ORIGINAL GOODNESS

When I was growing up even into adulthood and theological education in seminary, the doctrine of original sin was placed front and foremost into our thinking and acting. In essence, we were born with this black mark on our soul because of the sin of our original parents (parable-wise: Adam and Eve). The only way to erase that black mark was through the waters of baptism.

That was bad enough. What was even worse, at least back then, was that those who had not been baptized would not enter heaven upon there death. Worst of all was that the only baptism that counted was Roman Catholic baptism. Thankfully, at least that belief was passé by the time I began studying theology immediately following the end of Vatican II. But original sin still showed its ugly face.

The truth, of course, is that we are indeed “marked”, influenced by that first sin whatever it was because the even greater truth is that those first human being who could think were born in original goodness. Once they did something that was not so good, called “sin”, they lost that perfect goodness forever. After that everyone born into this world is born into a world where sin happened. It is unavoidable.

But being born into a world where sin and selfishness are a way of life does not mean that we are born in sin or even with the mark of that original sin on our very soul. Being born into a sinful world is not the same as being born sinful. We are born, like those first humans, into original goodness. If we have the slightest doubt about that truth, all we have to do is just hold a baby in our arms: goodness personified!

For that baby there will come a time when he or she commits his or her original sin, first sin, the first time that human being deliberately says or does something knowing full well that it is wrong and selfish. Up until that time that person is living in original goodness. Even more importantly to remember is that that goodness does not immediately vanish upon the commission of that first sin.

We remain good from birth to death because we are the creation of a God who is infinite Goodness and everything that God creates remains forever good despite what that good person does in this life. That does not mean that we are given carte blanch to do whatever we want because God always forgives us. It does mean that we always have it within us to come to our senses and admit our sins and repent.

All of which brings us back to baptism whose main purpose is to welcome us into a community of likewise good and yet sinful and repentant people who will love and support us in our journey through life, helping us to always do the best we can; and when we do not, realize our mistakes, try to redress the hurt we have caused, learn from what we have done, and continue being the good person we have been from birth.