Why are we being punished
for Adam's sin? After all, he ate the forbidden fruit, we didn't. It's
his problem, not ours, especially in light of Deut. 24:16, which says children shall not be punished for the sins of their
fathers.
(painting by Raphael)
This is an excellent question and one that speaks to the fairness
of God, the justice of God and the grace of God. Have we borne Adam's sin?
The Apostle Paul makes a very clear statement of a process that took place, given the story of the
Garden: "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread
to all because all have sinned..." (Romans 5:12, NRSV) So here is written that it is each one of us who "pays"
for our own sins. Yet, then he writes, "For if many died through the one man's trespass..." (v.15) So
which is it?
These and other scriptures point to sin being introduced
by Adam, and thus spreading to the world. The Romans had a story of Pandora's box to explain the entry of sin into
the world, whereby one woman's curiosity, all of the evil things held captive in her box, were released by one person,
but she was not responsible for each person's transgression, only for releasing the "forces of transgression,"
if you will.
Sin was introduced by Adam, and humanity has followed suit.
So in v.18, when Paul writes, "Therefore, just as one man's transgression led to condemnation for all..."
it is because sin was introduced by Adam.
For those, who are not bible literalists,
and are open to entertaining the story of Adam and Eve, then it is simply the story, true or not, that offers an explanation
on how sin entered the world, not unlike the story of Pandora's Box.
