How does Psalm 51:5 align with the doctrine of original sin? Authorized Text “Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; and in sin my mother conceived me.” – Psalm 51:5 Canonical Context Genesis 3 depicts the fountainhead: all humanity fell “in Adam” (cf. Romans 5:12). The verdict is reiterated: “every inclination of the human heart is evil from youth” (Genesis 8:21); “no one living is righteous before You” (Psalm 143:2). Psalm 58:3 intensifies the claim: “The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies.” Systematic Theological Synthesis 1. Universality Romans 3:9-18 strings OT texts to announce, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” 2. Federal headship Romans 5:12-19 unites the one-man fall with the one-Man redemption; Adam’s sin is imputed to all, Christ’s righteousness to believers. 3. Radical depravity Ephesians 2:1-3 describes humankind as “dead in trespasses… by nature children of wrath.” Thus Psalm 51:5 supplies the OT backbone for the doctrine later termed “original sin”: guilt transmitted through descent, corruption pervading nature, and death as its wage (Genesis 2:17; Romans 6:23). Intertextual Witnesses • Job 14:4 “Who can bring what is pure from the impure? No one!” • Isaiah 64:6 “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” • John 3:6 “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” Each corroborates congenital impurity and need for new birth. Historical Theology • 2nd-century Irenaeus: “In Adam we sinned, for he was all of us.” (Against Heresies 3.23.2) • Augustine, Confessions 1.7, cited Psalm 51:5 to argue infants inherit Adam’s guilt. • Reformers (Calvin, Institutes 2.1.5) invoked the verse as key proof of innate depravity. Cosmological and Biological Correlation A creation originally “very good” (Genesis 1:31) now groans under entropy and death (Romans 8:20-22). Mutational load studies (e.g., Sanford, Genetic Entropy, 2005) reveal accumulating genomic decay consistent with a recent fall, not uphill evolution, mirroring Scripture’s account of curse and corruption. Christological Resolution Original sin necessitates an original Savior. The historical, bodily resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) validated by minimal-facts scholarship demonstrates God’s remedy. The empty tomb, early creedal tradition (1 Corinthians 15:3-5 dated within five years of the cross), and post-mortem appearances supply public evidence. Romans 5:17: “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned… how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace… reign in life through the one Man, Jesus Christ!” Pastoral and Evangelistic Implications The verse pulverizes self-righteousness: sin is deeper than deeds; it is nature. Therefore: 1. Confession—like David, acknowledge inherent guilt. 2. Regeneration—plead for a “clean heart” (Psalm 51:10). 3. Proclamation—urge others: “You must be born again” (John 3:7). Conclusion Psalm 51:5 aligns seamlessly with the doctrine of original sin: humanity inherits Adamic guilt and corruption from conception, verified textually, theologically, experientially, and historically. Only the crucified and risen Christ overturns this inherited ruin, offering new birth to all who repent and believe. |
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