Does everyone inherit sin from Adam and Eve?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

All people inherit a sinful nature from Adam and Eve, whose disobedience in the Garden of Eden brought sin and death into the world (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12). This inherited sin means we are all born separated from God and naturally inclined to disobey Him (Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:23). Our sin nature affects our thinking, feeling, motives, desires, and actions. Our sin has consequences for the way we relate to God, the world, and others. The Bible teaches that only Jesus can restore our relationship with God and take care of the consequences that come with inherited sin through His sacrificial death and resurrection (John 14:6; 1 Peter 3:18). Salvation through Christ brings forgiveness, new life, and joy to all who believe (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 1:8-9). Knowing this should lead us to humbly depend on God's grace and to share the truth of His salvation with others.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• God created Adam and Eve to live in the Garden of Eden without sin (Genesis 2:7-9, 15-17). In Genesis 3, the serpent—identified as Satan in Revelation 12:9—tempted Eve, and she and Adam ate the fruit from the tree God had commanded them not to eat (Genesis 3:1-6). Their sin involved pride, a desire for autonomy, coveting, and other desires that led them to disobey God's clear command not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:17). As a result, Adam and Eve came under God's judgment, including physical death, pain, toil, and separation from God—consequences that have affected all humanity ever since (Genesis 3:16-19; see Romans 5:12).
• The psalmist noted how early this sin impacts human life in Psalm 51:5: "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." Sin exists from conception and is passed on from one generation to the next. Sin is both part of human nature and something each person practices in specific ways throughout life.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Romans 5:12 confirms that all people inherit sin: "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned." That "death spread to all men" is often referred to as inherited sin. Every person is born with a fallen, imperfect sinful nature that separates us from fellowship with God.
• As a result of our inherited sin nature, all people sin and “fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Some people sin more than others or sin in more visible ways than others, yet even one sin is enough to require God's redemption to restore a right relationship with Him.
• Acts 4:12 teaches that Jesus and only Jesus is sufficient for salvation: "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Jesus personally taught, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
• Jesus came to earth to die as a substitute and payment for our sins so we could have fellowship with Him (1 Peter 3:18), be forgiven of our sins, and be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 5:8). Through His death and resurrection, Jesus made a way for us to be brought into restored relationship with God (Ephesians 2:13; John 17:3).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

We have all inherited sin from Adam and Eve. In addition, every person actively sins. Sin keeps us from relationship with God and requires a "way" of forgiveness in order to be restored in a right relationship with Him. Jesus Christ is the one and only way to be restored into a right relationship with God, offering forgiveness and eternal life. The truth that we are all sinners in need of grace humbles us; it reminds us that none of us are righteous on our own, no matter how “good” we try to be. Yet it also magnifies the love of God, who didn’t leave us in our sin but sent Jesus to make a way for us to be forgiven and restored. When we accept Christ, our relationship with God is no longer defined by inherited sin but by new life and inexpressible joy through faith in Him (1 Peter 1:8-9). Practically, this means we live each day aware of our need for God, grateful for His mercy, and eager to share His salvation with a world that still suffers under the weight of sin.

UNDERSTAND

• Everyone inherits a sinful nature from Adam and Eve.
• Our sin nature separates us from God and causes us to actively sin.
• Only Jesus can restore us through faith in His death and resurrection.

REFLECT

• How have you seen the effects of your sin nature in the way you think, feel, or act?
• How have you tried to deal with guilt or brokenness apart from Jesus and where did it lead to?
• How does knowing that Jesus died to restore you to God and to free you from the consequences of your inherited sin shape the way you live today?

ENGAGE

• Why is it important to understand that we inherit a sinful nature, not just commit isolated sins?
• How does the concept of inherited sin challenge or affirm what people believe about human nature?
• What makes Jesus the only sufficient answer to the problem of inherited sin and personal guilt, and should we live as a result of what He has done for us who have trusted in Him?