Created to be Slaves: Reexamining the Doctrine of Original Sin

One of the earliest debates in the church was over the nature of Sin, its transmission to subsequent generations, and its effects upon man’s nature. Two terms, “sin nature” and “original sin,” have become the prevailing terminology, yet there remains debate concerning the meaning or appropriateness of these terms. This discussion will examine and assess the doctrine of Original Sin through the prism of the metaphor of slavery as found and utilized throughout the OT and NT. Ancient Slavery, in its various forms, serves as the background for understanding the idioms and metaphors employed concerning the power and role of sin in the life of humanity and its effects, if any, on the nature of man. Slavery appears to be “a” or even “the” standard way of understanding an individual’s status and relationship to Sin and to Christ, and likely the original design and purpose of man.