Johann,

That's a faithless question, because the Bible says "all have sinned." Either you don't believe the Bible, or you don't believe that babies are people. It's one or the other.

In other words, whether we like to think ourselves capable of understanding all the reasons for "how," "why," or "wherefore," the Bible is a superior guide and support to human reasoning. I have presented here on this forum some of the "how," but perhaps not all like to accept it at true.

If you hear people complaining all the time about things, do you find yourself tending to resonate with their view? Now, consider that the newborn has been "resonating" with its mother for many months--is that mother perfect? Hardly. And the baby has picked up on the mother's habits.

One point that must be made clear: it is possible to sin without knowing it. If one is ignorant of the law of God, the law is still the law. Sin is transgression of the law, NOT "willful, knowing transgression of the law." We might all agree that the baby does not realize his or her own sinfulness. He or she may not have willfully sinned, and likely has little to no knowledge of the law of God at birth. Such ignorance does not mean it cannot have transgressed the law.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Your comments are on a question never asked.

Green, is your thinking too close to the Roman Catholic concept - without realizing it - for you to understand the question I asked?

Perhaps Johann's thinking is close to that of the Roman Catholics--only the priests should interpret the Bible to the people.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

How has an infant sinned the moment it comes out of the mother?

Excellent question. It's hard to imagine sweet, innocent, helpless things doing anything wrong. Infants have legitimate needs - food, water, love, comfort, etc. However, there is "none righteous," all are "by nature the children of wrath," therefore, infants cannot prevent themselves from sinning as they seek to meet and express their needs. I'm in California right now visiting my cousin and his family. They have an infant. So cute. But, man oh man, she sure can throw a fit. Her screams remind me of horror shows. Wow. I'm certain Jesus does not hold her accountable for her scary outbursts. He paid the price for her sins. But eventually she'll reach a point where she must repent or perish.

I take "nature" to mean what we do by default - naturally, automatically, instinctively. To do otherwise we must be born again and partake of the "divine nature," which enables us to use our faculties of mind and body to mature in the fruits of the Spirit. The result of acting out either "nature" is character - old man or new man.