WHAT IS ORIGINAL SIN ?

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 ORIGINAL SIN

Much of the language in Genesis opening chapters is figurative. Nevertheless, the Catholic Church affirms that we find there a reference to a real event in the time that took place at the very beginning of the human race -a tragedy unequaled in history, known as the Fall. We know few details, but the basic realities surrounding that fateful development are clear from the teaching of Scripture and Tradition:

  • God created our first human parents in a state of holiness, an original justice (righteousness), without sin, and thus without shame (see Gn 2:25). They enjoyed a right and harmonious relationship with God, themselves, each other, and the world around them 

  • Through their own free choice, however, they disobeyed God, breaking fellowship with him (see Sir 15:14)

  • Their disobedience -a turning away from the source of all life and order necessarily brought death and disorder into the world, and above all within themselves. So they 'fell ' from their previous condition to a state of sinfulness, misery, and ignorance (see Gn 3:14-24). Their human nature was deeply wounded, though not totally corrupted 

  • Our first parents, having lost their original wholeness, could not pass on to their descendants what they themselves no longer possessed. This derivatization is consequently inherited by all human beings and is called "original sin" (see Rom 5:12-19)

  • Unlike personal sin, resulting from the wrong choices of individuals, original sin does not result from our own doing. It is contracted, not committed, we are conceived with it (see Ps 51:7)

  • The sacrament of Baptism cleanses us from original sin. it restores us to original righteousness and fellowship with God (see Acts 2:38). But after Baptism we are still left with a certain moral and spiritual weakness so that even though our wills are free, we are inclined to sin -an inclination we must continually overcome by Gods grace

  • The only two human beings to be conceived without original sin are our Lord Jesus Christ and his blessed mother, whose immaculate conception was possible through the merits of her sinless son (see Lk 1:28) 


(refer: "DOES THE BIBLE DISTINGUISH BETWEEN MORTAL AND VENIAL SIN ?")

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