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R.C. Sproul
Why is everybody a sinner? Do we sin because we are sinners or are we sinners because we sin? Death is the result of sin. And the reason why everybody dies is because everybody's tainted by sin.
Interviewer
You say, wait a minute. What about babies that die within six weeks after they're born or within six hours after they're born? Are they killed for their sins? No, they're not killed for committing actual sin.
R.C. Sproul
But that child is born in sin. He's born infected and blemished with the fallenness of the race from which he has been brought. The Bible teaches that we may not like it.
Interviewer
And some of the natural historians and philosophers say, well, all this is is nothing but a myth or a fable or parable.
R.C. Sproul
But again, we have to account for the fact that everybody in the world sins. Why is it that everybody sins? Why is everybody a sinner? Do we sin because we are sinners or are we sinners because we sin? We sin because we are sinners. Which is to say that every human being has a sin nature, A nature that has fallen. And out of this sin nature flows sins.
Interviewer
I am a sinner with a capital S. That's why I am a sinner with a little S.
R.C. Sproul
Now, where people
Interviewer
get confused is that people will ask me often, do you believe in original sin? Well, of course I believe in original sin. And I just might add, even though that concept is under much attack today,
R.C. Sproul
the idea of some notion of original sin is part of the heritage of every single church in the World Council of Churches.
Interviewer
Roman Catholic Church has a doctrine of original sin. The Lutheran Church has a doctrine of original sin. The Presbyterian churches have a doctrine of original sin. Episcopalian Church has a doctrine of original sin. Methodist Church, Baptist Church, you name it, they all have some doctrine of original sin. Now, they may debate about the extent
R.C. Sproul
of man's fallenness and what remains in
Interviewer
terms of man's natural powers, but everyone
R.C. Sproul
recognizes that man has fallen.
Interviewer
Now, when we talk about original sin,
R.C. Sproul
we do not mean the first sin.
Interviewer
That's where people get confused.
R.C. Sproul
Original sin is not the original sin
Interviewer
or the first sin that was ever committed.
R.C. Sproul
Original sin refers to the result of the first sin. What original sin refers to is this fallen sin nature that is part of the punishment for the first sin. When Adam and Eve acted against God, they didn't act as private individuals.
Interviewer
Adam's very name, Adam, means what
R.C. Sproul
Man, Eve, woman, the mother of the living. These two stood as our supreme representatives before Almighty God.
Podcast Host
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This episode of Ultimately with R.C. Sproul delves into the doctrine of original sin—its biblical foundation, theological significance, and universal acceptance across Christian denominations. R.C. Sproul unpacks what original sin means, why it affects every human being, and clarifies common misunderstandings about its nature and implications.
R.C. Sproul [00:00]:
"Why is everybody a sinner? Do we sin because we are sinners or are we sinners because we sin? Death is the result of sin. And the reason why everybody dies is because everybody's tainted by sin."
R.C. Sproul [00:34]:
"But that child is born in sin. He's born infected and blemished with the fallenness of the race from which he has been brought. The Bible teaches that—we may not like it."
R.C. Sproul [01:27]:
"We sin because we are sinners. Which is to say that every human being has a sin nature, a nature that has fallen. And out of this sin nature flows sins."
Interviewer [01:41]:
"I am a sinner with a capital S. That's why I am a sinner with a little S."
R.C. Sproul [01:58]:
"The idea of some notion of original sin is part of the heritage of every single church in the World Council of Churches."
R.C. Sproul [02:56]:
"Original sin refers to the result of the first sin. What original sin refers to is this fallen sin nature that is part of the punishment for the first sin."
Sproul’s teaching in this episode offers a foundational understanding of original sin—its biblical basis, universality, and theological clarity. By emphasizing the inherited nature of sin and salvation’s necessity, he invites listeners to grapple with essential Christian doctrine, using direct language, accessible analogies, and references to the shared beliefs of major Christian denominations. This episode serves as a succinct yet rich primer on why original sin matters—ultimately.