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原罪

原罪是什么?婴儿也有罪吗?

What is original sin? Are even babies sinful?

简答 Short Answer

原罪是指因亚当的堕落,所有人类与生俱来就有罪性——不仅是后天学来的坏习惯,而是本性上的败坏。婴儿虽未犯实际的罪行,但同样继承了这种罪性。

Original sin means that because of Adam's fall, all humans are born with a sinful nature — not just learned bad habits, but inherent corruption. Infants, though they haven't committed actual sins, still inherit this sinful nature.

详细解答 Detailed Answer

原罪是基督教人论中最基本也最具挑战性的教义之一。

1.【亚当的代表性】罗马书5:12说「罪是从一人入了世界,死又是从罪来的;于是死就临到众人,因为众人都犯了罪。」亚当不仅仅是第一个人,更是全人类的代表。他犯罪的后果归算到所有后代身上——就像一个国家元首的决定影响全体国民。

2.【罪性vs罪行】原罪不是指某个具体的罪行,而是一种内在的状态——倾向于自我中心、远离上帝的败坏本性。诗篇51:5说「我是在罪孽里生的,在我母亲怀胎的时候就有了罪。」这不是说出生的过程有罪,而是说罪性从受孕就开始了。

3.【婴儿有罪吗?】从原罪的角度看,婴儿同样继承了亚当的罪性。这不是说婴儿做了什么坏事,而是他们的本性已经受到罪的污染。这解释了为什么不需要教孩子撒谎或自私——这些是自然就会的。

4.【婴儿的永恒命运】圣经没有给出完全明确的答案。但大多数改革宗神学家相信,夭折的婴儿蒙恩得救。大卫在婴儿死后说「我必往他那里去」(撒下12:23),暗示他相信会在天堂再见。上帝的恩典不受年龄限制。

5.【为什么这教义重要?】如果人本性是好的,只是后天被环境带坏,那我们只需要改善环境和教育。但如果人的本性本身就有问题,那我们需要的是从内而外的彻底更新——这正是福音所提供的。原罪的教义是理解救恩必要性的前提。

Original sin is one of Christianity's most fundamental and challenging doctrines.

1. **Adam's representation**: Romans 5:12 says, 'Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.' Adam wasn't merely the first human but humanity's representative. His sin's consequences are imputed to all descendants — like a head of state whose decisions affect all citizens.

2. **Sinful nature vs. sinful acts**: Original sin isn't a specific sinful act but an inner condition — a corrupt nature inclined toward self-centeredness and away from God. Psalm 51:5 says, 'Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.' This doesn't mean birth is sinful but that the sinful nature begins at conception.

3. **Are babies sinful?** From original sin's perspective, infants inherit Adam's sinful nature. Not that they've done bad things, but their nature is already corrupted by sin. This explains why children don't need to be taught to lie or be selfish — it comes naturally.

4. **Infants' eternal destiny**: Scripture doesn't give a fully explicit answer. But most Reformed theologians believe infants who die are saved by grace. David said after his infant's death, 'I shall go to him' (2 Sam 12:23), suggesting he believed they'd reunite in heaven. God's grace isn't limited by age.

5. **Why this doctrine matters**: If humans are naturally good, corrupted only by environment, we just need better education and conditions. But if human nature itself is flawed, we need radical renewal from within — exactly what the gospel provides. Original sin is the prerequisite for understanding salvation's necessity.

📖 经文引用 Bible Verses

📚 推荐阅读 Related Readings

  • Original Sin (Alan Jacobs)
  • The Imputation of Adam's Sin (John Murray)
  • Total Depravity (R.C. Sproul, Chosen by God Ch.4)