I had never heard a clear definition of sin nature until I learned a few years ago through Pure Life Ministries that focusing on pleasing ourselves is the path to sin. We see ourselves as the center of the world. Look around you. Are you in the center of wherever you are? We can easily believe the world is here for our pleasure. This mindset can lead us to the paths that lead to sin.
I have no problem believing we are born with a bent toward sin. Any parent can testify to the selfish nature of a child. We do not need to teach them to say “no”. They come into the world looking for someone to fulfill their every need. That selfish nature is the pathway to sin. Not that wanting to fulfill a natural desire, like eating to eliminate hunger, is sin, but when our selfishness ignores God or takes advantage of another, we cross that line.
As parents one of our roles with our children is to teach them right from wrong and how to interact with others in this world. We try to establish the “Golden Rule”, treat others how you would want to be treated. Basic rules for being a good person. As Christians we teach Bible truths that are given as guides for our children. However, that does not undo the fact that our children are born with a sin nature, a self-focused bent.
While in a Bible study this summer I read a verse that helped me understand better our struggle with sin, 2 Corinthians 4:4.
4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
It is not possible for anyone not surrendered to Christ to even understand Biblical truth. Satan has blinded their eyes. Without the Holy Spirit no person can understand God’s truth.
1 Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
The message is “the power of God” but it only helps us if we tap into that power. Harvest, a Christian music group, made a song titled “The Army of the Lord”. In it their lyrics say, “Are we marching into the enemy’s camp and laying our weapons down?” They are talking about the Armor of God Paul wrote about in Ephesians 6:10-18.
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Those not following Christ can only hear their selfishness (sin nature) and Satan’s deceitfulness with his blinding of their eyes to guide their actions. As believers, we have the choice of listening to one of three forces working in our lives at the same time. There is our natural selfishness (sin nature), Satan’s lies deceiving us and God’s Holy Spirit bringing the light of the Gospel. Only with the Holy Spirit’s guidance can we turn away from the temptations and confusion Satan sends our way, especially in the areas where our natural gifts and temperament lead us to be proud and self-focused.
Another piece of the equation is knowledge. Our understanding comes from what we put into our minds. There is an old saying “you are what you eat”. I have come to realize you are what you “take into your mind” as well. In today’s world we have many sources of knowledge. The internet is full of man’s knowledge. Scripture and Biblical teaching are God’s source of knowledge and truth for us.
The Holy Spirit can only guide you through the knowledge you have received from reading Scripture and listening to teaching based on God’s truth in His Word. Without Biblical knowledge we can fall into the traps Satan sets with his lies and his definition of the truth. Paul said we need the “shield of faith” and the “sword of the Spirit” which is the Word of God. If we don’t have faith we have no protection. If we don’t know the “Word” we do not have the “sword”.
A good example of sin nature is Adam’s sin in the garden. Adam walked with God in the garden. He had a personal relationship with God that only a few have ever experienced. God told Adam not to eat from a certain tree. However, when Eve was tempted by Satan to eat from that tree, she also offered an apple to Adam. Adam’s self-focus (sin nature) led him to please Eve instead of pleasing God by ignoring what God told him and doing what Satan told Eve. Adam’s sin nature led him to disobey God. Pleasing Eve was more important than pleasing God. That is idol worship, making Eve more important than God.
In Matthew 22:36-40, when Jesus was asked what the most important commandment was, He said “love”.
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
At the Last Supper Jesus told His disciples in John 13:34-35,
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Our sin nature is always there telling us to please ourselves. But, with the Holy Spirit to guide us, it is possible to turn away from our self-focus, see with spiritual “eyes”, and follow God’s plan. Love others is the opposite of “me first” which is our selfish sin nature. Thinking of others and how what you do will affect them is a good measuring stick for keeping us on the right path.
Christian Life Coach 