This is a profound question that many people struggle with. If we did not choose to be born, how can God hold us accountable for our sins? The Bible provides insight into this complex issue.
To start, the Bible makes it clear that all people are sinful by nature ever since Adam and Eve’s original sin (Romans 5:12). We inherit a sinful nature from birth. So even though we did not choose to be born, we are still born with a tendency towards sin.
Additionally, the Bible teaches that God is completely sovereign over everything, including the circumstances of each person’s birth (Psalm 139:13-16). As the Creator, He has the right to put us wherever and whenever He chooses. Our lives are in His hands.
At the same time, God has given humans free will to make our own choices. We are not robots or puppets; God allows us to freely choose whether to follow or rebel against Him. No one is forced to sin against their will; we all make sinful choices willingly (James 1:14-15). So even though we inherit a sinful nature, we are still accountable for the sins we commit.
Furthermore, the Bible makes it clear that everyone has an inherent knowledge of God and His moral law inside them (Romans 1:18-20). We all have a conscience that convicts us when we do wrong. So people are truly without excuse for their sin, even if they did not consciously ask to be born.
In addition, God has revealed Himself generally through creation (Psalm 19:1-4) and specifically through His Word and Jesus Christ. So every person born has access to knowledge of God and the opportunity to repent. No one is condemned arbitrarily or without revelation from God.
Lastly, God is perfectly just. He would not hold people accountable for what they did not choose or have control over. But He knows our hearts completely, and the Bible assures that His future judgement will be perfectly fair (Romans 2:5-6). No one will suffer injustice.
In summary, even though we did not ask to be born, we all choose to sin willfully against the knowledge of God and moral law inside us. God is sovereign, yet also gave us free will. Through His general and specific revelation, every person has the opportunity to repent and follow Him. And we can trust God to judge with perfect justice. So He is reasonable and fair in holding each person accountable for their own willing sins.
We Are Born with a Sin Nature
The Bible clearly teaches that all people inherit a sinful nature from conception due to Adam and Eve’s original sin. King David said, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psalm 51:5). We are born with a natural tendency towards sin engraved in our hearts.
The apostle Paul expands on this idea: “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned…” (Romans 5:12). We are all born under the curse of sin and death because of Adam’s disobedience.
Paul goes on to explain, “For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:19). Adam’s original rebellion made us all sinners by nature, while Christ’s obedience makes righteousness available to all by faith.
So the Bible clearly states that, even from conception, all people have a sinful bent they inherited from Adam. We did not have a choice in this matter. Every human starts life with a nature inclined towards sin and independence from God.
God is Sovereign Over Our Lives
Another key biblical truth is that God is completely sovereign over all of human existence, including the details of each person’s birth. King David recognized this and praised God:
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” (Psalm 139:13-16).
God intimately forms each person in the womb and oversees all the days of their life before they are even born. He is purposeful in how He creates each individual.
The apostle Paul elaborates that God “determined allotted periods and the boundaries of [each person’s] dwelling place, that they should seek God…” (Acts 17:26-27). The sovereign Lord places each person exactly when and where He intends.
So while we do not choose the time period, country, or family we are born into, God does. As the all-powerful Creator, He has the authority and wisdom to ordain the specifics of each human life for His purposes.
We Have Free Will to Choose Sin
At the same time as God’s sovereignty, the Bible also teaches that humans have free will. We are not robots or puppets programmed to mechanically carry out God’s decrees. God allows us to make real choices that have real effects.
James explains, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:14-15). Our own evil desires lead us into sin when we choose to indulge them.
And Moses told the Israelites, “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live…” (Deuteronomy 30:19). God invited His people then and invites us now to make the choice for righteousness.
So while we are predisposed towards sin, we are never forced against our will to think, speak, or act sinfully. Each person makes choices to sin willingly based on their own desires. We are morally accountable since we have the freedom to choose obedience or disobedience.
We All Have Inherent Knowledge of God
A third relevant biblical truth is that every person has an intuitive knowledge of God and His moral standards. The apostle Paul writes:
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:18-20).
So through creation, God has placed an inner awareness of Himself and a moral conscience within every person. We all have a sense inside that certain things are right and others are wrong.
Paul goes on to say that humans choose to suppress this inherent knowledge in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18). But the fact remains that everyone has an intuitive understanding of God and morality from birth. This means all people have accountability before Him for how they respond to their conscience.
God Has Revealed Himself to All People
Not only do we all have an inward knowledge of God, but the Bible teaches He has also revealed Himself to all people in creation. King David proclaimed:
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4).
God’s existence, power, and wisdom are clearly displayed in the natural world for all to see. His general revelation is available to every human in every nation.
Furthermore, God has revealed Himself through specific, supernatural revelation. He has spoken through His Word, the Bible, and most clearly through His Son, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-3). The gospel message about Christ has gone out to all nations (Matthew 24:14).
So in addition to creation, every person born has access to the knowledge of God revealed in Scripture and the person of Jesus. The light is available if they choose to seek it (John 1:9). No one is without a witness of God.
All People Have the Opportunity to Repent
Importantly, the Bible makes it clear that while all people are born with a sinful nature, everyone also has the opportunity to repent, believe, and follow God. The apostle Peter proclaimed:
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).
God does not desire that any person perish because of their sins but wants all people to have a chance to repent. His patience gives opportunity for repentance.
Paul explained to the Athenians, “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed…” (Acts 17:30-31).
Though we are born in ignorance of God, His revelation calls everyone everywhere to repent. No one is condemned without opportunity to turn to God because He is patient and commands all to repent.
God Will Judge Perfectly
A final assurance from Scripture is that God will judge each person with perfect justice. Paul writes:
“But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works…” (Romans 2:5-6).
We can be confident that God will judge accurately based on each person’s heart and deeds. He will not arbitrarily condemn people for things outside their control. He will assign perfect justice to each individual.
In summary, Scripture gives us profound insights into why God holds people accountable for sin even though we did not ask to be born. We inherit a sinful nature but still choose to sin willfully. God is sovereign yet gave us free will. His general and specific revelation gives light to all. Each person has opportunity to repent and follow Him. And we can trust God to dispense perfect justice to each human being.
Conclusion
The fact that we did not ask to be born does not absolve us from accountability for our willing sins. Upon conception we inherited a sinful nature from Adam. But God in His sovereignty also gave us free will to choose obedience or disobedience. Through inward conscience and outward revelation, God makes Himself known to all people. And He is patient so that each person has the opportunity to repent and believe. We can have confidence that when God judges, He will do so with perfect fairness. Though our situation is complex, we can trust the justice and mercy of God.