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The confusion between Original Sin and Imputed Sin

There is some confusion with the term Original Sin. The confusion originated with Augustine (354-430), bishop of Hippo Regius of North Africa, who vigorously defended the doctrine of imputed sin; thus, in the West, Original Sin refers to: 1) the sin of Adam, 2) the introduction of the sinful nature of man, and 3) man's legal standing before God: the charge of Adam's sin.

In the East, where Eastern Orthodox prevails, the term Original Sin, also known as Ancestral Sin, only refers to: 1) the sin of Adam, and 2) the introduction of the sinful nature of man. Augustine's work was not known in the East; it was not until the 14th century that his writings were translated from Latin into Greek and not until the 17th and 18th century was his work discussed in the East.

What is Original Sin?

Original Sin refers to the sinful nature of man. It is the same as Inherited Sin but with one distinction, it is the first sin that actually led to and resulted in the sinful nature for the rest of mankind. Adam eats the fruit from the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen 2:16-17). It describes the moral state of man and his evil tendencies and desires to place his self-interests above God and all others. Thus, as RC Sproul notes, "We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners."

What is Imputed Sin?

Imputed Sin refers to man's legal standing before God. As a representative of humanity, Adam's singular action affected man's legal standing before God. For example, when a leader of a country declares war, the whole country is at war whether or not its citizens agree or bear arms. Thus Imputed Sin is not from man's sinful nature or personal sins; it is only from Adam.

What is Personal Sin?

Personal Sin is the actual commission of sin and the manifestation of man's sinful nature (Inherited Sin).

Summary of the types of sin

The confusion with the term Death

The term death is often misunderstood and confused with the non-religious understanding of death, the cessation of life. According to the Bible, this is true of all living organisms with one exception: man. In the Bible, death is the consequence of sin and portrayed as a separation with three different aspects, each describing three types of relationships. 1) Physical death: the separation of the soul from the body, 2) Spiritual death: the separation of man from God, and 3) Eternal death: the eternal separation of the soul from God.

Physical death: the body separated from the soul

"Then the LORD GOD formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." (Gen 2:7)

"By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return." (Gen 3:19)

"then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it." (Ecc 12:7)

"For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead." (James 2:26)

When separated from the spirit (soul), the body ceases to biologically function. With the implication that physical death precludes any opportunity for one to receive salvation, physical death can be a form of judgment for sin. Furthermore, physical death appears to be an unnatural consequence of our original created intention as humans, because Adam, having access to the tree of life, is driven out of Eden (Gen 3:22).

Spiritual death: man personally separated from God

"Behold, the LORD'S hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear." (Isa 59:1-2)

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom 6:23)

Death used here is in reference to spiritual death; it is a very personal and moral separation. Within the context of the Bible, this concept of spiritual death is a term used only for the living. For additional study, see Luke 15:24, 32; Matthew 8:2; John 5:24; 6:58; 10:28; 11:25; Romans 6:2, 11; 7:4, 8, 9-11; 8:35; Galatians 2:19; 2 Corinthians 6:17; Ephesians 2:1, 5, 12-13; Philippians 1:21-23; Colossians 2:13; and 1 Timothy 5:6.

Second death: the eternal separation of the soul from God.

"These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,.." (2 Thess 1:9)

"Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." (Rev 20:14-15)

"But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."… Rev 21:8

"Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying." (Rev 22:14-15)

These representative verses indicate that the "second death" is an eternal separation from God; it is an eternal confirmation of spiritual death. What is not clear is whether the soul ever ceases – does the lake of fire mean eternal torment or the cessation of a soul?

Other evidence to substantiate that the biblical term "death" means separation.

The Christian and sin

"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus." (Rom 6:2-11)

In this context, "dead to sin" means separated from sin.

The Christian and the Law

"Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God." (Rom 7:4)

In this context, "dead to the law" means separated from the Law.