Are children born with the guilt of sin?

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What’s Your Question? for Dec. 16, 2009

The doctrine of Calvinism says children inherit sin. David’s statement in Psalm 51:5 is misused to try to prove this doctrine. Read the context, verses 1-6 and note his references to his own transgressions. He was lamenting his struggle with sin, not blaming his mother. Catholics invented the doctrine of the immaculate conception of Mary (born without sin) to avoid Jesus inheriting sin. The spirit of man was made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). Likewise spirits of children come from God (Eccl. 12:7; Heb. 12:9). Zechariah said God “forms the spirit of man within him” (Zech. 12:1). Ezekiel said “the son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son” (Ezek. 18:20). If the spirit of a child is born with sin, the sin came from God!