That people are born spiritually dead in sin has led to similarly erroneous teachings. For the Arminians, it led them to ask the dead to believe. For the Calvinists, it led them to do away with free will. For some others, it led them to consider only Christians can make it to heaven. And what more, God is portrayed as a Father who just folded His hands and did nothing but simply watched His children drown, why? Because He did nothing to forestall the change of Adam's nature but instead simply watched as it morphed from good to bad causing all his descendants to be born spiritually dead in sin. That unless people first believe they cannot be In Christ, presents salvation as one of works.
That people are born In Christ and therefore spiritually alive is beyond question. Other than biblically founded, it portrays God in a better light in that He did His best to forestall the change of Adam's nature from good to bad even if would cost Him His only begotten Son. All people, born before or after the cross, are placed in equal footing before God in that all were empowered and hence all are accountable. That it was God Who caused people to be born In Christ presents salvation as all by grace. Yet man's free will is not compromised, because overcomers will not be blotted out from the book of life.
That people are born In Christ and therefore spiritually alive is beyond question. Other than biblically founded, it portrays God in a better light in that He did His best to forestall the change of Adam's nature from good to bad even if would cost Him His only begotten Son. All people, born before or after the cross, are placed in equal footing before God in that all were empowered and hence all are accountable. That it was God Who caused people to be born In Christ presents salvation as all by grace. Yet man's free will is not compromised, because overcomers will not be blotted out from the book of life.