We Do Not Inherit Sin
Aug 13, 2007
A seemingly common belief today is that sin is inherited. According to this belief, I am born in a guilty state because of the sins that others have committed before I was even born. Despite the popularity of this belief, it cannot reasonably be backed up by the Bible. While we may bear some consequences of the sins others have committed, those sins do not make us guilty. The Bible does not teach that sin is inherited because the Bible teaches that we are punished for our own sins and can be saved from our own sins. It also indicates that Christ was without sin, which would not have been possible if He had inherited the sins committed by His ancestors.
The fact that we sometimes bear consequences for the sins that others have committed is an unfortunate part of this imperfect world. When King Solomon disobeyed God by turning to false gods, his punishment was carried forward to his descendents (1st Kings 11:9-12). God told him, “I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son.” Even though it was Solomon’s sin, there would be physical consequences for his son. It works very much the same way in our country today. Suppose that, when I was still a kid, my dad was a bank robber. No judge would throw me in prison because he was a bank robber. However, his being in prison would undoubtedly have a negative impact on my life. I would not be guilty of robbing banks, but I would be suffering the negative consequences of his sin. Another example of this is the sin that Adam and Eve committed. They were kicked out of the Garden of Eden and forced to work to support themselves (Genesis 3:17-24). This was a consequence that surely affected their children.
However, suffering the physical consequence of an ancestor’s sin is not the same thing as being guilty of that sin. Adam’s sin may have affected us all, but we are not guilty of that sin. We are guilty of our own sins (Romans 5:12, 1st John 1:8). If we are to be punished by God, we will be punished for our own sins and not our fathers’ sins (Ezekiel 18:19+20). Romans 6:16-19 describes the state of being a slave to sin. It does not say that we are slaves to the sins of our ancestors. It says we are “that one’s slaves whom [we] obey; whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness” (Romans 6:16). If we are slaves to sin, then we are slaves to the sin that we, ourselves, commit.
If we are punished, we are punished for our own sins; and when Jesus saves us from sin, He saves us from our own sins. When people were being converted in the early Church, they were invited to be cleansed from their sins (Acts 3:19, 22:16). Similarly, Romans 4:7 says, “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.” As 2nd Peter 1:9 describes a Christian who is falling short, it says that he “has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.” The forgiveness that we need is for our own sins. We do not need to be forgiven for the sins of our ancestors because we are not guilty of them.
Finally, sin cannot be inherited by men because Christ lived as a man and we know that He was without sin. We are told that He “committed no sin” (1st Peter 2:22), but it’s more than that. He is also described as “undefiled, separate from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26). Hebrews 9:14 describes Him as “without spot.” Christ could not be called undefiled or without spot if He had inherited sins at birth. He could not have been the perfect sacrifice if He had been guilty of sin.
Even though we may sometimes bear negative consequences for the sins that people before us have committed, we do not inherit those sins. When God judges each of us, it will be based on our own lives and not the lives of our parents or anyone else.
The fact that we sometimes bear consequences for the sins that others have committed is an unfortunate part of this imperfect world. When King Solomon disobeyed God by turning to false gods, his punishment was carried forward to his descendents (1st Kings 11:9-12). God told him, “I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son.” Even though it was Solomon’s sin, there would be physical consequences for his son. It works very much the same way in our country today. Suppose that, when I was still a kid, my dad was a bank robber. No judge would throw me in prison because he was a bank robber. However, his being in prison would undoubtedly have a negative impact on my life. I would not be guilty of robbing banks, but I would be suffering the negative consequences of his sin. Another example of this is the sin that Adam and Eve committed. They were kicked out of the Garden of Eden and forced to work to support themselves (Genesis 3:17-24). This was a consequence that surely affected their children.
However, suffering the physical consequence of an ancestor’s sin is not the same thing as being guilty of that sin. Adam’s sin may have affected us all, but we are not guilty of that sin. We are guilty of our own sins (Romans 5:12, 1st John 1:8). If we are to be punished by God, we will be punished for our own sins and not our fathers’ sins (Ezekiel 18:19+20). Romans 6:16-19 describes the state of being a slave to sin. It does not say that we are slaves to the sins of our ancestors. It says we are “that one’s slaves whom [we] obey; whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness” (Romans 6:16). If we are slaves to sin, then we are slaves to the sin that we, ourselves, commit.
If we are punished, we are punished for our own sins; and when Jesus saves us from sin, He saves us from our own sins. When people were being converted in the early Church, they were invited to be cleansed from their sins (Acts 3:19, 22:16). Similarly, Romans 4:7 says, “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.” As 2nd Peter 1:9 describes a Christian who is falling short, it says that he “has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.” The forgiveness that we need is for our own sins. We do not need to be forgiven for the sins of our ancestors because we are not guilty of them.
Finally, sin cannot be inherited by men because Christ lived as a man and we know that He was without sin. We are told that He “committed no sin” (1st Peter 2:22), but it’s more than that. He is also described as “undefiled, separate from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26). Hebrews 9:14 describes Him as “without spot.” Christ could not be called undefiled or without spot if He had inherited sins at birth. He could not have been the perfect sacrifice if He had been guilty of sin.
Even though we may sometimes bear negative consequences for the sins that people before us have committed, we do not inherit those sins. When God judges each of us, it will be based on our own lives and not the lives of our parents or anyone else.