The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life - EFFECT UPON OFFSPRING

 But, since we today did not disobey that law in Eden, why is it that we also get sick and die? It is for this reason: All of Adam's offspring were born after this disobedience. This his offspring inherited sin and death from him. All men inherit imperfection, because all come from Adam and Eve. As the book of Job tells us: "Who can produce someone unclean? There is not one." (Job14:4) Also, at Romans 5:12 the Bible explains: "Through one man [Adam] sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men." Just a perfect piece of machinery cannot be produced from an imperfect mold, so Adam and his imperfection could produce perfect children, free from sin. -PSALM 51:5 [50:7, Dy]. 

The effect of Adam and Eve's sin upon their offspring can be compared with what happened when people who ignore God's law and live immorally bring forth children. Such people may get diseased in the sex organs that God gave them to bring forth their children. The children of such "unclean" parents may be born physically or mentally damaged because of the sin their parents, So, too, our first parents became "unclean," imperfect and subject to sickness, and finally death. They could pass on their to their offspring only what themselves had: imperfection, with a future of sickness and death. That is why we all grow old and die, and we so easily do what is wrong.

Next time: The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life - EFFECT UPON OFFSPRING - Conclusion

From the jw.org publications