Every man that liveth in spirit understandeth well all this. This is the soul’s wretchedness and our mischief for the first man’s sin besides all other wretchedness and sins which thou hast wilfully added thereto. And know thou well that hadst thou never committed any sin with is thy body, either mortal or venial, but only this which is called original (for that is the first sin, and is nothing else but the losing of our righteousness which we were created in), thou shouldst never have been saved, had not our Lord Jesus Christ by His precious Passion delivered thee, and restored thee again. (John Climacus)

I disagree with almost every aspect of what Climacus writes here.

The concept of original sin has poetic power to explain human pride. I do not perceive it explains God's precise intent.

The notion of trading the pain of Jesus for our sin has never comported with my understanding of God's justice.

What I understand of the life and example of Jesus is that God loves us, wants us to live a whole and fulfilling live, and is ready to help us claim that potential.

Sin separates me from God and from my best self. Working with God to stop my sinning remains important, but for reasons different than those Climacus gives here.