Corruption without guilt
A view held among orthodox Christians
The view that we inherit a sinful nature from Adam but not his guilt, so that each person is guilty only for his own sins.
Also called: corruption only, inherited corruption only
What it means
Some evangelical Christians hold that Adam's fall corrupted human nature, so that everyone is born with a bent toward sin and will certainly sin, but that God does not hold anyone guilty for Adam's act itself. Guilt comes when a person, able to know right from wrong, commits sin of his own. This view is common in some Baptist and free-church traditions, and it often goes with the belief that infants and those unable to understand are not under condemnation.
Holders appeal to passages that say each person bears his own sin, and to the sense that it would be unjust to blame anyone for an act he did not personally commit. They affirm that every person needs Christ, because every person does sin.
The Reformed confessions differ. The Westminster and 1689 London Baptist confessions teach that Adam's guilt is imputed to his descendants as well as his corruption passed on, and they read Romans 5 as saying that condemnation came to all through Adam's one trespass. They also note that the parallel with Christ depends on this: if Adam's guilt is not counted to us, it is harder to explain how Christ's righteousness is counted to us.
In Scripture
Holders point out that the son will not bear the iniquity of the father.
All agree that the human heart is deceitful and desperately sick.
The Reformed reply notes that judgment followed one trespass and brought condemnation.
One trespass led to condemnation for all people, as one righteous act leads to life.
By nature we were children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Where it comes up
Confessions: WCF 6.3; LBCF 1689 6.3
On this site: Creation & the fall
Related terms
Original sinHistoric orthodoxy
Because of Adam's first sin, every person is born both guilty before God and corrupt in nature.
PelagianismOutside historic orthodoxy
The teaching that Adam's sin harmed only himself, and that people are born able to obey God and earn salvation without inward grace.
Total depravityHistoric orthodoxy
Sin has affected every part of fallen human nature, so that no one can turn to God or please Him without His grace.