Do Christians Have the Sin Nature?  by Ken Speer

I often hear Christians refer to themselves as sinners, usually in the context of placing themselves on the same level as, well, sinners. (By the way, the definition of "sinner" is "one who commits sin"). While it is noble to not desire to place yourself above another, is it theologically accurate for a Christian to see himself as no more than a forgiven sinner? Has there been no change in our nature? It is, more or less, agreed that we are born with the sin-nature. Although, some hold the belief that we are not born with the sin nature but incur that nature when we sin, which we can't avoid doing. This belief is held, largely, because it causes difficulty to explain why we believe babies go to Heaven when they die, even though they haven't had nor do they have the cognizant ability to understand the opportunity to accept Jesus as their Savior. If babies go to Heaven when they die and they are born with the sin-nature, then it appears that there are two avenues to Heaven for sinful man, the blood of Christ and dying young. But, that's another article. Let's take a look at the sin-nature.

First, is there scriptural proof that we are born with the sin-nature? Well, yes. In Psalm 51:5, David writes that he was "shapen in iniquity" and conceived "in sin". Ephesians 2:3 says that we are, "by nature the children of wrath". Romans 3:9-10 states that there is none righteous, no, not one, that we are all under sin. Romans 3:23 declares that "all have sinned". How could this be? The Bible teaches that sin and death entered the world by Adam and "passed upon all men" through him (Romans 5:12). We were "made sinners" by Adam's disobedience (Romans 5:19).  This would mean that we are not made sinners by our own sin. Paul said that he was "sold under sin" (Romans 7:14). Who sold him? Who sold us? Adam. When we are born, we are by nature the children of wrath and we are sinners. Our nature is sinful from birth.

So, what is this "sin-nature"?  What causes us to, by nature, be sinful? Let's begin to break it down. Let's look at some scriptural descriptions of sinful man. Paul gives a good description of sinful man in Romans 7. He describes sin as something apart from man and something that acts separate from man and against the will of man.

• For those that are in the flesh (sinful), the motions of sins work in their members, bringing forth death. (verse 5)
  
• Sin takes occasion and wroughts (forms or fashions) all manner of concupiscence (strong or abnormal desire or appetite, especially sexual desire and lust - Webster). (verse 8)
  
• Sin revived when the law came, exposing sin for what it was - disobedience. (verse 9)
  
• Sin takes occasion by the commandment (law), deceives, and slays man. (verse 11)
  
• Sin works death in man, using the law to kill him. (verse 13)
  
• Paul says that he does what he does not consent to do and doesn't do what he does consent to do. He said that he does the things he hates. (verse 15-16) Then, he goes on to say that it wasn't him acting against his will, but sin that dwelled in him. (verse 17)
  
• Paul says that he desires to do good but can't do good. He can't do the good thing that he wants to do and does evil, which he doesn't want to do. (verses 18-19) He repeats what he said in verse 17, above. It isn't him rejecting good and doing evil, but sin which dwelled in him. (verse 20)
  
• Conclusion: Sin is something apart from man that acts on its own. Sin works in man's members, brings death, takes occasion, deceives, slays, works death, uses the law to kill man, dwells in man, and forces him to act contrary to what he knows is good, forcing him to do evil when he wants to do good. In Romans 7, man cannot control sin, but sin controls man. Man is the servant of sin (Romans 6:16, John 8:34). Paul reaches the logical conclusion that this is a wretched way to live when he says, "Oh wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"
  

As we've seen above, sin acts apart from man and forces man to act contrary to his desire to do good. Sin forces itself on man and has dominion over man, enslaving man. It is something more powerful than man and something of which man cannot rid himself. As Paul concluded, man needs a deliverer. So, sin is something separate from man. Through Adam, we are sold under sin when we are born. This is what we call the sin-nature. Let's break it down, further, and look into what constitutes this sin-nature. What are it's elements?

• As we have pointed out, the sin-nature is a force or power for it overpowers man and forces him to act contrary to his will. What is this force and from where does it come? In Ephesians 6:12, the Bible describes a spiritual organization against which man wrestles, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." In the previous verse, Paul speaks about standing against the wiles of the devil. One can conclude, then, that the forces described in verse 12 are related to the devil. Indeed, the devil is called the "prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of of disobedience" in Ephesians 2:2, the "prince of this world" in John 12:31, the "god of this world" in 2 Corinthians 4:4, and "prince of devils" in Mark 3:22-23. 1 John 3:8 says "he that committeth sin is of the devil". So, he is not just related to this force but is ruler of this force that controls man.
  
• The sin-nature is a law. "But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind; and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members" (Romans 7:23). Romans 8:2 calls this the "law of sin and death".
  
• The sin-nature is a position of inferiority. John 8:34 states that whoever commits sin is the "servant" of sin. Romans 6:16 states that "to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness." If the sinner is the servant of sin, then sin is the master for a servant serves a master. This position of inferiority was passed down to us by Adam who, as the sole representative of the entire human race, surrendered to temptation and committed the sin of disobedience, yielding himself a servant of sin unto death.
  
• Conclusion: when we are born, we are born subservient to a force or power that overpowers and enslaves us. We are born in a position of inferiority to this powerful force. This force is our master. We are born under the law of sin and death. Sin reigns in our members. We have the spirit of the prince of the power of the air working in us.
  

Does this describe the born-again, regenerated Christian? Let's see what the Bible says about it.

• Paul asks, above, "who shall deliver me from this body of death?"  He provides the answer in the next verse, "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 7:25).
  
• In point 1, above, we show that the sin-nature is a powerful force. However, Jesus Christ is a more powerful force; "greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4), he "spoiled principalities and powers", "made a show of them openly", and "triumphed over them" (Colossians 2:15), Jesus "is head of all principality and power" (Colossians 2:10) and he is "far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named" (Ephesians 1:21). All things are put "under his feet" (Ephesians 1:22). God has "given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is lord" (Philippians 2:9-11).
  
• The born-again, regenerated Christian finds his new identity in Jesus Christ. In Christ, we have a new position, one of superiority, not inferiority. In Ephesians 2:6, God has "raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus". When we were "dead in sins", God "quickened us together with Christ" (Ephesians 2:5). Jesus gives us "power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy" (Luke 10:19). We have "overcome the world" (1 John 5:4).
  
• The born-again, regenerated Christian has a new spirit or power working in him. No longer does he have "the spirit that now worketh in the children of of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2). He now has a "power" working in him that "is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20).
  
• The born-again, regenerated Christian has been made "free from the law of sin and death" by "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ" (Romans 8:2). Through the Spirit, we "mortify (destroy) the deeds of the body" (Romans 8:13). We are "delivered from the law" (Romans 7:6).
  
• Conclusion: the born-again Christian is delivered from the law of sin and death and lives under a new law, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ. The born-again Christian is free from the spirit that works in the children of disobedience and has a new, more powerful spirit working in him. The born-again Christian is delivered from the inferior position of servant to sin which had been surrendered by Adam to an evil, powerful force and takes on a new, superior position in Christ. 
  

• The born-again Christian is to reckon himself "dead indeed unto sin" (Romans 6:11).
  
• We are to "mortify the deeds of the body" (Romans 8:13).
  
• We are to not "live any longer" in sin. (Romans 6:2)
  
• We are to "walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).
  
• We are not to let "sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it" (Romans 6:12).
  
• We are not to "yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness" (Romans 6:13).
  
• We are to "serve in newness of spirit" (Romans 7:6)
  
• We are to "walk, even as he (Jesus) walked" (1 John 2:6).
  
• We are to "put off...the old man, which is corrupt" and "put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" (Ephesians 4:22-24)