What does this mean to you? "People are born innocent. Something very different from being born sin-free"?

Question

That is what was stated in a recent question about whether we are born Good / Evil. One of the answerers gave that as his or her answer. The person identified themself as a Jehovah's Witness. It would be particularly helpful if any JWs could elaborate on this distinction and provide Bible verses / explanations. But it's open to everyone to answer, of course.

Answer 1

For example the bible says this:

"Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned:--"

-Romans 5:12



Like a dreaded hereditary disease, we all have sin that is passed down from one person to the other. So, weather we like it or not, we are born sinners. On the other hand, being innocent simply means 'not knowing in ones heart'. An example for that would be when the apostles were fighting over who was to be the superior being next to Jesus. Jesus kindly showed them a little boy. So he said this:



"and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. "

-Mathew 18:3,4



As a sweet child that he was, he had no desire to be the best or to show off. his main focus was his humility. So Jesus said that we must be humble enough to enter God's Kingdom. Although we are sinners thanks to our first parents, Adam and Eve, we can still have Jehovah's approval so long we don't deliberately sin against him

Answer 2

Innocent can mean 'not knowing', as well as 'not guilty'. Hence the statement is saying that infants do not know the difference between right and wrong. Because of this innocence, they cannot be guilty of any personal sin. But they all bear the consequences of 'original sin', so that they are in a 'fallen' state, somewhat estranged from God and naturally inclined towords things, such as selfishness, which would be sinful were the infant not below the age of reason.



(I'm not a JW by the way, just a normal mainstream Christian)

Answer 3

toddlers do not actually have a complicated idea procedure to do quite a lot something yet eat, so it would want to be fairly difficult for toddlers to sin. yet if you're going by using the theory of unique sin, then sure, they're no longer so organic. besides the undeniable fact that, unique sin and stuff like it is crap because how can a touch one sin?

Answer 4

This distinction exists just like the distinction between "macroevolution" and "microevolution" - in other words, there is no distinction, but fundies like to pretend there is.



The only way you can believe that people are not born sin-free is to believe that everyone is stained with "original sin" - which is a joke of a concept. Do we as humans punish the children of murders?? Of course not - but for some reason, every human on earth is supposedly stained with the sins of Adam and Eve? Geez, God really cant let things go, can he???

Answer 5

It's gooble-de-goop.



There will be no scriptures to support this.



Children are born sin-free and innocent.

How could anyone who views one think any different?



Sin is caused by action. A baby has not acted yet. A child cannot comprehend sin or it's consequences. As soon as a person can tell right and wrong, then they are able to sin.

In this world, we all will sin.

Jesus Christ is our Savior.

If we follow Him and repent, we can avoid sin and it's consequences thus being saved by Him.

Answer 6

People are born perfect, and then indoctrinated to believe they are born "bad", when being "bad" or "good" is nothing more than choices that we can all make. But if you believe you are born that way, you are most likely to behave in that manner. The proof is right outside your door....



Innocent means void of all knowledge. Indoctrination puts the idea of "born sinner" in the mind of the young.

Answer 7

The JWs see sin as what causes people to do evil/die ect, which isn't the same thing as having actually done something wrong. Hence someone is born with sin, which they got from their parents, but until they actually do something wrong they are innocent.



I think.

Answer 8

People are born sinless but prone to sin. In other words they/we sometimes find disobeying God almost Irresistable. But Jesus did resist temptation, although tempted in all points as we are. Jesus Christ knew that unless he resisted sin in himself he would not be the perfect sacrifice which would release us from the bondage of sin and eternal death.

Answer 9

sin is not imputed till you can understand like a baby does not understand, I heard it said till age of accountability or untill you understand right from wrong.



James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.





Rom 5:13 For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law

Answer 10

We're just born. Good and evil, they're just labels according to what you personally believe.



Sin is a thing of torture. Something to make humans into something unnatural.

Answer 11

It would mean that an innocent party would have to pay the price for someone else's crime and it would be a perfect statement of immorality.

Answer 12

What does it mean to me? It means that whoever said it wasn't clear, 'cause it's as clear as mud. Being born innocent = being born sin-free. There is no difference, babies don't know about doing or saying anything wrong, and they've obviously not done anything wrong, either. It's like saying water = H2O, same thing.

Answer 13

Ever heard that expression, 'Innocent until proven guilty'? Well, that simply means an assumption of innocence until enough evidence can be established to prove guilt. As for the expression 'born sin-free' that is not a Christian concept because the Bible is clear in showing that every person is born into sin and every person will sin. Otherwise, we would be perfect. Only Jesus was without sin, and Adam and Eve were without sin prior to their act of disobedience.



My understanding of Jehovah's Witness' theology on sin and salvation is they believe Adam was created perfect, but when he sinned, he lost eternal life for all of his descendants. They say Adam chose to sin, thereby giving up his perfection but we, as his descendants, were born imperfect but not through choice. They believe that Jesus (as a perfect man) bought back what Adam lost - the right to eternal life. As for our inherited (or Adamic) sin, they say that because the wages of sin is death, then when we die, we pay for our own sins. Jesus' sacrifice, they say, pays only for the sin of Adam.



"Adam forfeited his own perfect human life and the right to eternal life in exchange for selfish use of his free will. In so doing, he sold all of his future offspring - including us - into sin and death. Our opportunity for eternal life was lost... our human race needed a redemption to ransom them from sin and death and to restore their birthright... Christ forfeited his own perfect human life and earthly prospects to purchase the life rights of our own human race." Victory Over Death - Is It Possible For You? published 1986.



I cannot say whether Jehovah's Witnesses believe that whilst being born into sin we are innocent (because we didn't chose to sin, unlike Adam), but I can say that the suggestion Jesus' death was only to atone for our supposed inherited rights to everlasting life on a paradise earth can not be substantiated from the Bible. 1 John 2:1-2 clearly states that Jesus Christ "is the atoning sacrifice for OUR SINS, and not only for ours but also for the SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD."



The following link discusses in depth the subject of Adam and of sin and may be of interest to Jehovah's Witnesses: http://home.sprynet.com/~pabco/adamsin.htm

Answer 14

here what you mean ?Nothing about the ancestral genes they carry( to manifest later in life?)No all new born look innocent -on this I agree.