The Old Sin Nature

The old sin nature is the internal source of temptation to commit personal sins and depends on human good production to gain acceptance from God. This always results in contributing to the evil of Satan’s world system. The old sin nature is also the center of corruption and rebellion against God.

The old sin nature influences the soul resulting in mental attitude sins and wrong motivation. The old sin nature is the dictator of the soul. However, no one sins apart from their own free will. Even if you don't know it’s a sin, you wanted to do it and you do it, and so are responsible for that sin. Anything coming out of this distorter is either human good, sin, or evil. All are unacceptable to God. The old sin nature controls the believer’s soul while out of fellowship and either produces human good from the area of strength or sin from the area of weakness. This is also dependent upon the individual’s old sin nature trend pattern.

All human beings except the humanity of Jesus Christ are born with a genetically-formed old sin nature. The old sin nature is perpetuated in the human race through physical birth and is physically present in every cell of the body as long as you live on this earth. 1 Tim. 2:13-14; Rom. 5:12. See category on Jesus Christ’s Virgin Birth.

“For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” (1 Timothy 2:13-14, NASB)

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—” (Romans 5:12, NASB)

In Psalms 51:5, “in sin” means with a sin nature. Ephesians 2:1 indicates we are born spiritually dead with an old sin nature.

“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.” (Psalms 51:5, NASB)

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,” (Ephesians 2:1, NASB)

The old sin nature is completely deceitful and desperately sick. In Jeremiah 17:9, “heart” is לב (lêb) in the Hebrew and refers here to the right lobe of the soul being tempted by the old sin nature and due to negative volition, the person deciding to sin whereby the old sin nature gains complete control of the soul. Mark 7:21-23.

“"The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9, NASB)

“"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. "All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."” (Mark 7:21-23, NASB)

The old sin nature is located in every cell of your body. It brings temptation into your thinking in the right lobe of the soul. While most temptation comes this way to our soul, outside sources of overt temptation also exist.

Sin is defined in the right lobe of the soul before your volition or free will decides to either go with the temptation and sin or to resist and not commit the sin. All sin originates from your volition, not the old sin nature. The old sin nature brings temptation to your soul where you exercise free will to sin or not. Temptation or being tempted is not sinning. Your volition must decide to give in to the temptation before it can become a sin. All people, believers and unbelievers alike, are held accountable for their sins before God. Rom. 7:14; 1 John 1:8; 1 John 1:10.

“For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.” (Romans 7:14, NASB)

“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8, NASB)

“If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:10, NASB)

The old sin nature tempts us to commit sin, perform human good and do evil, but our free will is the source of our sins. The old sin nature cannot do anything without our volition. Whether we are aware we are sinning or we are ignorant, our volition still commits every sin. Ignorance is no excuse.

The old sin nature will not be present in the believer’s resurrection body nor in their interim body. The believer’s interim body is that received following physical death in heaven, but prior to the Rapture of the Church. Receipt of a resurrection body at the Rapture of the Church is called ultimate sanctification where the old sin nature, human good and evil will have been removed. Rom. 8:29; 1 Thess. 5:23; 1 John 3:1-2; Phil. 3:21; 1 Cor. 15:51-52.

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;” (Romans 8:29, NASB)

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23, NASB)

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” (1 John 3:1-2, NASB)

“who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” (Philippians 3:21, NASB)

“Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52, NASB)

Origin of the Sin Nature

Negative volition created the old sin nature. Adam and Eve could not sin until they first exercised negative volition. Upon the exercise of their negative volition to the single prohibition of God in the Garden, the first man and woman died spiritually and became sinners. Since all reproduction is “after its kind,” all who are descended from Adam have inherited his nature, which is sinful. No volition is involved in acquiring an old sin nature. Gen. 5:3; Rom. 5:12.

“When Adam had lived one hundred and thirty years, he became the father of a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth.” (Genesis 5:3, NASB)

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—” (Romans 5:12, NASB)

Our genetically-formed old sin nature is the target for the imputation of Adam’s original sin at our physical birth causing spiritual death. Spiritual death is separation from God. At the moment we are physically born, God the Father imputes or conveys soul life to our bodies when we take our first breath. At birth, we have both human life and soul life. Only God can create human life. At the moment of birth, the justice of God also imputes Adam’s original sin to our genetically-formed old sin nature that resides in every cell of the body. This results in human life and soul life, but also spiritual death.

Inheritance of the Old Sin Nature

Everyone born in the human race, except the humanity of Jesus Christ, has an old sin nature. The old sin nature is passed down genetically through the male. We all inherit the old sin nature from our fathers because Adam knowingly committed his first sin, but Eve was deceived when she committed her first sin. The woman was deceived by the serpent (Satan) and committed the first sin. She immediately acquired an old sin nature. Adam sinned second and deliberately and also immediately acquired an old sin nature. Both were guilty before God. 1 Tim. 2:14; Rom. 5:12; Psalms 51:5.

“And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” (1 Timothy 2:14, NASB)

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—” (Romans 5:12, NASB)

“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.” (Psalms 51:5, NASB)

The entire human race is counted guilty before God because Adam sinned. Everyone sinned when Adam sinned (retroactive). When Adam was condemned, Adam’s progeny were also condemned. So by one man (Jesus Christ) salvation came to mankind. 1 Cor. 15:22.

“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22, NASB)

The judgment of the woman was two-fold. God's judgment involved painful childbirth and a desire (strong craving) for her husband, but her husband would have authority over her. This would be the means of the bearing one particular child through the Virgin Birth. The woman would be the means of bringing the humanity of Christ into the world. He is the Savior and through this One, all the sins of the whole world were atoned. Only through childbearing could the Son of God come into the world as Savior, as the God-man. Gen. 3:16; 2 Cor. 5:21.

“To the woman He said, "I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you."” (Genesis 3:16, NASB)

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NASB)

The judgment of the man is found in Genesis 3:17-19. Man must earn his living by the sweat of his face. Because the Adam sinned willfully, he became the means of passing on the genetically-formed old sin nature.

“Then to Adam He said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it'; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. "Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field; By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return."” (Genesis 3:17-19, NASB)

There are three types of sin; imputed sin resulting in spiritual death, inherent sin or the old sin nature, and personal sin which is the manifestation of having an old sin nature. In the conception of the humanity of Jesus Christ, the woman participated, but the man (Joseph) did not participate. Therefore, Jesus Christ was born without a sin nature. Matt. 1:20. See category on Jesus Christ’s Virgin Birth.

“But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:20, NASB)

Structure of the Old Sin Nature

The old sin nature has an essence with different facets or characteristics. In Romans 6:6, “our old self” refers to the old sin nature that is located genetically in every cell of our body or “our body of sin.” We as Church Age believers are now in union with Jesus Christ and through the filling of the Holy Spirit we do not serve the old sin nature and are no longer slaves to it. When we sin, we again serve the old sin nature until we confess our known sins to God the Father and are restored to fellowship with God though the filling of the Holy Spirit. 1 John 1:9.

“knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;” (Romans 6:6, NASB)

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NASB)

God says that everything produced when our soul is controlled by the old sin nature is unacceptable, according to the absolute standard of His perfect righteousness. Rom. 7:18; Rom. 8:7-8; Isaiah 64:6.

“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.” (Romans 7:18, NASB)

“because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:7-8, NASB)

“For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” (Isaiah 64:6, NASB)

When we give in to the old sin nature’s area of strength, we produce human good. This is predominant when the person’s trend is toward legalism and self-righteous arrogance. Isaiah 64:6; Heb. 6:1; Rom. 8:8.

“Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,” (Hebrews 6:1, NASB)

“and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:8, NASB)

When we give in to the old sin nature’s area of weakness which is the source of temptation, we commit personal sins and evil. This is predominant when the person’s trend is toward antinomianism, lasciviousness and lawlessness. Gal. 5:9-10; Rom. 3:23; Mark 7:21-23; Heb. 12:1.

“A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.” (Galatians 5:9-10, NASB)

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23, NASB)

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” (Hebrews 12:1, NASB)

The old sin nature has a trend toward legalism which is self-righteousness and is a trend toward religion, the law keeper for salvation. Some legalists believe that you cannot commit certain sins and still be a believer. Legalism is acting religious and putting on a good front. These are often very “respectable, clean-cut types.” This trend can lead to moral degeneracy. 2 Cor. 11:13.

“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:13, NASB)

The old sin nature also has another trend toward Antinomianism which is licentiousness, a trend toward being lawless or irreligious. Antinomianism is any view which rejects laws or legalism and argues against moral, religious or social norms and involves overt sinning, irreligious behavior, criminality, and whose life centers around sin and evil. These people don’t care who knows how he or she lives. This can lead to immoral degeneracy. Gal. 5:19-21; 1 Cor. 6:9-10.

“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, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21, NASB)

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, NASB)

The old sin nature also has lust patterns toward legitimate or illegitimate pursuits. This is the motivator of the old sin nature involving sinful desires, approbation lust, power lust, materialism lust, sexual lust, etc. The lust pattern also has a “good” desire or a pattern involving what a person likes to do such as a collector, hunter, or automobile enthusiast, etc. Rom. 7:7; Rom. 13:14; Rom. 6:12-13; James 4:5.

“What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, "YOU SHALL NOT COVET."” (Romans 7:7, NASB)

“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” (Romans 13:14, NASB)

“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” (Romans 6:12-13, NASB)

“Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"?” (James 4:5, NASB)

Approbation lust is doing something for the applause or praise received. Power lust is the desire to be the best in everything and have control over others. Materialism lust is the desire to keep ahead of the “Joneses” or strive for security in the financial realm. Whether one has much or little is not the issue. Ego lust is pride. The more the ego is developed, the more people pat us on the back, the more dependent we become on flattery, recognition, and approbation. Sexual lust is the bodily desire stemming from a mental attitude.

Our divine good productivity as believers is dependent entirely upon facing ourselves as we really are and orienting to God's grace. We are nothing because of our old sin nature. The believer who is dependent upon the feeding of ego lust for productivity is not producing at all.

Old Sin Nature Terms

There are terms used in Scripture to describe the old sin nature - sin, the flesh, old self - old man, heart, carnality – of flesh, corruptible man, and perishable seed.

Sin

Sin in the singular generally refers to the sin nature. In the plural, sin generally refers to personal sins. In Romans 5:12, “sin” is ἁμαρτία (hamartia) and refers to the old sin nature. In Psalms 51:5, “in sin” is חטא (chêṭ') and refers also to the old sin nature.

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—” (Romans 5:12, NASB)

“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.” (Psalms 51:5, NASB)

In Romans 7:14, “sold into bondage to sin” refers to carnality where the old sin nature controls the soul. In 1 John 1:8, “no sin” refers to the old sin nature. In Romans 6:1, “continue in sin” refers to the old sin nature’s reign or control of the soul. 1 John 1:10.

“For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.” (Romans 7:14, NASB)

“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8, NASB)

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?” (Romans 6:1, NASB)

The Flesh

The term “flesh” or σάρξ (sarx) in the Greek puts emphasis on location of the old sin nature in the cell structure of the body and refers to the power of the old sin nature. Rom. 8:8;Rom. 7:18; Gal. 5:16-17; Eph. 2:3; Rom. 13:14; Gal. 3:3; John 3:6.

“and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:8, NASB)

“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.” (Romans 7:18, NASB)

“But 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.” (Galatians 5:16-17, NASB)

“Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.” (Ephesians 2:3, NASB)

“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” (Romans 13:14, NASB)

“Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3, NASB)

“"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6, NASB)

Old Self - Old Man

The old sin nature is called “old self” or παλαιός ἄνθρωπος (palaios anthrōpos) in the Greek (“old man” in the KJV) because it is as old as Adam’s negative volition in the Garden of Eden. Rom. 6:6; Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9.

“Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,” (Colossians 3:9, NASB)

“that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,” (Ephesians 4:22, NASB)

“knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;” (Romans 6:6, NASB)

Heart

Scripture also describes sin, good or evil as coming from the “heart.” In these verses, the heart refers to the right lobe of the soul that is under temptation from the old sin nature. The old sin nature brings temptation into the thinking of the person’s right lobe. The person then has a choice or volition to either act on the temptation and sin against God or to resist the temptation and avoid sinning. The old sin nature’s influence can also result in the person producing human good or evil. Jer. 17:9; Matt. 12:34-35; Matt. 15:19; Mark 7:21-23; Psalms 58:2-5.

“"The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9, NASB)

“"You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. "The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil.” (Matthew 12:34-35, NASB)

“"For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.” (Matthew 15:19, NASB)

“No, in heart you work unrighteousness; On earth you weigh out the violence of your hands. The wicked are estranged from the womb; These who speak lies go astray from birth. They have venom like the venom of a serpent; Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear, So that it does not hear the voice of charmers, Or a skillful caster of spells.” (Psalms 58:2-5, NASB)

Carnality - of Flesh

In Romans 7:14 and 1 Corinthians 3:1-3, “carnality” in the KJV and “of flesh” in the NASB is σάρκινος (sarkinos) and refers to the soul being controlled by the old sin nature and therefore, in a state of sin. In 1 Corinthians 3:3, “are you not walking like mere men” means that in this state of carnality, the believer cannot be distinguished from the unbeliever.

“For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.” (Romans 7:14, NASB)

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?” (1 Corinthians 3:1-3, NASB)

In Romans 8:6-8, “mind set on the flesh” (“the carnal mind” in the KJV) is the mind under the control of the old sin nature. “Death” refers to temporal death or control of the soul by the old sin nature. Only confession of known sins to God the Father via 1 John 1:9 can recover the soul’s control by the Holy Spirit.

“because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,” (Romans 8:7, NASB)

“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:6-8, NASB)

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NASB)

Corruptible Man

In Romans 1:23, “corruptible man” refers to the old sin nature which corrupts mankind physically, spiritually, and morally.

“and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.” (Romans 1:23, NASB)

Perishable Seed

In 1 Peter 1:23, “seed which is perishable” refers to the transmission of the old sin nature.

“for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.” (1 Peter 1:23, NASB)

The Believer’s Struggle With the Old Sin Nature

The old sin nature continues to be a significant influence on the believer’s volition after salvation in spite of every believer being placed into union with Jesus Christ. The consistent intake and application of Bible doctrine in the spiritual life is necessary to grow spiritually and thereby gain more resistance over the influence of the old sin nature. As the believer learns more epignosis Bible doctrine, they spend more time filled with the Holy Spirit and less time with the old sin nature controlling their soul. There is a constant battle for control of the believer’s soul.

Believers continue to use their volition to make decisions and also continue to possess their old sin natures after salvation. 1 John 1:8; 1 John 1:10.

“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8, NASB)

“If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:10, NASB)

Being tempted by the old sin nature is not sinning. Choosing to follow the temptations of the old sin nature is either sinning, evil, or human good. Only confession of known sins to God the Father in prayer results in the filling of the Holy Spirit and the control of the soul shifting from the old sin nature to the Holy Spirit’s control.

Our volition has a positive and negative pole. Our volition makes decisions based on internal temptations from our old sin nature, which has areas of strength and weakness and a tendency toward asceticism or lasciviousness. Sin and evil are produced by the believer’s volition based on temptation from the old sin nature area of weakness and are predominant when there is a tendency toward lasciviousness. Human good can be produced by the believer’s volition based on temptation from the old sin nature area of strength and from its tendency toward asceticism. Rom. 6.

Nothing produced by the believer is acceptable to God when their soul controlled by the old sin nature. Jesus Christ bore all of the sins of mankind on the Cross, but rejected all human good produced by the believer.

The believer out of fellowship with God means their soul is under the control of the old sin nature is called a carnal Christian. Carnal believers have no bona fide divine good production in the spiritual life because they are not filled with the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor. 3:1-3; Rom. 7:14-15; Gal. 5:17; Matt. 12:34-35.

“For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:14-15, NASB)

“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.” (Galatians 5:17, NASB)

Because of regeneration, we are new creatures in Christ and are expected to “walk in newness of life.” We have a permanent relationship with Jesus Christ because we were placed into permanent union with Jesus Christ at salvation (Baptism of the Spirit) so we should also walk in fellowship being filled with the Holy Spirit. 2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 6:4.

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NASB)

“Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4, NASB)

The only solution to the sin nature controlling the believer’s soul is the filling of the Holy Spirit appropriated through the believer’s application of 1 John 1:9 followed by the daily intake and application of the Word. This continues to give the proper fueling and mental attitude necessary for spiritual growth. Gal. 5:16.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NASB)

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16, NASB)

In the believer, sometimes the conscience struggles to do right, but since the old sin nature rules, it isn’t much of a struggle. There is an inner conflict in the believer (not found in the unbeliever) between the old sin nature and God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will not rule jointly with the old sin nature.

Romans 7:14-15 is written from the viewpoint of the carnal believer who doesn’t understand how to be filled with the Spirit. What Romans 7:15 really saying is, “For what I am doing (that which works out of me) I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do (I keep on desiring to honor the Lord and practice spirituality), but I am doing the very thing I hate (I keep on doing what I hate to do - sin and remain in carnality).”

Believers agree with the Mosaic Law when they recognize that what they are doing is sin as defined in the Law. When the old sin nature is in control, there is a zig-zag pattern within the old sin nature, between the area of weakness and the area of strength. In Romans 7:16, “if” is a first class condition in the Greek and means if and it is true. “The very thing I do” means I keep on doing it.

“But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.” (Romans 7:16, NASB)

You are not always going to move in the same direction. The longer you stay out of fellowship, the more you will zig-zag. If you get bored with self-righteousness, you will go toward lasciviousness and you will live it up. Then you will get a guilty feeling and go back to asceticism and put on a good front. When the Holy Spirit controls the believer’s soul, the Holy Spirit produces the character of the incarnate Christ in the believer.

The Old Sin Nature and the Unbeliever

If you are not a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, your old sin nature rules your life, producing only sin, evil, and human good. The only solution to the old sin nature’s complete domination of the soul is salvation in Jesus Christ as Savior. The Lord Jesus Christ bore the sins of all mankind on the Cross and rejected the production of human good. 1 Peter 2:24; Eph. 2:8-9.

“and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24, NASB)

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NASB)

Sins committed prior to salvation are removed or “wiped out” by personal faith in the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross for all sins. Col. 1:14; Isaiah 43:25.

“in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:14, NASB)

“"I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins.” (Isaiah 43:25, NASB)

The unlimited atonement of Jesus Christ on the Cross paid the penalty for all of the sins of all mankind - believer and unbeliever alike. All human good performed by unbelievers and by believers out of fellowship (in the energy of the flesh) is completely rejected by God because it was all produced by human abilities while the old sin nature controlled the soul. Human good production is contrary of God's grace.

While the human race looks at the outside, but God looks at what is in your soul. For the unbeliever, God sees only sin, evil, and human good and cannot have association with any of it. His perfect righteousness rejects all of it. Therefore, His justice must judge all of it. Rom. 8:8; Jer. 13:23.

“and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:8, NASB)

“"Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil.” (Jeremiah 13:23, NASB)

Unbelievers will be judged by Jesus Christ for their good deeds at the Great White Throne Judgment. Because of their rejection of the atoning work of Jesus Christ in the Cross for their sins (the unpardonable sin), unbelievers will stand on their own human good production, their good deeds and great achievements which will not measure up to God’s perfect righteousness. Rev. 20:11-15.

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-14, NASB)

The unbeliever’s sins will never be mentioned because they have already been judged in Christ. Because of their unbelief and rejection of Jesus Christ, all unbelievers will be cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity with their worthless human good.

The Old Sin Nature and the Believer

Every individual has volition, with a positive and negative pole, which acts upon their old sin nature. As a believer, you can choose whether or not the old sin nature controls your life. The believer under the control of the old sin nature generally goes in one of two ways - lasciviousness with evil actions or asceticism by putting on a good front. You cannot change the old sin nature. Jer. 13:23.

“"Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil.” (Jeremiah 13:23, NASB)

The sins of the believer were borne by Jesus Christ on the Cross. The Lord Jesus Christ died not only for our sins, but to unchain us from the power of the old sin nature. 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Cor. 5:21.

“and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24, NASB)

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NASB)

When believers sin, they must confess their known sins to God the Father and thereby be returned to fellowship with God with their soul again under the control of the Holy Spirit. Thus, we don’t have to serve the sin nature any longer. We can claim God’s promise that we are dead to the old sin nature and alive unto God. 1 John 1:9; Rom. 6:11.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NASB)

“Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11, NASB)

This is the mental attitude when in fellowship. One moves from being out of fellowship to being in fellowship by non-meritorious faith. Our negative volition allows our old sin nature to rule our soul. When our volition decides to go with the temptations of the old sin nature, then we immediately lose the filling of the Holy Spirit and the old sin nature takes control of our soul. The old sin nature does not do the sinning! We do by our giving in to the old sin nature’s temptations through negative volition. This includes sins of ignorance and deliberate sinning. We can also use our volition to put the old sin nature out of control and let the Holy Spirit rule by use of 1 John 1:9.

When your soul is controlled by your old sin nature, you can only produce human good. You may be nice and that is fine and do something nice for others and that is fine, but if done when your soul is controlled by the old sin nature (carnality), it can only be human good. Anything done when out of fellowship is human good, sin or evil. Even if you were not aware that you were in a state of sin. God condemns all human good production whether well-intended or not. Jer. 17:9.

“"The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9, NASB)

Jesus Christ rejected all human good produced by either unbeliever or the believer out of fellowship because it is all produce in the energy of the flesh, by man’s abilities without use of God's grace resources. Therefore it is unacceptable to God. Human good is contrary to the principle of grace. In grace, God does the doing through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit whereby gnosis (knowledge) is changed to epignosis (full knowledge) because of the believer’s faith acceptance of the Bible doctrine taught. The accumulated epignosis Bible doctrine in the right lobe of the soul causes the erection of the edification complex of the soul. By this, God is glorified. Man does the receiving. Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 8:8.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NASB)

“and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:8, NASB)

In legalism, man does the doing by producing human good and man gets the glory. Before human good is judged, human good was rejected. Human good is produced by the believer because their soul was controlled by the old sin nature when doing so. All human good will be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Human good is wood, hay, and straw and is unacceptable to God who will burn it. 1 Cor. 3:10-15. See category on Human Good.

“According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:10-15, NASB)

Saul’s Old Sin Nature

Saul was a believer in the Old Testament who let his sin nature control him. His sin nature had a trend toward lasciviousness and evil. He acted from his area of weakness. Saul could have been Israel’s greatest king because he was chosen by God Himself. The Holy Spirit came to endue him to give him divine power to be all that God wanted him to be. l Sam. 11:6.

“Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul mightily when he heard these words, and he became very angry.” (1 Samuel 11:6, NASB)

At first, Saul used the power of the Holy Spirit and led the army of Israel to a great victory when all the rest of the people were afraid. 1 Sam. 11. God gave Saul a command in 1 Samuel 10:6-8 to wait seven days for Samuel, but Samuel did not show up and Saul got nervous.

“"Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you mightily, and you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man. "It shall be when these signs come to you, do for yourself what the occasion requires, for God is with you. "And you shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peace offerings. You shall wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you should do."” (1 Samuel 10:6-8, NASB)

In 1 Samuel 13:8, Saul needed to go and fight the enemy, but knew that there should be a sacrifice to the Lord first, by a prophet. But Saul was not a prophet. Saul’s old sin nature said, “Don’t obey the Lord,” but Saul went on negative volition and disobeyed the Lord. 1 Sam. 13:9-13.

“Now he waited seven days, according to the appointed time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him.” (1 Samuel 13:8, NASB)

“So Saul said, "Bring to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings." And he offered the burnt offering. As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him and to greet him. But Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the appointed days, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash, therefore I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the LORD.' So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering." Samuel said to Saul, "You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.” (1 Samuel 13:9-13, NASB)

The Lord gave Saul another command to utterly destroy all people and animals of Amalek in 1 Samuel 15:2-3. Again Saul disobeyed. 1 Sam. 15:8-9.

“"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. 'Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'"” (1 Samuel 15:2-3, NASB)

“He captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.” (1 Samuel 15:8-9, NASB)

As Saul lived more and more under the control of his old sin nature, scar tissue began to take its toll, destroying the norms and standards in the conscience in the right lobe of his soul. He became an animal, even though he was a believer.

When he found out that David was to be the next king instead of his own son, he became terribly jealous from the area of weakness of his old sin nature. From his jealousy came hatred along with other mental attitude sins. From hatred came the desire and attempts to kill David. Only God's overruling will protected David and spared his life.

Saul’s human good production from the old sin nature (his area of weakness) was also unacceptable to God, as was the human good production of Ananias and Sapphira, which was from their old sin natures’ area of strength. Sins are produced from the area of weakness. Saul died under the sin unto death. 1 Chron. 10:13. See category on Ananias and Sapphira.

“So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the LORD, because of the word of the LORD which he did not keep; and also because he asked counsel of a medium, making inquiry of it,” (1 Chronicles 10:13, NASB)