Thank you for the question on original sin, “Did original sin cause mankind to have Satan as their father? Is the meaning of life to open the door (quicken our spirit) and become righteous with God the Father?”
The topic of original sin has been debated by theologians. There are two basic views: inherited sin nature or personal sins. One can read about the two differing views on original sin.
Sin is missing the mark of fulfilling God’s command. The effect of sin is the lost of a relationship and fellowship with God. In other words, sin shifts a person from being God centered and under the rule of God to self-centered and under the influence or rule of Satan.
Ephesians 2 says this, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath” (NIV).
John 8 says this, “Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (NIV).
Thus when Adam and Eve sinned, they opened themselves and their descendants to being influenced by Satan. Adam and Eve knew the commands of God, but the desire to obey the commands has been corrupted in them. Was this a partial or complete corruption? Scholars debate that point.
Regardless of which view, no human beings except Jesus Christ lived a perfectly sinless life. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. They know what is good and evil, but the ability to choose continuously good over evil was lost. Man has become deaf to God and only hears the whispers of Satan. Thus Satan who is the god of this world is viewed as being the father of sinful people. They follow knowingly or unknowingly the ways of this world.
My understanding of original sin is that every human being inherits the sinful nature of Adam and Eve. It’s in our “DNA”, if I may use that term to describe our condition.
Jesus declared to Nicodemus that he must be born again if he wanted to enter the kingdom of God (John 3). Nicodemus had a physical birth in becoming a physical being. Nicodemus needed a spiritual birth in becoming a child of the kingdom of God. Jesus didn’t declare to him that he had to obey the Law to become a spiritual child of God. Nicodemus was called upon to believe by faith that Jesus is the Savior-Messiah of Israel. Jesus is the one who will pay the debt and penalty of sin so that God could forgive him and all those who believe in Jesus.
The moment a person believes in his/her heart that Jesus is the Savior-Lord, the Spirit of God causes a new birth in that person. That person’s spirit becomes alive and begins to perceive things from God’s perspective through the Scriptures.
Titus 3 says this, “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life” (NIV).
SUMMARY: When a person comes to faith in Jesus Christ as Savior-Lord, that person is transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light by the work of the Holy Spirit.
For more perspectives: