Episode 6 —

What if we’ve misdiagnosed the human problem?

Many Christian traditions begin with inherited depravity — the idea that we sin because we were born corrupt at the root. But Scripture may emphasize something even more foundational: death and the fear it produces.

In this episode, we explore whether mortality — not metaphysical corruption — is the deeper engine beneath human sin.

Core Question

Do we sin because we are sinners?

Or are we sinners because we sin?

And if we sin, is it because we were born evil — or because we were born mortal?

The Biblical Frame

Hebrews 2:14–15

Humanity is described as enslaved “through fear of death.” The bondage is existential and lifelong.

Genesis 3

The first recorded response after the fall is fear:

“I was afra ...