By Larry West

One of the scriptural concepts which has to be explained over and over is the difference between the guilt and the consequences of sin.

There are those who teach that we are sinners because of the sin of Adam and Eve. Because of what they did, everyone is born guilty of sin. This is called "original sin".

All of mankind suffers the consequences of Adam and Eve's sin. Because of what they did, we all die. Hopefully we can understand this concept from Romans 5:12-21; Verse 12: “...as by one man sin entered into the world...” Sin first came into the world through, (by means of), Adam and Eve. “So death passed upon all men...” As a consequence of sin, all men die physically, sin is in the world, and consequently, all men sin and as a result suffer “death” or separation from God (Romans 3:23). But, every man sins because of his own lusts, desires and choices (James 1:13-15). Then, he becomes guilty before God because of his own sin (Revelation 20:12; Romans 14:12).

The unscriptural notion of “original sin” can be dealt with and understood clearly by studying Ezekiel 18. First, the Lord shows them that the application of what they refer to as a proverb is really untrue and somewhat amusing. They are saying that the father eats a sour grape and the children wince and pucker up as a result of its sourness. Now, a little common sense would tell us that this is not the way it works! “As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel” (verse 3). Stop using this saying because it is not true! “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (verse 4). This message is repeated and expanded upon in verse 20:

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity (sin) of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity (sin) of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” Between verses 4 and 20, God gives 3 examples of how this applies and exactly what He means by it.

In these verses, we read about 3 generations; a grandfather, a father, and a son/grandson. The first man is a just man and does that which is lawful and right. He walks in the Lord's statutes and keeps His judgments and God says, “he shall surely live.” This good man has a son who is a robber and a shedder of blood and one who commits abominable things, and God says, “he shall not live: he shall surely die; and his blood shall be upon him.” This bad man has a son who sees his father's sins, and considers, and does not such like. He also executes God's judgments and walks in His statutes. Concerning this man, God says, “...he shall not die for the iniquities (sins) of his father, he shall surely live.” Regarding the father, verse 18 states; “...he shall die in his iniquity.”

Verse 19 records the question which they are asking; “...Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father?” And God responds; “When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.”

But God, in His grace and mercy, provides for salvation, even for the wicked. “But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my

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