Origin of evil
Free will
Christianity teaches that God gave humans free will. This is the ability for humans to make their own decisions. It means that although God made a world and it was good
, it is up to humans whether they choose to do good or bad deeds.
What does Christianity say about the origin of evil?
Many Christians believe that evil is the result of Adam and EveThe first human beings according to Judeo-Christian and Islamic traditions.'s disobedience to God. In the Garden of EdenAccording to the Bible, the perfect place that God made for man and woman at the start of creation., Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. God punished Adam and Eve for their actions, and the punishment was to endure suffering in life. This is known as 'the fall'.
Some Christians believe that all people inherited the tendency to sin from Adam and Eve. This belief is called original sin The transference of Adam and Eve鈥檚 breach of God鈥檚 trust to all of humanity.. According to this belief, all humans are born with a tendency towards evil and the ability to cause suffering.
In GenesisThe first book of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) describing the origins of humanity and humans鈥 relationship with God. it states:
...the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth.
Many Christians also believe that as well as a power for good (God) there is also a power for evil. Christians refer to the power for evil as SatanName for the devil. or the Devil. Satan is traditionally thought to have been an archangelAn angel of a higher rank. who disobeyed God and so was thrown out of heaven.
Question
Describe the Christian beliefs in original sin.
The term original sin refers to the belief that sin entered the world when the first humans, Adam and Eve, ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. God found out that the fruit had been eaten and told Adam and Eve that they would now suffer as a result of this sin. Some Christians now believe that all humans are born with this original sin.