When does a person exactly become a sinner? When a baby is born, it doesn’t seem to have committed any sin. When does a baby exactly become a sinner? Thanks.
Before answer the question, I want to explain what sin is. Sin not only is some deeds and behavior, the essence of sin is the broken personal relationship with God and with others. Since Adam did sin against God, all human beings live in a broken relationship with God, we don’t know God or His truth, we have no real life without God in our life, and we worship all kinds of idols. We commit sin first to God, because we don’t have a right relationship with God, we have no God’s love in our heart, so we also have broken relationship with others. And we commit all kinds of evil things to others. Only through Jesus Christ, we can come before God again, and become His precious children and receive eternal life.
So the conclusion is the babies also are sinners, it is not because they commit any sin, but because they are the sons of Adam, and are in a broken relationship with God. When they grow up, they know Jesus and receive Him as their Savior, they can get salvation.
But here I want to point that I believe babies are sinners, but I also believe there is special grace and mercy from God to those babies who died early and didn’t grow up and those who lived before Jesus Christ. God’s justice and also is merciful. I shred the basic biblical principle but I have no ability to know all His work.
Thanks. If you have other questions, welcome to reply.
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Thank you for your reply @Steven. This is definitely a starting point for me to study about this topic more. I have heard about this many times still it is hard for me to catch it. Thank you for your reply though. Appreciate it.
We are born in sin.
Psalm 51:5 New International Version (NIV)
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
and
Job 5:7 New International Version (NIV)
7 Yet man is born to trouble
as surely as sparks fly upward.
So, yes, babies are sinners. As Voddie Baucham often says “That’s a viper in a diaper!” The reason God made them small is so they won’t kill us, and the reason God made them so cute is so we won’t kill them!
To expand on the concept of being born in sin, see this in your own Bible:
Romans 5:12-21 New International Version (NIV)
Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.
15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
As much as we try to find exceptions the truth is “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” - Romans 3:23
All means all.