The Sin Nature: Part 1

If we are to obtain victory over our sinful habits and addictions, we must first understand where they come from. The Bible tells us that "the wages of sin is death." (Rom 6:23) In the Garden of Eden, when God commanded Adam not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, He also told him, "IN THE DAY that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Gen 2:17). However, when Adam sinned, he didn't die that day, at least not physically. He did, however, die spiritually. In other words, He became separated from the Eternal Life of God. Having been separated from the Life of God, his physical body began to die. Where he once had free will to choose whether or not to sin, sin now became part of his very nature.

Because Adam is the physical father of us all, we all have his same fallen nature. "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psalm 51:5). We were all conceived in sin, meaning we were born with the same sinful nature as Adam. We began our lives "dead in trespasses and sins." (Eph 2:1). Just like Adam, we were born separated from the Life of God. According to Romans 6:17, we were also born as "servants to sin." In another place, we're told that "sin has reigned unto death." (Rom 5:21). In other words, without Jesus, sin will reign like a monarch on throne of our hearts. It will make us do horrible things to ourselves and to others.

As we look at the world, and at our own lives, the existence of this sinful nature is clear and obvious. All over the world, people are ruining their own lives, and taking others down with them, all because they can't control their sin nature. They're addicted to drugs, alcohol, sex, selfishness, greed, hate, racism, violence, and the list goes on. Even the nicest among us have something in their heart they wish wasn't there. Anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, gossip, laziness, procrastination, you name it. The worst part is, we continue doing these things even knowing they will hurt us and hurt the people we love. The only explanation for the depravity of humankind, the depravity of our own hearts, is the answer the Bible gives us, we are servants of the sin nature.

The only way to break the bondage of sin is to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Thank God, He has not left us without a way out of our depravity. "God demonstrated His own love for us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." While we were yet addicts, murderers, blasphemers, adulterers, liars, and thieves, God still loved us enough to provide for a way for us to to be redeemed. He provided the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, born of a woman, "in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh." (Rom 8:3). Our Savior, Jesus Christ, came to seek and save that which was lost. He came to redeem humanity. He suffered temptation in all points as we have, yet without sin. He became poor, that we may obtain riches in glory. He died, so that we could have Eternal Life. Though He was God, He became flesh, humbling Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. We owed a debt we couldn't pay, but glory to God, Christ Jesus paid a debt that we could never pay!

For all those who are willing to repent, receive Jesus into their hearts, and believe that He suffered and died a cruel death on the Cross in payment for your sins, God is offering you New Life. Life in communion with Him. He will give you a new heart, a new nature, and a new spirit. He will give you the very righteousness of Christ and count you as a law-keeper. He will give you spiritual gifts and give you a divine purpose. He will take away your evil desires and give you new desires. He will break the bondage of the sin nature and begin to mold your heart into the image of His Son. Instead of living in fear, hate, depression, shame, and guilt, He will give you a life of love, joy, and peace. All He asks is that you admit that you're a sinner in need of a Savior, and put your faith in His Son Jesus Christ. Whosoever will, let him come and take the water of life freely. He will turn no one away. He didn't come to save good, righteous men. He came to save ungodly sinners. For God so loved YOU, that He gave His only begotten Son, that if you will believe in Him, you will not perish, but have Everlasting Life.

Just say these words and believe them in your heart, "Lord, I admit that I've sinned against you. I've broken your law and rebelled against your commandments. I know there's nothing I can do to save myself, and I know I deserve to be punished for my sins. I repent of living in sin, and I believe that your Son Jesus paid the price for my sins. I believe that He came to this Earth, died on a Cross, spent three days in a tomb, and rose from the dead, having defeated sin, death, and Hell. Right now, I accept Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. I ask that you would give me a new heart, a new nature, and a new spirit. I ask that you would give me the Holy Spirit to help me live this life in service to you. I thank you that despite my sinfulness, you loved me enough to sacrifice your own Son to redeem me from my sins. In Jesus' name, Amen."

If you just prayed that prayer, and believed it in your heart, you've been born again! Heaven is throwing a party right now. The angels are rejoicing over the return of the prodigal son or daughter. You are now in the family of God, one of God's own adopted children. You now have a new, divine nature. The very nature of Christ. You are saved. After you die, you will spend eternity in Heaven! The next step is to make it public by getting water baptized. Then you should to begin to study God's Word and learn how to grow in grace and live in continual victory over the dominion of the sin nature. Not sinless perfection, but real change and real victory. Find a church that is preaching grace through faith in the cross both for salvation and for victorious living and begin to learn what is the height, and width, and depth of all that Jesus did for you. Finally, PM or email me if you need help or would like some additional resources.

To all those who read this, please help me spread this glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified all over the world of social media. This presentation might not be the greatest, but I trust that the True Witness, the Holy Spirit, will speak to the hearts of those who read. Let's preach the Gospel to every nation and tongue!