Inheritance of the original line
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, in this lecture, addresses an important theological question: does humanity inherit the original sin itself or merely the corruption of nature? He affirms that the Orthodox faith teaches that man inherits the very sin that entered the world through Adam, not just corruption of nature, and this is why humanity needed redemption.
🔹 Humanity in Adam’s loins
The Pope explains that all humanity was “in Adam’s loins” at the time of his fall, just as St. Paul explained in Hebrews that Levi was in the loins of Abraham when Melchizedek blessed him. Therefore, every descendant of Adam shared in the judgment of death that was pronounced upon him after the fall.
🔹 Meaning of the Psalm: “In sin my mother conceived me”
The Pope clarifies that this verse does not refer to marriage or physical birth but to the original sin that the mother inherited from Adam, through which it was passed to her children. Humanity is born into sin not because of personal wrongdoing, but because of the fallen nature from which it is born.
🔹 Answering objections
The Pope responds to those who claim that inherited sin makes marriage a vehicle of sin, explaining that marriage is pure and sacred, and God did not create it as an instrument of evil but as a means of life. Sin comes from misuse, not from God’s creation. God provided the way of salvation from original sin through the sacrament of baptism, which cleanses humanity from this inherited sin.
🔹 Difference between corruption of nature and inherited sin
If the problem were merely “corruption of nature,” sanctification would be enough; but since sin carries a punishment of death, there must be redemption, atonement, and the payment of divine justice. Thus Christ took flesh to bear the penalty on behalf of humanity and to grant forgiveness through His death on the cross.
🔹 Divine justice and redemption
The Pope teaches that God’s love does not cancel His justice; rather, justice and mercy met at the cross. God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, not just to express love, but to act — to forgive sin through the payment of its price. Christ’s sacrifice was not only emotional love but a redemptive act for the salvation of the world.
🔹 God’s love is active, not sentimental
God’s love is not an emotion but an act of salvation — a love that bears sin, forgives it, and redeems mankind from eternal death. The cross is not merely a symbol of affection but a sacrifice of redemption that lifted the death sentence and restored communion between God and man.
🔹 Spiritual conclusion
Man inherits original sin, but God, through His love and justice, redeemed him by the blood of Christ. This redemption did not abolish punishment but fulfilled divine justice through mercy. Therefore, Christian faith is based on acknowledging original sin, holding fast to the saving work of Christ, and living a life of repentance and holiness in God’s grace.
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