Our built in disposition to sin

[Gary K]

We inherited our sinful nature from Adam and Eve. That means we are sinful right down to the level of our DNA. There is no way we can change that. Paul tells us we have sinful flesh multiple times.

Romans 6: 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

Romans 7: 5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death

Romans 7: 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

Romans 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Romans 8: 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

This is found all throughout Paul's writings. There are many more but I figured this was enough to demonstrate the frequency of his comments on the flesh. It's why sin cannot be overcome in our own power, Only the power of God can overcome it and enable us to obey God. It's why the disciples lives changed so dramatically after Pentacost. They went from a group of self centered men interested only in being number one in the kingdom to a group of men willing to give their lives for the gospel. Paul's conversion tells us the same story. We went from being a murderer to a martyr for God when he met Jesus.

There is a genetic aspect to sin. I have no idea how it happened, but it did as the Bible so clearly tells us. It's why the redeemed are given new bodies at the 2nd coming. That takes away our built in disposition to sin.

This explains why we find excuses to not obey God. To overcome this we must surrender ourselves to the HS like Paul did, daily. It takes a daily dying to self to succeed in the Christian life. This is where the battle of the Christian life takes place, We either make God number one on our priority list and ourselves last on that list or we continue to lose out on the joy of the successful Christian life.

1Corinthians 15: 31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

Jesus tells us:

Revelation 3: 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

We must partake of the bread and water of life daily.

 

[Nick M]

3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.

11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

He isn't saying you won't lie and steal. He is saying even though you fail daily, you are dead to sin and alive to Christ. That is walking in the Spirit. Walking in the flesh is changing your behavior thinking it makes you right with God.

 

[Gary K]

3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.

11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

He isn't saying you won't lie and steal. He is saying even though you fail daily, you are dead to sin and alive to Christ. That is walking in the Spirit. Walking in the flesh is changing your behavior thinking it makes you right with God.

How is obeying God because you love Him sinful nature? It's not obeying Him to earn salvation but because He first loved us. There is no greater life changing force in the universe than the love God shows us. Jesus said, I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me.

 

[Nick M]

How is obeying God because you love Him sinful nature?

You don't obey him. Read Paul's letters, it is clear you do not.

 

[Gary K]

You don't obey him. Read Paul's letters, it is clear you do not.

Romans 8: 29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Galatians 5: 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

How many laws does the fruit ofd the Spirit violate? None. Zero. Zip. Nada. Also notice that the fruit of the Spirit covers both descriptions of sin in the Bible. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin and the transgression of the law. It gives us both faith and the violation of no law.

Galatians 6:
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

 

[ttruscott]

We inherited our sinful nature from Adam and Eve.

I must disagree. ImCo:
Our sinful nature or enslavement to the addictive power of sin can only come through our own free will decision to sin, to rebel against GOD himself as a God or, for a believer in HIS deity, a rebellion against HIS command.

To inherit another's sinfulness by GOD's will without our own choice to be sinful in HIS sight being accounted to us makes GOD the creator of our evil, an anathema and a foolishness.

 

[Bradley D]

We inherited our sinful nature from Adam and Eve. That means we are sinful right down to the level of our DNA.

True! “I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth" (Gen. 8:21). "For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander" (Matthew 15:19).

 

[Nick M]

Romans 8: 29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? ...10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”

21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

And of course the law is both Holy and Good. If judged on it I would rightly be sentenced to hell. It taught me my need for a savior.

 

[Nick M]

This is our built in disposition.

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—

Adam listened to his wife instead of God. He brought death and sin into the world. All died even if you hadn't sinned. And Romans 3 says again all have sinned.

18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

The difference is those of us in Christ have been freed from death and sin, and are slaves to righteousness. I have no sin, not because of my action, because of what he did on the cross.

 

[ttruscott]

And of course the law is both Holy and Good. If judged on it I would rightly be sentenced to hell. It taught me my need for a savior.

Of course...

but why then, in light of 1 Timothy 1:9 We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers etc...and Romans 3:20... rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. were the (supposed) innocents, Adam and Eve, given a law?

 

[ttruscott]

If death comes to all because they are all sinners,

thus death spread to all men, because all sinned

then how can we not accept that no one dies unless they have sinned?

All died even if you hadn't sinned.

Death is the wages of sin, not a consequence of life so death proves sinfulness, neh?

 

[Nick M]

then how can we not accept that no one dies unless they have sinned?

How about what stated and I posted in the same place?

18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

 

[Nick M]

but why then, in light of 1 Timothy 1:9 We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers etc...and Romans 3:20... rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. were the (supposed) innocents, Adam and Eve, given a law?

I don't know what you are asking. All you have to do is read Paul where he explains it.

 

[Nick M]

This is found all throughout Paul's writings. There are many more but I figured this was enough to demonstrate the frequency of his comments on the flesh. It's why sin cannot be overcome in our own power,

This is true. Pentecost is a Jewish festival. At Pentecost in Acts 2, they were given gifts of the Holy Spirit to endure to the end. See Acts 5.

That doesn't happen today. Why not? You aren't wrong, the body is dead because of sin. We are to reckon ourselves dead to sin. Because we can't stop it.