The Doctrine of Original Sin. Part 2: The Sin Nature.
This second part of our study could also be entitled total depravity. We cannot get this confused with human nature. The human nature only speaks of what we naturally do as humans beings. We walk on two legs, we talk, we are social beings, we are the only creatures that were made in the image of God and so we have a natural desire to worship something greater than ourselves, etc. The sinful nature, as we discussed in part one, was passed on to every man through Adam. It is now apart of our nature to sin. We live and breathe sin as we live and breathe being human. There is no escape from this in and of ourselves. No matter how much we try, we will sin. In the same way, no matter how much we try not to be a human, we cannot. Sounds obnoxious to explain it that way, doesn’t it? This is the very thing that separates you from God. When we compare ourselves with the our fellow man most of us are not so bad. But when you consider the absolute perfection of God in comparison to our sinful, rebellious selves, we are hardly fit for any kind of acknowledgment from a Holy God. God owes us nothing but His wrath, because we have rebelled against Him. It would be right and just to for God to judge us and to punish us in the fires of hell. That is why it is called mercy when God elects to save any of us. Otherwise, mercy isn’t mercy, but is something owed to us in the name of fairness. The question is not why would He send us to hell, but why would He save us at all. It would be fair to leave us in our sins and to perish for eternity. The sin nature possesses every part of us. Because of this total contamination we are unable to please a holy God.
A question to consider. Do things defile us? The answer is no. And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.” Matthew 15:10-20. It is the sin within that defiles us. Sin is the root of the things listed in the above verse. This is our nature outside of Christ. We have a natural inclination to rebel against God and His revealed will, which is His Word. This is what leads us into all kinds of sin. This is what we naturally desire as humans. It starts at conception as we looked at in Part One. If you are so drawn to, respond to God by turning from your sins. Will you remain a slave to sin, or will you submit to God?
Part 3 and the solution to this problem is coming. Part 3 is the Effects of Sins and Part 4 The Solution.
