Cursed to Choose?

The theological debate over man’s sinful nature is rooted in the question of our inherited nature at birth. Are we born with a sinful nature or are we born innocent but destined to sin from an early age? Regardless of which position I take, the fact remains that I need a Savior. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Both sides agree that we are saved through faith in Christ alone in order that no man can boast. Beyond salvation through faith in Christ, nothing else has an effect on our redemption and justification.

I have declined to take a firm stance in favor of one position over the other because I believe that this is, in part, a mystery. Both camps have strong biblical evidence to support their position. On the one hand, everything God creates is good, so how can any newborn baby be anything but good? Until we are old enough to exercise our rebellion against God, are we separated from Him? On the other hand, because of one man’s transgression, sin entered the world. The seed of fallen humanity has been passed to every person born of a woman except for Christ, whose mother was impregnated by the seed of the Spirit. Because the law of sin and death was brought into the world through Adam’s transgression, his seed was forever tainted by that law. Adam, being the father of all humanity, passed his seed, and by proxy his curse, to every person born of his line. Therefore, this camp states it stands to reason that the law of sin and death passed to the children of Adam (everyone).

I do not place my hope in the answer to this debate. As stated earlier, regardless if I was born into sin or born innocent but destined to choose sin, I need Christ for redemption and justification. What does matter is that I understand what Christ accomplished by abolishing the law of sin and death that was brought into the world through Adam’s transgression. Prior to Adam’s original sin, man walked and talked with God. Man enjoyed intimate fellowship with God because our spirit was alive and infused with God’s Spirit. When Adam sinned, creation was placed under the law of sin and death which separated us from God. The law of sin refers to man’s bondage to a sinful nature. The law of death refers to our spiritual death which is the separation of God’s Spirit from our spirit. The law of sin and death causes us to sin against God and kept us separated from Him until Christ came to buy our freedom through His sacrifice.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming sin and, as sin, choosing death on the cross. His death was the death of sin. Now all who put their faith in Him reckon themselves dead to sin and alive unto God in Christ. We are restored to the condition Adam was in before his transgression. Just like Adam, we have access to God as our Father because our spirit has been born-again through faith in Christ. We have received a new heart and a new spirit that cries out to God and desires to please Him. The resurrection power of Jesus Christ quickens our spirit, soul, and body to obey God as we abide in Christ. We are free to glorify God and enjoy His presence forever. We are free to obey and abide.