Traducianism vs. Creationism
2021-12-28
When it comes to a person’s spirit and soul, are these things created by God directly at conception (creationism)? Or is it that all humanity was created in Adam, and the spirit, soul, and body are passed down from parents to children (traducianism)? (Note: when talking of creationism, this is not to be confused with creationism in the field of cosmology).
The Bible tells us, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). Adam was originally created “in the likeness of God” (Genesis 5:1), but after he sinned, he had children. His son Seth was “a son in his own likeness, after his image” (Genesis 5:3). Seth received the fallen spiritual nature of his father Adam. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). Again, we read, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psalms 51:5).
Also, we read how there was a reality of Levi in his ancestor Abraham. Levi “was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him” (Hebrews 7:10). Abraham met Melchizedek before Levi’s grandfather was born. This is not to say that Levi’s soul was in Abraham. Abraham did not have a multitude of souls swarming around within his body. But the reality of Levi was there, yet to be formed into the person Levi.
These things are evidence for traducianism. Regarding creationism, one might reference this: “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:9). However, for creationism to be the case, God would have to create people at conception, which means He either created sinners at conception, or they would have never been sinners (clearly false). God cannot sin: “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). He also ceased creation in Genesis 2:1-3; there was nothing left to be created.
We should see the spirit and the soul in the same way as the body to a degree. Genetic traits are passed down from parents to children. Likewise, spiritual traits and the like are passed down from our parents.
From the Scriptures, the traducian model seems to be the far better model. God does not create a soul of a person directly at conception. Everything needed to create every human being was created in Adam at the dawn of time. As with many subjects, it is likely far more complicated than we can know from study and observation.