Lesson 13: Original Sin
"Wherefore as by one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death; and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned...  For as by the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners; so also by the obedience of one, many shall be made just."  (Romans 5:12, 19)


Read the first three chapters of Genesis.

  1. What is Original Sin?

    2.     The sin committed by Adam, the father of the human race.  By Original Sin, Adam lost Sanctifying Grace.

  2. Who were Adam and Eve?

    3.     The first man and woman, from whom every human being on this earth is descended.

  3. How did the sin of Adam affect the human race?

    4.     Because of Adam's sin, every human being is created with Original Sin on his soul and without Sanctifying Grace, since Adam was the father of the human race.
    Adam's nature became "fallen" through Original Sin, and we his descendants inherit his fallen nature.


    "By the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners."    (Romans 5:19)

  4. What else did Adam's sin do?

    5.    The gates of Heaven were closed; disease, pain and death came into the world; the mind of man was darkened and his will was weakened.
    "For the imagination and thought of man's heart are prone to evil from his youth."    (Genesis 8:21)

  5. Is Heaven still closed to the human race?

    6.    No, because of Christ's death on the Cross, God reopened Heaven and made Sanctifying Grace available to man.
    "As in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive."    (1 Corinthians 15:22)

  6. What happened to the good people who died before Christ?

    7.    They went to Limbo, a place of natural happiness in the next world, and stayed there until Jesus ascended into heaven.
    "And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom.  And the rich man also died:  and he was buried in Hell."    (Luke 16:22)

  7. How do you get rid of Original Sin and obtain Sanctifying Grace?

    8.    Baptism takes away Original Sin and put Sanctifying grace in your soul.
    "Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.    (John 3:5)

  8. Was any human being preserved from Original Sin?

    9.    Yes, the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose soul was created with Sanctifying Grace in it.  This is called the Immaculate Conception.
    "And the angel being come in, said unto her:  Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee:  blessed art thou among women.    (Luke 1:28)

PRACTICAL POINTS

  1. From the way God punished the sin of Adam, it is clear that the sin was a serious one.  If Adam had not committed it, there would have been no disease, pain or death.  So, you can see what a terrible thing sin is in the eyes of God.

  2. Only unbaptized babies and unbaptized persons who never had the use of their minds go to Limbo now.

  3. Baptism does not restore the other gifts lost by Adam's sin, that is, freedom from pain, disease and death, and the perfect control over the lower nature.

  4. The Church teaches that the human race began with one man and one woman.  Any scientific theory of man's biological origin must agree with this fact.