A good way to think about this is to firstly answer the question was Adam & Eve created with a sin nature? The Bible teaches that God formed Adam in the image of Himself and He declared that it was good! From the simple answer to this first question we learn some key ingredients that help us to grasp the answer to this controversial question.
We know God is holy and does not have a sin nature, and we believe He created us in his likeness. Mankind was completely sinless, blameless and free from a sin nature. However, we read in Genesis 3 how Adam sinned by eating of the forbidden tree of knowledge of good and evil. This is very interesting as it means that even in a state of perfection and holiness it was possible to commit sin without the indwelling sinful nature.
This answers a big question for the current day believer, as it means that it’s possible for the Christian to still sin even if the sin nature has been removed. Just in the same way as Adam & Eve were tempted not from an evil that resided inside but from external forces, so too a Christian can be tempted to sin by the influence outside of themselves.
So what is the sin nature? Simply it is the very entity of sin itself. It is death, darkness and everything that is not of God. This corrupted spirit entered into the heart of man when he ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
It is important to understand that the sin nature is not just the desire to sin or even the act of ‘sinning’ but it really is sin itself. You cannot get rid of the sin nature by stopping all your sinning, you can’t push it out by doing a bunch of good deeds. The sin nature has corrupted the DNA of man and it is passed down generation to generation not because of people’s individual bad behaviour but because of the ‘fall of man’ that happened in Genesis.
This creates a major problem for us because it means there is no hope for us to ever be good enough and stand before God clear of judgement. We can’t escape the sin from our heart even though we live the best life we know how. So what is the answer? Jesus Christ! Have you ever wondered why Jesus had to be born of a virgin? Why did Jesus have to be sinless? Jesus had to be free of the sin nature in order to be the perfect sacrifice that would atone for not just sinning but for sin itself. In 2 Corinthians 5:21 we read how Jesus didn’t just take on all our sins but he actually became the essence of sin for us. He took on the sin nature and nailed it to the cross so that we could be completely free of it and not just have the power to act righteous but become the very essence of God’s righteousness.
Here are a few scriptures to consider:
2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Romans 6:6-7 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Romans 8:1-2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Colossians 2:11-13 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but a circumcision done by Christ… When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Hebrews 10:14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
In conclusion we believe the Bible teaches that a Christian does not have a sin nature. This is the primary thing that separates man from God and it’s impossible to be reconciled to God without removing it from our heart.
