There have been those who teach that we are born in sin and thus cannot help the propensity toward doing evil. We shall carefully examine this erroneous matter in just a moment, but first let us document such false doctrine as to its source.

In the book, What Lutherans Believe by W.E. Schramms, on page 65, we read, “Ever since the fall of Adam all men who are naturally begotten are conceived and born in sin.” This naturally comports with the Augsburg Confession of Faith, Article Two, “All men are born with sin. This vice of origin brings eternal death upon those not born again through baptism and the Holy Ghost.”

Dr. W.A. Jarrell, noted Baptist, in Gospel In Water, stated, “That man is totally depraved is evident from his being a child of the Devil, fathered by the Devil and of the same moral nature.”

The Catholic position is made quite clear by B.L. Conway in Question Box (page 253), “Baptism is a sacrament which cleanses from original sin.”

All of these quotations crumble in the light of Ecclesiastes 7:29 and 12:7. God made man upright and God gave the spirit of man. How could a perfect Creator be the author of sin?

The word sin comes from the Greek word “Hamartia,” which means, “to miss the mark.” The Bible variously defines sin as: (1) A failure to do the things that are right (James 4:17). (2) A transgression of God’s law (1 Jn. 3:4)! (3) All unrighteousness (1 Jn. 5:17). (4) A violation of one’s personal relationship with God (Romans 14:23). From this scriptural definition of sin we realize that the doctrine teaching “infants are born in sin” is totally false.

At least six out of ten religions teach that a baby is born in sin. This doctrine is known variously as: original sin, total depravity or the Adamic sin. The Bible does not teach such a doctrine, but millions blindly believe it. This is why an unscriptural practice—infant baptism—exists. Men started with a false assumption and added a practice unknown to the Holy Word. If we can prove that infants are born pure, sinless and safe before God, then the rite of sprinkling babies will certainly be proved false. The two ideas go together. If a baby is ushered into life in sin, then something must be done to remit that sin or the infant is lost. John Calvin said, “There are some infants in hell not a span long.” Why did he think so? Because he taught that babies enter this world as sinners and if they die prior to being sprinkled they will be lost!

Here are some scriptures that forever prove we are not ushered into life as sinners:

1. “Thou wast perfect in all thy ways, from the day thou wast created until iniquity was found in thy heart” (Ezekiel 28:15).
2. “The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father” (Ezekiel 18:20).
3. We are “the offspring of God” and He is “the Father of our spirits” (Hebrews 12:9; Acts 17:29). How then could we be born in sin?
4. “Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall in no wise enter the kingdom of God.” Little children evidently are not sinners or Jesus would not tell us to be like them (Matt. 18:3).