All Will Sin, But No one is Sinful at Birth: A Biblical Clarification

Dr. Peter A. Kerr

Abstract
This paper explains how Scripture never teaches human beings are morally corrupt or guilty at birth. The consistent biblical witness does affirm all persons will sin. This distinction—between inevitability and inherent depravity—is often collapsed in later doctrinal formulations but is not sustained by the biblical text itself. By attending carefully to scriptural language, narrative flow, and moral logic, this paper shows sin is presented as a universal outcome of human freedom in a fallen world, not as an inherited moral status present at conception.

The Question Framed Biblically

The Bible repeatedly affirms the universality of sin (Ps 14:2–3; Eccl 7:20; Rom 3:9–12). It does not, however, explicitly teach human beings are born morally evil, guilty, or corrupt in essence (Gen 1:26–31; Ps 8:4–8). These are later theological conclusions that exceed what Scripture directly states.

The question, then, is not whether all humans sin—Scripture is unequivocal on this point (Rom 3:23; 1 John 1:8–10)—but whether Scripture locates sinfulness at birth or at moral action (Deut 24:16; Ezek 18:20).

Scriptural Claims About Universality

Several passages clearly teach sin is universal in practice:

“There is none righteous, not even one” (Rom 3:10; Ps 14:1–3).
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23).
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves” (1 John 1:8).

Notably, these statements describe actual human conduct and lived experience (Rom 3:9, 19–20). They speak of what humans do, not of a moral condition ascribed at conception (cf. Gen 6:5; Isa 53:6). Scripture’s emphasis is historical and behavioral rather than biological or metaphysical.

The Moral Logic of Scripture

Throughout Scripture, moral responsibility presupposes moral agency (Deut 30:15–19; Josh 24:15). Sin is consistently portrayed as something people commit, practice, or walk in (Gen 4:7; Ps 51:4; Isa 1:16–18; Rom 6:12–13), not something they possess prior to action.

Key biblical patterns reinforce this moral logic:

• Sin is “done,” “committed,” or “practiced” (1 Kgs 8:47; Mic 6:7; John 8:34).
• Judgment is rendered “according to deeds” (Ps 62:12; Prov 24:12; Rom 2:6; Rev 20:12).
• Repentance presupposes a prior turning away from chosen wrongdoing (Isa 55:7; Ezek 18:30–32; Acts 3:19).

Even texts that emphasize human weakness locate sin in desire, deception, and yielding of the will (Gen 3:6; Jas 1:14–15), not in birth status.

Children in the Biblical Witness

Scripture repeatedly treats children as morally undeveloped rather than morally corrupt. Augustine and Calvin both misinterpreted Romans 5 and so claimed unbaptized babies go to Hell: “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--for until the Law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law” (Rom. 5:12-13 NAS).

Note that Adam’s sin brought physical death into the world, and that this explicitly says death spread because “all sinned” not because Adam sinned. One is not sinful until one sins. It would not be just to claim a son is guilty of the father’s sin. Finally, sin is not even imputed when there is no law—so people who do wrong without the law cannot be considered fully guilty in the same way as those who know right and still refuse to do it. Infants certainly cannot willingly choose the right or the wrong nor can they know the law so they cannot possibly be considered guilty at birth.

This is also evident in passages that distinguish those who “know good and evil” from those who do not (Deut 1:39; Isa 7:15–16). Children are described as lacking moral discernment rather than bearing moral guilt.

Jesus’ own teaching reinforces this pattern. He welcomes children, presents them as exemplars of receptivity to the kingdom, and warns against causing them to stumble (Matt 18:1–6; Mark 10:13–16). Such affirmations would be difficult to reconcile with a doctrine of inherent moral corruption at birth.

Problem Texts Reconsidered

Certain poetic or penitential texts are often cited to support innate depravity, especially confessional psalms. However, these texts are embedded in poetic lament and employ hyperbolic language to emphasize the depth of personal guilt and need for mercy (Ps 32:3–5; Ps 38:4).

For example, the most common “proof text” is “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.” (Ps. 51:5, NAS). This is clear hyperbole. It is a Psalm, it is during extreme duress, and the surrounding text says things like David only sinned against God (he also sinned against people) and verse 8 says God broke his bones (which He did not—just more hyperbole). To build a doctrine off this kind of verse is to disrespect all rules of hermeneutics and to do violence to the Word of God.

When interpreted according to genre and rhetorical intent, such passages underscore the pervasiveness of sin in human life without making biological or metaphysical claims about conception or inherited guilt (cf. Job 31:1; Ps 139:13–16).

Death, Adam, and Participation

Scripture does connect universal sin and death to Adam (Rom 5:12; 1 Cor 15:21–22). Yet the biblical language consistently emphasizes participation and imitation rather than inherited personal guilt. Death spreads “because all sinned” (Rom 5:12), not because all are condemned prior to action. Humanity shares in Adam’s fallen condition by reenacting his transgression pattern (Gen 3; Hos 6:7), not by being morally culpable at birth.

This preserves the biblical emphasis on historical solidarity without negating individual moral responsibility (Ezek 18:1–20).

A Modest Biblical Conclusion

Scripture teaches three things clearly:

  1. Humanity is created good and in God’s image (Gen 1:27, 31; Ps 8:5–6).

  2. All humans will, in fact, sin (1 Kgs 8:46; Eccl 7:20; Rom 3:23).

  3. God judges persons according to what they do, not according to an inherited moral status (Deut 24:16; Jer 31:29–30; Rom 2:6).

What Scripture does not teach is that humans are morally evil, guilty, or corrupt at birth.

Theological Implications

If sin is universal but not innate at birth, several theological conclusions follow naturally:

• Moral responsibility remains coherent (Deut 30:19; Rom 14:12).
• Divine judgment remains just (Gen 18:25; Ezek 18:25).
• Grace addresses healing and restoration rather than replacement of human nature (Ezek 36:26–27; 2 Cor 5:17).
• The image of God remains intact, though wounded and misdirected by individual and communal sin (Gen 9:6; Jas 3:9).

This reading coheres with Scripture’s portrayal of God as patient, just, and relational, calling humanity out of lived estrangement rather than ontological ruin (Isa 1:18; 2 Pet 3:9).

Conclusion

The biblical claim is not that humans are born bad, but that humans inevitably sin. Scripture names the tragic universality of sin (Rom 5:12) while preserving the goodness of creation (Gen 1:31) and the integrity of human agency (Ezek 18:20). Any theology that goes beyond this distinction should be acknowledged as interpretive development rather than explicit biblical teaching.

Scripture Cited Above (all in NASB)

Psalm 14:2–3 The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God. They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.

Romans 3:9–12 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.”

Genesis 1:26–31 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to everything that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so. God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Psalm 8:4–8 What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, All sheep and oxen, And also the beasts of the field, The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

1 John 1:8–10 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

Deuteronomy 24:16 “Fathers shall not be put to death for their sons, nor shall sons be put to death for their fathers; everyone shall be put to death for his own sin.

Ezekiel 18:20 The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

Psalm 14:1–3 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good. The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God. They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.

Romans 3:9, 19–20 (Verse 9:) What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; (Verses 19–20:) Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

Genesis 6:5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Isaiah 53:6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.

Deuteronomy 30:15–19 “See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days on the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,

Joshua 24:15 If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Genesis 4:7 If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

Psalm 51:4 Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.

Isaiah 1:16–18 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow. “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.

Romans 6:12–13 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

1 Kings 8:47 if they take thought in the land where they have been taken captive, and repent and make supplication to You in the land of those who have taken them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and have committed iniquity, we have acted wickedly’;

Micah 6:7 Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.

Psalm 62:12 And lovingkindness is Yours, O Lord, For You recompense a man according to his work.

Proverbs 24:12 If you say, “See, we did not know this,” Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts? And does He not know it who keeps your soul? And will He not render to man according to his work?

Romans 2:6 who will render to each person according to his deeds:

Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.

Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.

Ezekiel 18:30–32 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord GOD. “Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord GOD. “Therefore, repent and live.”

Acts 3:19 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;

Genesis 3:6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

James 1:14–15 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

Romans 5:12-13 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Deuteronomy 1:39 Moreover, your little ones who you said would become a prey, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, shall enter there, and I will give it to them and they shall possess it.

Isaiah 7:15–16 He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken.

Matthew 18:1–6 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Mark 10:13–16 And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.

Psalm 32:3–5 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.

Psalm 38:4 For my iniquities are gone over my head; As a heavy burden they weigh too much for me.

Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

Job 31:1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes; How then could I gaze at a virgin?

Psalm 139:13–16 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.

1 Corinthians 15:21–22 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

Hosea 6:7 But like Adam they have transgressed the covenant; There they have dealt treacherously against Me.

Genesis 1:27, 31 (Verse 27:) God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Verse 31:) God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Psalm 8:5–6 Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,

1 Kings 8:46 “When they sin against You (for there is no man who does not sin) and You are angry with them and deliver them to an enemy, so that they take them away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near;

Jeremiah 31:29–30 In those days they will not say again, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ But everyone will die for his own iniquity; each man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth will be set on edge.

Romans 14:12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

Genesis 18:25 Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”

Ezekiel 18:25 Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?

Ezekiel 36:26–27 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Genesis 9:6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.

James 3:9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.