THE MATTER OF YOUR SIN NATURE – REAL OR IMAGINED?
[A]. PART 1. THE REASON BEHIND THIS
A Christian wrote to me from the United States with a biblical question because she was confused with a posting by someone on Facebook.
This is what she explained, [[“He said that Jesus' death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins, but to be forgiven, each person has to receive Him as their Savior. They don't receive forgiveness or eternal life if they believe He was God and died on the cross for them. He goes on to say that's the difference between justice and forgiveness.”]]
Well, if you are sound in doctrine you might be scratching your head right now. What that “bible teacher” said started as true, for Jesus’ death on the cross did pay the penalty for our sins. The next thing he said was that “They don't receive forgiveness or eternal life if they believe He was God and died on the cross for them.”
Now, maybe that is an example of what your mind knows but the written words are lacking proper expression, thus contradicting what your believe. Perhaps the person thought, “Just to believe in God and that Jesus died on the for us is not enough. We must receive Him as personal Saviour.” However I can not exactly speak for that “bible teacher” on that point.
The bible teacher then continued to say that's the difference between justice and forgiveness. What would he have meant by that? I can’t say because I am not in his mind. If we give him the credit for what he said, then we have to understand the difference between justice and forgiveness IN HIS MIND.
Maybe what he is saying is that Jesus’ death on the cross for forgiveness of sins is justice, BUT the forgiveness can only come through personal faith in that cross work. I want to leave that point there and move to a more serious one that he was writing on. This confused and upset the lady who wrote to me.
[B]. PART 2. A SERIOUS ERROR
The lady raised another concern with me:-
[[“In another video where he's portraying a Christian and God talking to each other, the Christian is saying how he's sinned and lost his salvation because of this sin. I can't remember the entire exchange, but God tells him essentially that he (Christian) never had a sin nature, and still doesn't, but that it's the world and its influence that affected his judgment, and that's why he sinned. I believe originally Adam and Eve did not have a sin nature, but I also believe once they fell, that all human nature is intrinsically corrupt (except for innocent children), and that's why we need a Savior.”]]
This is where we really run into problems. Without question, it is false doctrine and that makes one a false teacher.
[1]. A serious matter is here raised where that man claimed he sinned and lost his salvation because of that sin. I know this is a hot potato with some, where some believe if we sin (have unconfessed sin) then our salvation is lost. Nowhere does the bible teach this. In Galatians 6:1 we are told that if a brother is overtaken in a fault (sin) then the spiritual men among them are to lead him to restoration, NOT to be born again.
A Christian sinning is always aimed at restoration, not eternal condemnation. I know in some Charismatic groups that practise “easy believeism” – just come to Jesus and get saved (they de-emphasise the necessity of conviction, repentance and confession), then they believe sin loses salvation, which is why in some meetings you frequently have people coming out to be saved again and again. Thus, easy entrance; easy exit.
Falling into sin does not lose salvation. It breaks fellowship but it does not abolish salvation for a truly born again Christian. That exquisitely wonderful passage in John’s letter covers that – {{1 John 1:7-10 “but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE NO SIN, WE ARE DECEIVING OURSELVES, and the truth is not in us. IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”}}
We are all sinners and sin as Christians, but God in graciousness gives us the way of return into fellowship with the Godhead. The conviction of the Holy Spirit is a very real thing as sinning Christians can testify to.
There is (apparently) only one sin from which there is no turning back (no forgiveness) and that is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit; and in context, attributing the works of the Lord Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to Satan. {{Mark 3:28-30 Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin - because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”}}
[2]. This next one is utterly erroneous. – [[God tells him essentially that he (Christian) never had a sin nature, and still doesn't, but that it's the world and its influence that affected his judgment, and that's why he sinned.]]
My response was:-
He is very wrong in claiming we do not have a sin nature. We are born in sin and shapen in iniquity, as the KJV says {{“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Psalm 51:5 “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.”}} (NASB). Romans is the book we need to follow this through, in this matter. We are sinners BECAUSE we have a sin nature. A fruit tree produces a particular fruit because it is that variety. Sins come from the old, sinful nature. The KJV speaks of “the old man” in that regard.
{{Romans 6:6 “knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin,”}}
In that verse Paul uses “our old self”. In other references it is called “the flesh” that is, it is associated with the sinful flesh that dominates a person’s life as an unbeliever.
[3]. THE NEW NATURE. When a person is converted he/she is a new creation in Christ and receives the new nature. That supposes that there is already an old nature contrary to what the new nature is. Paul develops that further in this passage –
{{Galatians 5:13-21 “You were called to freedom, brethren, only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another, for the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” but if you bite and devour one another, take care lest you be consumed by one another. I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out THE DESIRE OF THE FLESH, for THE FLESH SETS ITS DESIRE AGAINST THE SPIRIT, AND THE SPIRIT AGAINST THE FLESH for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please, but if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now THE DEEDS OF THE FLESH ARE EVIDENT, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, about which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God,”}}
Paul sets out the two natures there. A Christian has those two natures and the unbeliever has only, the old one. Paul sometimes uses the term “the natural man” to address the old nature.
It is very concerning what this person says in that Facebook entry. The denial of the old nature is a really false doctrine. I can not identify any denomination that holds to that unbiblical teaching.
[4]. Then that man goes on to say that it is the world that causes sin. That belief says that “I am not responsible for my sin because I am not inherently bad. It is not my fault because it has come from the world, though I, myself, am free from sin; I just get caught out by the world.” Actually I have never heard this notion before but there is nothing new under the sun.
Any Christian who is open before God will know that sin is the ugliness that is hand in hand with the sinful nature. We sin because the nature inherited from Adam and Eve was not good, but corrupted in every way.
I wish to present 3 verses to you that are almost universally misunderstood in churches. Romans chapter 7 is not about a Christian fighting against the old nature, new verses old. It is about a “good man” under the Law trying to obtain the righteousness under the Law, that his keeping the whole Law will attain. (It is impossible though). Here are the verses –
{{Romans 7:18-20 “I know that NOTHING GOOD DWELLS IN ME, THAT IS, IN MY FLESH, for the WISHING is present in me, but the DOING of the good is not, for the good that I wish, I do not do, but I practise the very evil that I do not wish, but if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, BUT SIN WHICH DWELLS IN ME.”}} We have it there - “sin which dwells in me”.
In this passage - {{1 John 2:16-17 “All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world, and the world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God abides forever.”}} -
John is saying that all that is in the world is evil and says it with three examples – eyes, flesh, pride. However the world would not have an atom of an effect on us if we did not have the sinful nature to start with, that would embrace the world. The world works through that sinful nature. To claim we do not have a sin nature is way off the track, so it would not be surprising if it becomes clear that that Facebook teacher has even worse beliefs.
The sinful nature is like a serpent hidden from view and when some prey comes along (an appealing sin) it seizes on that prey and does not want to let it go.
[5]. The lady who contacted me said this, “I believe originally Adam and Eve did not have a sin nature, but I also believe once they fell, that all human nature is intrinsically corrupt (except for innocent children), and that's why we need a Savior,” and what she says about that inherited sin nature is correct. That is exactly what the situation is. Perhaps we could add that “innocent children” are also corrupt, having been conceived in sin, but that they are not accountable at that age.
The devil said to Adam and Eve that in the eating of that fruit they would know good and evil. Our fore parents were in innocence, not knowing good or evil or sin, (something like sublime bliss) but when they did sin, they obtained what they originally did not have – two things – a conscience, and the sin nature.
The conscience was of no help, because as the devil said, they would know good and evil, but he did not tell them they would know good without the ability to do it, and know evil without the power to avoid it.
We sometimes speak of the fallen nature, and that is what we have that opposes God, hides from God, refuses to be converted, and gives itself to sin, even vaulting over itself into greater and greater sinfulness. It is only the conviction and power of the Spirit of God that breaks through that inherent, evil nature.
The fallen nature, the old man, the sin nature, the natural man, the flesh, are just some terms referring essentially to the same thing = the unconverted state of the human being; the nature inherited in birth (actually, “inherited through conception”).
When we are saved the new nature comes through the Holy Spirit, but the old nature is not eradicated. That is the constant battle we have according to Galatians 5:17.
[7]. A bit of truth is a dangerous thing, but is also very deluding. The devil makes sure we can get hooked by the bit of truth while dismissing the error. All false teachers have some truth. That is what makes them dangerous. When the error got into Galatia these people along came saying that what Paul said was correct, BUT then they also needed to be circumcised and keep the Law. Christians must be discerning and this is the problem we have today. Firstly too many are not saved as we know the truth of salvation; and secondly they get caught up with error because of not being established in the faith, and belong to churches very weak in biblical teaching. Paul stresses the great need to be established but many churches have done a poor job in that, for liberalism and a laissez-faire attitude exist in many churches.
When Satan came to Jesus in the temptation, he was quoting scripture, and in one case he said, {{Luke 4:9-11 He led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here for it is written, ‘HE WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE CONCERNING YOU TO GUARD YOU and, ‘On their hands they will bear You up, lest You strike Your foot against a stone.’”}}
The problem there is not what was said but what was missing. That Psalm verse say “keep/guard you IN ALL YOUR WAYS”. [[Psalm 91:11 “He will give His angels charge concerning you to guard you IN ALL YOUR WAYS.”]] Satan omitted that last part and it is that part that gives real meaning to the truth. That is one of the hallmarks of false teachers. They have the insertion of error but also the absence of key truth.
O, for a deeper discernment by God’s people in our days of so much cunning and deceitful dishonesty from Governments, and from churches not walking right with the Lord.
[8]. I WANT TO RETURN TO THE ISSUE of justice and forgiveness that this false teacher was commenting on. He said there was a difference between justice and forgiveness which meant he was separating them. Yes, we can separate them, but they are also intricately linked in scripture.
Forgiveness only happens when justice is satisfied, and justice will only work when forgiveness is sought. Let us look at the following verse -
Here is this very well known verse from John – {{John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is FAITHFUL AND RIGHTEOUS to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The KJV says “faithful and just”. Righteousness and justice are closely linked. Through the new covenant of the cross, the death of Christ cleared the way for sin to be absolutely dealt with so there is forgiveness in the righteousness (or justice if you like) of God because God IS righteous. His justice is dispensed according to His righteousness. Justice was satisfied through righteousness being atoned for at the cross by the blood of the New Covenant.
Can forgiveness operate outside God’s justice? For example, can God just forgive a whole city, or even an individual, even when it is not requested? Well, the answer is NO.
The justice of God says that a righteous penalty must be paid for sin. The guilt must take its punishment. Justice can not overlook sin, or ignore it, or cover it over. The justice that says a man must die for his sin, must run its course. That is how it is. The righteousness of God does not allow justice to operate outside righteousness.
However when the means of satisfying justice and righteousness are put into place, (that was done through the cross) God still will not pardon the guilty who are unrepentant and do not seek forgiveness.
ONLY WHEN the sinner calls on God for forgiveness, only then can righteousness work through justice as this verse helps explain – {{2 Corinthians 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM,”}} The verse does not say it, but underlying all that operation is repentance and forgiveness.
Yes, justice, righteousness and forgiveness are linked.
My suggestion in dealing with a person like that false teacher, is to give him a miss and not waste time over him trying to explain his error to him, BECAUSE from experience such people are intransigent and deluded so much you can’t break through. I understand perfectly about some Christians wanting to be really clear about exposing errors, and to help others, but I think that it won’t produce fruit.
Be very clear about your faith and we are unique here for I truly believe we do, but sadly, in the wider Christian community, that is not always the case. God bless you all and make us desirous about being good bible students.
