What does "from birth you have not obeyed" teach about original sin? The Verse Under the Microscope Isaiah 48:8: “You have never heard nor understood; indeed, from of old your ear has not been opened. For I knew that you were deceitful; from birth you were called a rebel.” What the Words Reveal about Our Condition • “From birth” points to the very beginning of human existence, not merely the first act of conscious wrongdoing. • “You were called a rebel” (paralleled in other translations as “you have not obeyed”) shows that rebellion is a defining label, not an occasional lapse. • God Himself gives the assessment, so the diagnosis is infallible and universal. Original Sin—Key Features Highlighted by the Phrase • Inherited nature – Psalm 51:5: “Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me.” – Psalm 58:3: “The wicked are estranged from the womb; the liars go astray from birth.” • Universal reach – Romans 5:12: “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.” – Ecclesiastes 7:20: “Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” • Internal, not merely external – Ephesians 2:3: “We were by nature children of wrath.” – Proverbs 22:15: “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child.” Tracing the Theme through Scripture 1. Genesis 3: Adam’s transgression corrupts the race. 2. Job 14:4: “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one.” 3. Isaiah 53:6: “All of us like sheep have gone astray; each has turned to his own way.” 4. Romans 3:10–18: A comprehensive catalog of universal corruption. Every passage echoes Isaiah 48:8—the human problem starts at birth and flows from the heart. Why This Matters Today • Explains why even the youngest display selfishness without being taught. • Exposes the futility of self-reformation apart from divine grace. • Levels the playing field: all need the same Savior, regardless of background. Christ—The Only Cure for Inborn Rebellion • Romans 5:19: “Through the obedience of the One, the many will be made righteous.” • 2 Corinthians 5:17: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” • John 3:3: “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Original sin begins at birth, but new birth in Christ provides a new nature, new desires, and the power to obey. |
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