The BFM2000 teaches that through the sin of Adam, 'sin came into the world,' and as a result, all human beings are now 'sinners, not by constraint, but by choice.' The document affirms that humanity is born in a state of spiritual corruption and that every person is 'inclined toward evil' and in need of redemption.

While the SBC affirms the reality of universal human sinfulness and corruption stemming from the Fall, there is some internal diversity on the precise mechanism of original guilt. Most SBC theologians affirm that Adam's sin resulted in both a corrupted nature transmitted to all descendants and some form of representative guilt. The more Calvinist wing emphasizes total depravity — that every aspect of human nature is affected by sin. Non-Calvinist Baptists sometimes soften the language around imputed guilt of Adam's specific act while affirming universal moral corruption.

All Southern Baptists agree that humans cannot save themselves, that all are sinners before God, and that redemption through Christ is the only remedy for the human condition. The BFM2000 does not specify a detailed theory of transmission (Augustinian realism, federalism, etc.), leaving room for theological discussion within its general affirmation of the Fall.