Are Men Born Sinners? - Library of Theology

excuse for maintaining the doctrine of original sin. This kind of logic is absurd. For,
according to the doctrine of original sin, children are guilty and under the wrath of God
from birth, without any probation. It is hard to understand how the advocates of original
sin can swallow whole the injustice of being born in a state of guilt and condemnation,
and yet quibble over the supposed injustice of becoming accountable at a tender age. This
amounts to swallowing a camel and straining at a gnat.
With God, there can be no such thing as a "tender age" in the sense of an unjust age at
which children become responsible. God alone knows and is the judge of when a child
reaches the "age of accountability." He alone knows the thoughts and the intentions of the
heart. And, knowing that God is just, we know that God will not work unrighteousness in
this respect. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Gen. 18:25. Those who make
this objection seem to feel that God cannot be trusted with what is unknown to us. But he
can be trusted. God is just in all his judgments. The accountability or non-accountability
of every child is perfectly known to God. He "searches the reins and hearts" of all men.
He discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart." He will bring to light the "hidden
things of darkness" and judge the "secrets of men" in truth and righteousness.
The advocates of original sin need not fear that God will unjustly make children
accountable at too early an age. He can be trusted to judge righteously with the hidden
things of the heart. Truth, justice, and equity are the foundations of his throne. I Cor. 4:5,
Rev. 2:23, Heb. 4:12-13, Eccl. 12:14, ROM 2:15-16.
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Appendix C
The Rational Moral Nature of Man
That man is responsible and accountable for his deeds is so obvious that to try to prove it
would be something like a teacher of first graders trying to prove to them that the sun
exists. The class might well interrupt: "But teacher, we know that the sun exists. See,
there it is in the sky."
When God gave the law on Mount Sinai, he did not try to prove first to his people that
they were responsible and accountable moral agents. They already knew this because of
the testimony of their rational nature. They were as conscious of their responsibility and
accountability as they were that the sun existed. The law of God was already written in
their hearts before God gave them the law written upon tables of stone. They already
knew right from wrong before God said, "Thou shalt" and "Thou shalt not." They already
had a conscience and knew themselves to be accountable for their deeds before God
warned them of judgment for disobedience. They did not need proof of their