Genetics and Sin
Introduction
There is a question that tends to float around sometimes taking different forms or possessing subtle nuances or variations. But, the question is not a new one, in fact, it is as old as time. The question is, where does sin come from? Whether we’re talking about Satan’s first sinful impulse, Adam’s initial sinful urge, or Christ’s sinlessness, this question is a pressing one. In times past this question was framed in different ways. “How do we inherit sin?” or sometimes even, “why or how was Jesus sinless?” But in recent times the question has been framed around genetics. Is sin genetic? Said another way, are we genetically predisposed to certain sins? This is the question this article seeks to address.
As of late in the reformed world, this subject has jumped to the foreground and is (for better or worse) a big deal right now, and since it’s a big deal, pastors ought to have answers. With all the discussion around ethno-centrism, ethno-nationalism, nationalism, Kinism, Christian Nationalism, the role of natural theology, et al, the question of genetic involvement is fundamental and has become a foundational component of these debates, even if some (regardless of side) aren’t quite aware of it yet.
Now, this article is not intended to discuss the various issues listed above, at least not in any comprehensive manner, but let the reader understand, that they are in the background of this question and are points that need to be dealt with. However, it would be far too simplistic and even irresponsible to make a passing remark. So, those will wait for another article. But suffice it to say, to get at the heart of those issues, I believe we must start at the base; at the fundamental building blocks of the matter – so, let’s start with the smallest block, our genetics.
Our Genetics
Let’s start with some background on genetics. Technically speaking, genetics is a field of scientific study[1] and inquiry into “heredity [which is] the process of a parent passing certain genes to their children.”[2] To put it another way, genetics is a “term that refers to the study of genes and their roles in inheritance . . . [it is] the way that certain traits or conditions are passed down from one generation to another.”[3] Genes, which are units of heredity, carry instructions for protein creation, which in turn tells cells what to do, ultimately giving function to the body.[4] Your genes, in other words, make you what you are as it relates to your traits and/or conditions – all of which come from your parents.
One important aspect of genetics, as it pertains to this conversation, is the realm in which genetics affect the human being – to what extent do they determine what (or who) we are. Our genes affect our physical being, our bodies, our outer man (to put a biblical label to it), like our height, hair color, skin color, eye color, natural talents and abilities, even abnormal traits like color blindness, skin patches, the diseases we’re susceptible to, or even our cognitive abilities via our brain. When we consider genetics the only realm in which they exist is the physical – they do not, and cannot, exist in the immaterial, for the simple fact that they are tangible.
Human beings have 46 Chromosomes, and we all get 23 from each of our parents – 23 from mom and 23 from dad. “These consist of 2 chromosomes that determine what sex [we] are (X and Y chromosomes), and 22 pairs of nonsex (autosomal) chromosomes. Males are "46, XY" and females are "46, XX."[5] In each pair of chromosomes, a person has one from mom and the other from dad, and these chromosomes carry effectively the same information - the same genes. At times there may be slight variations, but this occurs in less than 1% of the DNA sequence.[6] These variations may lead to genes not working properly which can amount to nothing, or it can produce an adverse dominant hereditary condition – a disease.
How Genetics Change
So, do genetics change? This is a pivotal question to answer, because if they change, then certainly they do (or may) play into our sinful tendencies. Well, the answer is yes, they do/can change, but it is a very qualified yes. Can someone born with "46, XY" chromosomes and wake up one day with "46, XX." Chromosomes? Can a five-toed kid go to sleep and wake up with a 6th toe mutation overnight? Certainly not. Clearly, there are some things, genetically speaking, that absolutely do not change – never can and never will. But is that true for everything? No. No, it’s not.
According to the CDC, “A genetic change (sometimes called a mutation, gene variant, or genetic variant) is a change in a DNA base sequence.”[7] These are generally the types that are passed from parent to child – they occur in the germ cells which come from mom’s egg and dad’s sperm. However, what about genetic changes that occur after mom and dad have conceived a baby? Can changes occur then? Well, the answer to that question is also yes.
Our genes express themselves in various sorts of ways and this is called Gene Expression. This is “the process of making proteins using the instructions from genes”[8] and yet these genes are not always active, or “turned on” so to speak. This gene expression is what allows different parts of the body to function as they ought. The way these genes become active or inactive is through a process called DNA methylation. “DNA methylation works by adding a chemical (known as a methyl group) to DNA. This chemical can also be removed from the DNA through a process called demethylation. Typically, methylation turns genes "off" and demethylation turns genes "on."[9]
DNA methylation is responsible for our gene expression from the moment of our conception to the moment of our death. Sometimes this gene expression is simply because we have different body parts that function differently. “For example, gene expression in the muscles is different from gene expression in the nerves.”[10] This kind cannot change. This gene expression, however, can also change throughout our lives – our DNA can change in other ways. However, the way this change occurs – the reason for it – is quite crucial. Sometimes this change can also come through “behaviors, such as smoking or exercise, or exposures in your environment”[11] and this all causes different gene expression.
Epigenetics
This particular way genetics changes has been called epigenetics. “Epigenetics refers to the ways a person's behaviors and the environment can cause changes that affect the way the genes work. Epigenetics turns genes "on" and "off" and thus is related to gene expression.”[12] In other words, the things around us, and the choices we make, the places we go, the food we eat, the way we handle our body, can actually change our genetics – they can actually change what the bible calls our “outer man.” Isn’t that wild? At a fundamental level this is intuitive. If we get blasted with a beam of radiation, we know it will mess with our genetics. We won’t turn into the incredible hulk, but we could lose our hair, our teeth could fall out, and we can ultimately die. Regular exercise strengthens our heart, going out in the sun makes your skin darker, eating loads of sugar makes you fat. The list could go on, but you get the idea.
In a person’s life there are gene expressions that are built-in, so to speak, like what was mentioned above, muscles are different from nerves or having a penis rather than a vagina. These cannot be changed in any natural way. However, what the study of epigenetics shows us that there are some genes that have the ability to change depending upon the environment (e.g. Air pollution), in which they exist as well as human decision (e.g. Smoking).
A Summary So Far
Can our genetics change? Yes. But, again, it is a very qualified yes. Although our genetics can change, that genetic change is generally benign or disease causing. Skin darkening from sun (UV light) exposure is generally benign, however, too much exposure causes melanoma, which is not benign, but a genetic mutation classified as a disease. This individual may be more susceptible to melanoma due to their heredity, or their gene expression may change due to external factors.
Nevertheless, what is important to understand about genetics from a biblical perspective and as it pertains to sin, is that everything spoken of above is entirely consistent with the bible’s teaching on what a human being is, albeit consistent with only one side of the human being: the outer man; the body. Genetics, in other words, can change our outer man but never our inner man. When we look at genetics, we only have the ability to see the material, not the immaterial. Genetics does not evaluate the soul; therefore, it cannot evaluate sin. Your hair color and texture, eye color, muscular makeup, height, your ability to grow facial hair, even your intelligence to a degree, are all genetic. They deal with your organs, your bones, your muscles, you physical self. But none of these evaluate the immaterial portion of your being. This isn’t because science doesn’t want to gauge that aspect but is because science is utterly incapable of completing that task. Science has no ability or mechanism to measure that which is immaterial. By definition the immaterial lacks physical substance capable of being directly detected by scientific instrumentation. Happiness, consciousness, spirituality, motivation, faith, thoughts, depression, love, sadness, attraction, compassion etc. cannot be measured – and will never be measured scientifically – but, despite their immateriality these are clearly real, tangible, and powerful aspects of humanity. If they weren’t you wouldn’t cry when you laugh or get sad.
The Needed Ingredient
The point in saying all this, is to show that the question “is sin genetic?” or “can we be genetically predisposed to certain sin?” is a question unsuitable to ask in the realm of genetics – it is simply not a question genetics has the tools to answer. It’s like asking Hugh Laurie for medical advice. Good luck. There is simply no sinful genetic expression; genetic expressions affected by sin, certainly, but none that are sin itself. There are no adultery genes, or murder genes or the ever sought after gay gene. Scientists may attempt to say things that make it appear that there is some genetic connection, like hormonal or chemical imbalances (of which there are no ways to determine) but there is absolutely zero – ZERO – proof to back these statements, only theories, which are nothing but the ideas of ignorant men who don’t care about God’s thoughts. Additionally, whether genes are on or off is entirely dependent upon conditions outside of themselves. They must be acted upon for change; they do not do the acting. Genetic mutations are either hereditary, and gene expression is produced by personal choice, or environmental factors. And all of this is external to the gene, so to speak. And there is no hereditary marker labeled “sin.”
This means that science doesn’t have the answer to this question. It means that science will never have the answer to this question. When scientific journals and articles are discussing the immaterial and you see things like “genetics may explain…” or “researchers theorize that genetics…” understand that they are trying to pull you into their godless ideology and make you materialists just like them by discrediting all the immateriality of God’s creation. It means we must look elsewhere for the answer.
Statistics
With the current iteration of the question this article seeks to answer, statistics play an outsized role. For example, someone might argue that since there is far more violent crime among black populations compared to white populations (which is undoubtedly true[13][14]) these individuals are genetically predisposed to those particular sins. Because violent crime, in other words, is rampant in the very small black population compared to the very large white population there must be some logical (genetic) explanation.
This argument, however, is one from psychological minds the likes of Freud, Rogers, Pavlov, Skinner, etc. This means that it is not from the mind of God, but is reprobate. In the psychological world everything (and I mean everything) is labeled as a disease. Go pick up a DSM5 and have a looksie. One example is “alcoholism.” Alcoholism is considered a disease, called “Alcohol Use Disorder” and is “a medical condition characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences.”[15] Further, the “scientists” and “psychologists” of our day will say that “there is a 50% chance of being predisposed to alcohol use disorder (AUD) if your family has a history of alcohol misuse.”[16] But this description smacks God’s description in the face. God commands us, saying “do not get drunk with wine” (Ephesians 5:18), and he tells us that all drunkards will burn in hell forever (1 Corinthians 6:10). So if God says that getting drunk is a sin, and yet the world calls it a disease, who is right? Are they the same thing? The world calls it a medical condition characterized by the inability to stop or control alcohol use. God calls it a sin, and all sin can be repented of (1 John 1:9; Proverbs 28:13) and forsaken forever. So, who is right? The psychological world that says a person may be genetically predisposed – from mom and dad – to alcoholism thereby having the inability to stop or control their drinking, or God who says that being a drunkard is a sin, which can and must be repented of and forsaken forever? If you’re a Christian, it must be the latter.
The reason the world has concluded that alcoholism is a disease is because of the “impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use.” Now, they are correct that people classified as Alcoholics have a compromised ability to cease their consumption of alcohol. But why is this? Were they born with an addiction to alcohol? No. No one is born with an addiction to alcohol.[17] Children may be born suffering the effects of their mother’s irresponsible consumption of alcohol, but this is not the same thing as addiction. But the reason there is this impaired ability to stop or control the drinking is because of the epigenetic change that has taken place due to the individual’s incessant consumption of alcohol. The body becomes a slave to the substance and is physiologically dependent upon it so that the wretched feelings of detoxification are not experienced. But this is not a “genetic” problem per se. It is a choice made by an individual that has altered the gene expression in their body resulting in addiction. Biblically, this is the principle of reaping and sowing. The person has reaped sin by a disordered love for drink and is suffering from natural recompense. Far form this being a disease caused by genetic abnormalities, this is a self-imposed problem that the scientific and psychological communities have tried to morph into a disease, so people don’t have to feel the shame and guilt of their sin.
When this argument is then transferred to an entire population – such as the black population – we are essentially succumbing to secular thought. If we look at the statistics and conclude that since murder is far more abundant in black communities than white ones, and subsequently conclude that these people must be genetically predisposed to breaking the 6th commandment, (just like the drunkard), we are guilty of having adopted a psychological mind, we have abused the study of genetics, we have neglected biblical doctrine, and we have removed all moral agency from the individuals we are labeling. Like it or not, if someone is told that they have a genetic predisposition to a certain sin, they have just been handed a “get-out-of-jail-free” card that they will wield anytime they are under pressure and succumb to their sinful pleasure. Because after all, it’s genetic, they were born that way.
If a married man with “Hypersexuality”[18] commits adultery against his wife and then the pastor says, “that’s a sin, you can’t do that, you must repent” and the man says, “but pastor you don’t understand, ‘the biological causes of sexual addiction include [my] physiology and genetics. Concerning biochemical imbalances, addictive behaviors are generally associated with differences of certain chemicals in [my] brain’ and after all ‘Neuroscientists [have concluded] that the possibility of [sexual] addiction for the general population is about 50% genetic and 50% environmental.’[19] so, really what am I supposed to do? This I just how I’m wired! I’ll repent, but this is out of my control!” The pastor will call him to repent, but if the root of the problem is genetic at any level whatsoever, then the nature of this sin has left the spiritual and has entered into the physical, in which case, you might as well repent of having blue eyes or a cleft lip. This kind of behavior has led our culture to pity the man with a “sex addiction” rather than demand he cease, control his body, change his desires, forsake his sin, and hold fast to his covenantal promises.
From Whence Doth Sin Come?
As we have already seen, genetics is a study of the material. All science is, actually, only the study of the material. It is altogether inappropriate to seek answers regarding the metaphysical/immaterial world from science, psychology, or the like. It is entirely inept in answering those questions.[20]
As Christians, therefore, where do we go to gain knowledge and wisdom regarding the metaphysical/spiritual aspect to our existence? That knowledge must come from God who not only is spirit, but also bestows spirit. This comes from the scriptures of course. And here too, is where we find the answer for where sin comes from.
There are several theories to this question, but I will address two. One theory is that sin is inherited through the father’s line – his seed. Because Jesus inherited his humanity from Mary, but did not have an earthly biological father, and he did not possess original sin, then original sin must pass through the father to the offspring - genetically. Since Jesus had no earthly father, he was sinless. Another theory is that sin nature passes spiritually. Original sin is immaterial and doesn’t need to pass along to offspring via genetics. It is passed along, universally and spiritually, by the virtue of all humanity being descendants of Adam. But, because God is ruler of all, he withheld original sin from entering Christ in the womb.
Let’s tackle these views one at a time:
1) Sin is inherited through the father’s line.
This possibility exists, frankly, because of the evolutionary theory and it’s strangle-hold on the minds of many. Fundamental to this worldview is materialism and naturalism. Naturalism is the philosophical belief that everything arises from natural properties and causes, and supernatural or spiritual explanations are excluded or discounted. Materialism is the doctrine that nothing exists except matter and its movements and modifications. Thinking, therefore, that sin could be passed down from a father, materially, through his seed, into a mother’s womb, is the wholesale endorsement of evolutionary foundations. This should frighten the Christan, because this means your mind is being renewed by the devil and sin rather than the scriptures and its logic.
But how can I say such things? This is because Jesus had to deal with this exact same argument during his ministry. The pharisees were convinced that their hands, cutlery, and dishes needed to be clean otherwise they would be sinning. The material condition of these material things was the cause of their sin. Their sin or righteousness, in other words, came through the physical nature of these materials. However, Jesus corrects this thinking with an incredibly clear teaching on where sin comes from. In Matthew 15:17-20, Jesus says,
“Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” (emphasis mine)
If we could change Christ’s words a little bit to fit the thesis, “to be born of human seed does not defile anyone. For out of the heart comes all sin.” What is the heart, you may ask. Biblically, the terms heart, mind, soul, and spirit, are used interchangeably to designate your inner man in contrast to your outer man (2 Corinthians 4:16; Ephesians 3:16 Romans 7:22-23). The inner man is the true you, your spiritual nature. This is why Proverbs 23:7 can say “for as he calculates in his soul (for as a man thinks in his heart), so is he,” and this is why Psalm 14:1 can say “the fool says in his heart…” rather than in his mind “that there is no God. This is why we’re called to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul, because this summarizes the entire inner you, this is the you that images God. This is simply how God speaks. So, when Jesus says that your heart produces all evil, he is, in no uncertain way, saying that sin comes from your inner, metaphysical/immaterial, invisible soul. It comes from the you that isn’t touched by genetics.
But let’s consider a couple examples. Adam, the first man was given life by way of pure spirit (Genesis 2:7) not seed. If ever there were perfect genetics to be had, Adam had them (Genesis 1:31). He had no original sin, and he had no evil seed from a father. This means that genetics can exist without sin nature, and that sin is not intrinsically bound to genetics.
Consider also, Satan and his cohorts. Whatever else can be said of them, they do not possess human genetics and are entirely immaterial with the ability to translate from one realm to the other. And yet, they are sinful without human seed all while being the product of God’s immediate and good creation.
One more nail in this coffin for good measure.
Ezekial 18:4-20 “Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die. If a man is righteous and does what is just and right— if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Isreal, does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman in her time of menstrual impurity…if he fathers a son who is violent, a shedder of blood, who does any of these things (though he himself did none of these things)…his blood shall be upon himself. Now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the sins that his father has done; he sees and does not do likewise…he shall not die for his father’s iniquities, he shall surely live…Yet you say why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father? When the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. The soul who sins shall die.”
Notice a few things. First, God could not say “the soul that sins shall die” if our sinning is a result of the genetics that we are handed down through heredity. That would either make God a liar or entirely unjust. Next, we have three generations of men here. We have a righteous father, followed by an unrighteous son, followed by a righteous son. These are two sons which are the product of the same seed from the same righteous man. God is very specific to point out that the first man is indeed very righteous, and yet his son is unrighteous, and the text is diligent to tell us that his father “did none of these [unrighteous] things” that the unrighteous son did. There was, in other words, obviously no genetic transference from one generation to the next, otherwise the son would be righteous. This is further solidified, when we see the unrighteous man produce from his seed a righteous son. Although this son saw all the evil of his father, he did not delight in it. Instead, he chose/desired a different path, a righteous path, and chose to be the opposite of his father. His desires – which are metaphysical – were different from his fathers’. What this text communicates without any ambiguity, is that sin is in no way passed through male seed or genetics. It is instead a choice of the heart. God shows that he holds us accountable for our own sins, not someone else’s. Sin is something we do, not something that is passed through our genetics.
2) Sin nature passes spiritually
Again, it is important and necessary to reiterate that our Lord tells us that “out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, [and] slander.” (Matthew 15:17-20). These sins come from the heart of a person, meaning the inner (immaterial) man, and because sin is independent of genetics or the material world, sin does not need a father’s genetic material to be produced or pass on. We recall, that both Adam and Eve were pure and sinless creatures, not defiled by any sin or a sinful nature, corrupted genetics, gang violence, racial disparity, population segregation, or any other ill we deal with today. And yet, they were each lured and enticed by their own desires, ultimately giving into those desires and giving birth to sin (James 1:14-15). Now, if someone is adamant in claiming that we do inherit sin, then we could only inherit it from one man: Adam. This is because one trespass led to condemnation for all men, and one man’s disobedience made all men sinners, and just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all men, because all sinned (Romans 5:12-21). However, even here, we inherit sin spiritually, not genetically. Adam was our covenant head and represented all of humanity in his created status as prophet, priest, and king. Adam failed, and so all those he represented also failed. So, even still, we may inherit Adam’s sin guilt but even here it is not hereditary, but spiritual.
To prove this point, it must be noted, that “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).
Original sin translated to death for all.
Salvation from death translated to being made alive in Christ.
Christ, the second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:47), produced the exact opposite of what Adam produced. Adam produced death; Christ produced life. Adam caused degeneration; Christ caused regeneration. Adam destroyed, Christ builds. Adam failed, Christ succeeded, etc. So how is righteousness and salvation from Christ passed to his people? It is passed spiritually, not carnally. If salvation is passed spiritually, then sin and damnation must, likewise, be passed spiritually, not genetically. However Christ operates in imputing to us righteousness and regenerate hearts is exactly how we must understand the degeneration of our hearts being imputed to us from Adam.
Christ, is therefore, not sinful because sin and the guilt of Adam’s sin was not imputed to him by virtue of his conception by the Holy Spirit, rather than the corrupted spirit of man (Genesis 5:3).
Relationship Of Body and Soul
Although we possess and inner and outer man, one should not assume that these exist independent of each other. Our bodies and our souls interact and can either positively or negatively affect one another. These two aspects of our being, however, must never be confused. They are connected, yet distinct. Like the Father and Son, they are both God, equal in power, might, and all the rest, but they are not the same. They are unified, yet distinct. Just like a husband and wife are one flesh, really and truly, yet they must not be confused. Being one flesh does not result in the loss or confusion of femininity or masculinity. Each stay entirely what they are, albeit, united. So it is with our body and soul.
We are what is called a psychosomatic union. The term psychosomatic originates from the Greek word’s "psyche" meaning "soul" or "mind" and soma, meaning "body." We are a unification of soul and body, by the design of God. This is why when you feel sad you cry. Your metaphysical self affects the physical tear ducts in your eye lids. This is why when you imagine having a heated debate with someone your heart may start to race. Your metaphysical self is affecting your physical heart causing it to pump faster and harder.
The question is though, if sin is spiritual, what role or affect does our physical body have on our soul in that sin? In other words, can the weakness of our bodies cause us to sin? If I have a poor diet, lack regular exercise, lack regular sex in my marriage, or spend time around people who cause me a lot of stress, will this make sin easier or more difficult? In each of these situations the correct questions need to be asked. It is not a matter of diet, exercise, sex, or sanity. The question is what do you want, what do you feel as though you deserve, and what are you willing to do to get it? If a lack of sex in your marriage causes you to watch porn and masturbate, and when caught you say something like “well, you wouldn’t have sex with me, so I had no choice! Its not my fault, you wouldn’t have sex with me!” Congratulations, you are of your father Adam. He too blamed his sin on his physical circumstances. If you are surrounded by people in your family or work who stress you out and you become sinfully angry because you “just want some peace” then you must recognize that you are an angry person. The people didn’t make you angry, you lack the ability to control yourself, and you are simply showing the real you.
James is clear. We sin when we are tempted by what we desire (James 1:14). It isn’t wrong to want to have sex with your spouse, but when you don’t get what you want what are you willing to do about it? No matter your circumstances, you can choose to live righteously according to God’s word, or unrighteously and blame your physical circumstances. Certainly, having a good diet, exercising regularly, and getting adequate sleep can be helpful, because they all aid in the proper functioning of your outer man, but if those things are not present for whatever reason, you and I still do not have one single, solitary excuse for any sin we commit. We can never blame our biting words, or short fuse on a lack of sleep. We sinned, because we did not get what we sinfully desired. That is all.
In Matthew 5:29 and 18:7-9 Jesus talks about cutting off our hands and gouging out our eyes if they cause us to sin. Why does he say this? It sure does seem as though Jesus is saying that our hands, feet, or eyes can cause us to sin, but is he really? To understand this passage properly, we need to compare it to other places that are more clear.[21] [22] In Matthew 5:29 Jesus says something very similar, but he adds a glimpse into the heart. He says, “everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” It is essential to remember that lust is metaphysical and begins in the heart (Matthew 15:19) not the eyes. Only after this does Jesus use the same language as before, saying, “if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out.” Jesus is clear, that there is a movement of the heart that takes place before the movement of the eyes. There is a sinfully disordered desire in the heart that causes the eyes to move. There is a proper order of operations here. The heart has longed for something, and the eyes have obeyed.
In James 1:14-15 James gives a wonderful explanation of how sin starts and where it comes from. James indicates that desire begets temptation, then temptation is conceived (it is entertained), then sin takes place and death occurs. This is on the heels of James telling us that God does not tempt anyone, because temptation is evil. Therefore, when someone experiences temptation, it is entirely because this person has desired something that is wholly evil. For instance, a man who desires no other woman than his wife, will not be tempted by other women around him. If, however, that same man desires other women in his heart, he will be tempted to undress other women with his eyes when they are around him. This is because sin always begins in the heart with our affections.
Our bodies are the medium through which our souls interact with the physical. And this is a glorious thing, because this is how the Lord has designed our being to function. The physical and the spiritual are both glorious, but our immaterial souls cannot interact with the material except through a medium. However, because our outer man is wasting away and subsequently, our inner man is being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16) it is evident that our bodies are but a lifeless shell without the soul that animates them. Our body cannot sin, in other words, unless the soul that causes sin is within it.
So, What About the Statistics and All Those Violent Crimes?
How should we account for these numbers? How do we account for major disparities of sin from one population to another? Well, as we have sufficiently proved, it is not due to genetic differences. After all, all human beings are 99.9 percent identical in our genetic makeup.[23] Literally, all the differences between people from height to skin color is from the remaining .01 percent. To attribute the escalation of violent crime in black communities to genetics is, therefore, far too simplistic (not to mention unbiblical) and will never result in the actual improvements needed in those sectors. It will also likely produce ethnic vainglory for the other non-violent-crime-ridden populations, and it will also cause covenant heads to relinquish blame and accountability for the condition of their people.
God, however, has not left us without answers to this most pivotal question. God has said that he “visits the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation” (Exodus 34:7). It is clear from other places that this does not mean that God will cause the son the suffer for the iniquity of the father (Ezekial 18:20) in the sense that the son will be guilty of their father’s sin. But what God is communicating is that there is a natural and expected trend of behavior from father to son. There are myriad expected negative behaviors that result from a fathers capitulation in the lives of their children. Generally speaking, how a son sees his father acting, speaking, loving, and leading will be what he emulates when he gets older. One only needs to look at the fatherlessness statistics in America to see the truth of God’s decree.[24] [25]
When we look at the example of Eli for instance (1 Samuel 2:12-36), we see that he was a capitulating failure of a father. He knew all the evil that his sons were doing, and yet he did nothing to restrain them (1 Samuel 3:13). In this, we see God visiting the iniquity of Eli on his children. They were deep in sin because they did not learn from their father how to honor Christ or live righteously, therefore God killed them and Eli.
Looking at the black population and seeing a drastic increase in violent crime, we must recognize that this is entirely due to the failure of the fathers who have led their sons astray. Of course, this is a complex problem in which the federal government has played an unfortunate role, and of course those in the black population are guilty of their own sin, but we must recognize that roughly 85 percent of incarcerated youth came from fatherless homes[26] and this is not an insignificant data point. This is the outflow of God’s promise to visit the iniquity of the fathers on their children. They do what they have been taught to do. They do what they know. They live out what they have seen exemplified for them.
The glory of viewing the problem of sin this way is immediately evident. This perspective recognizes that the cause of sin is not genetic, which means all who are affected by it can actually change, for the better, and forever. All that is needed is to seek the Lord and repent of sin which will lead to a forsaking of old ways to follow Christ all their days. Any genetic connection to sin is not only unbiblical but I also removes every scintilla of ability to give hope to the people in these circumstances and encouraging them to honor Christ, turn from sin, and walk in obedience.
Conclusion
Sin comes from the heart and everything people think, say, and do comes from the heart also. There is simply no way to adhere to the biblical witness and conclude anything else. Genetics is an important field of study that allows proper care for our outer man to get better as time passes, but it is no indicator of sin, whatever. If we are to be Christian, we must be adamant to view literally everything in this life through the lens of the bible. Everything, including science, statistics, politics, psychology, etc. must come under the sever scrutiny of God’s divine revelation and we must be willing to reject science, call foul on statistics, disagree with political movements, and dismiss psychological prescriptions if the scriptures require it, without blushing. Without hesitation, we must be a people of the book first and foremost, clinging to all that Christ has said, with exhaustive sufficiency, willing to die without boots on.
[1] You study genetics you have genes
[2] https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002048.htm
[3] https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Genetics-vs-Genomics
[4] ibid
[5] https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002048.htm
[6] ibid
[7] https://www.cdc.gov/genomics-and-health/about/
[8] ibid
[9] ibid
[10] ibid
[11] ibid
[12] ibid
[13] https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/topic-pages/tables/table-43
[14] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2782848/
[15] https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/understanding-alcohol-use-disorder
[16] https://americanaddictioncenters.org/alcohol/hereditary-genetic
[17] https://newday-recovery.com/blog/addiction-born-way/
[18] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22690-sex-addiction-hypersexuality-and-compulsive-sexual-behavior
[19] https://www.bps.org.uk/blog/sexual-addiction-symptoms-causes-consequences
[20] Psychology is (unfortunately) considered a science. The degree to which the psychological world works with the “soul,” therefore, is not in a metaphysical sense, but they would understand the soul (if there is such a thing) to be nothing more than the mind/brain. Even here they make no distinction between mind and brain, ultimately conglomerating the two causing a materialism fit for only for rank paganism. Thus, Christian integrationists are but derisory pawns in the secularists’ scheme, trying to combine fresh water with salt, and then claiming that the food is still too bland while their faces shrivel all in an effort to maintain their credibility and have a seat at the table.
[21] WCF 1.9 The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself; and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly.
[22] WCF 1.10 The Supreme Judge, by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence, we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.
[23] https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Genetics-vs-Genomics
[24] https://www.fatherhood.org/father-absence-statistic
[25] https://www.nolongerfatherless.org/statistics
[26] ibid
