[grip_daddy]

Matthew 19:14. "But Jesus said: 'Suffer not little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

This verse does not in anyway say that children are born without sin. Reading Romans we find that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. This verse simply gives an analogy that children posses some aspect of ignorance and lack of rigidity enabling training to the matters of kingdom of God. It is easier to show a child the right path, than to make Mohamed_4 understand the precious knowledge of God's kingdom. It is easier to convince a child the importance of not drinking, smoking, clubbing, and all these wayward lifestyle, than to convince an adult to stop them. For children, the kingdom of God is open.

So everybody is born without sin and all children belong to the kingdom of heaven.

There is a difference between commiting sin and having a body that is unable to commit sin. At birth, the child has not commited any sin, but the natural tendencies that would be determined by the genetic information in this child make him potent to commit sin. All human beings are naturally inclined to evil, for no one can do right. This natural potency to commit sin is also in itself sinful, which made Paul cry that every time he wanted to do good, there was a law written in his body that inhabited him from achieving this good (see Romans 7
). This naturally written law in our bodies make us prefer evil over good. Envy over generosity, hate over love, war over peace, greed over contentment etc. The human heart is deceitful and evil, and thus no one can be said to be holy, though innocence is debatable.

Do you know that it was Paul who abolished the Mosaic law?

There was no law abolished by any. Read Romans 2, 6, and 7. Some of the laws ended because they were foreshadowing the first coming of Christ, and by His death such laws automatically became obsolete. Other laws were governing Israel as a nation which also became obsolete when that nation ceased to exist. Some other laws were universal (the ten commandments, healthy foods, relationships, and some civil laws) which are still applicable to any human being in any part of the globe. These laws hold forever and even Jesus said that no iota shall pass from the law.

Paul simply explained the meaning of justification as we see below.

Read Acts 13:39."And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses."

Justification is to declare one innocent or guilty in an open, free and fair court system. In our case as we had seen above, all humanity is guilty. To be declare innocent therefore, the price for the guilt must be paid. This price was paid by Christ at the cross so anyone who accepts that his debt has been paid is declared innocent thanks to the blood of Jesus.

For example if I owe you money and you take me to court so that I am compelled to pay you, and a savior comes to my rescue and pays you the some total of my debt, the court shall justly free me. This is the same justice talked about in the verse you quoted above. If on the other hand I refuse to acknowledge the paid debt, I would still be compelled to pay of which if I cant, the court will justly condem me to hard labour, or eternal death in case it is the heavenly courts.

So why do you believe in the resurrection if Paul himself, who never saw Jesus alive, admitted that this was his gospel?

I believe in the resurrection because the Old Testament prophesied that Christ will resurrect, that the gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, and John) who were physically with Jesus wrote that He resurrected. That Luke who questioned eye witnesses, also concluded that He resurrected. That Paul, despite having seen Jesus Himself, preached together with Peter who was the greatest disciple, and also concluded that Jesus resurrected.

2 Timothy 2:8. "Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel."

The above verse can be read as, Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead accordin to my (grip_daddy's) gospel. Basically what I am saying is that it is according to the good news (gospel) I am passing to you.

So why do you have to believe that he was crucified and raised from the dead?

Same reason as I believe in the resurrection.