The following is taken from John A. Tvedtnes, Joseph Smith and the Ancient World (unpublished):
Origen, a noted early third-century A.D. Christian
theologian, alluding to Romans 5:13 and 7:9, wrote that sin is not imputed
until “at a certain age when a person begins to be capable of reason and to be
able to discriminate right from wrong and justice from injustice, at that time
sin, which previously was considered as if dead amongst man, is said to revive”
and that Paul “once lived apart from natural law, namely in his childhood,
before he was capable of reason. For at that age the power of distinguishing
right and wrong was not yet dwelling within him, nor was the ability to
consider what is proper and what is improper accessible” (Commentary on
Romans 5.1.24, 26).1437 He further wrote that Paul “shows that in
childhood, before anyone has the capacity to distinguish between good and evil,
one is said to be without law. Even if he sins, the sin is not imputed to him
since there is no law in him. But when he receives the capacity for
distinguishing between good and evil, it is said that the law has come to him
and has given commandments to him” (Commentary on Romans 3.2.8).1438 Epistle
of Barnabas 6 declares that those who are baptized “possess the soul of
children, inasmuch as He has created us anew by His Spirit.”1439
Notes for the Above:
1437 Thomas P. Scheck, Commentary on the Epistle to
the Romans Books 6-10 (Washington, DC: Catholic University of America,
2001-2), 1:317-8.
1438 Ibid., 1:190.
1439 Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, Ante-Nicene
Fathers, 1:140.
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