https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/MansSinfulNature.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n\tby Jeffrey W. Hamilton<\/p>\n\t
I. I’ve been hearing a lot about man’s sinful nature<\/p>\n A. A large number of people in denominations take it for granted that mankind is born\nsinful.\n
1. In other words, people can’t help but to sin because it is a part of our nature.<\/p>\n 2. The Philadelphia Confession of Faith (p. 7-8) states that because Adam\nsinned, we are born with a “sinful nature.” We are born sinners and there is\nnothing we can do about it. We can do nothing good by ourselves.\n a. Because of inherited sin, “we are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made\nopposite of all good, and wholly inclined to do evil . . . This corruption\nof nature, during this life, doth remain in those that are regenerated;\nand, although Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself and the first\nmotions thereof are truly and properly sin.”\n 3. Billy Graham (2\/15\/96) wrote concerning the virgin birth of Jesus. He gave\ntwo reasons\n a. God chose to have Christ born to a virgin to set Him apart from all\nothers.\n b. “Second, theologians have also pointed out that being born apart from\nthe agency of a human father, Jesus broke the cycle of inherited sin\nwhich comes upon every person who is born.”\n
B. Jesus’ birth gives the believers in inherited sin a great deal of difficulty<\/p>\n 1. Jesus was born in the flesh, yet Jesus was without sin. If everyone is born into\nsin, how can He be born and yet without sin?\n 2. Catholics try to solve the problem by declaring that Mary was conceived and\nborn without sin so she could give birth to a sinless Christ.\n a. But if it was required for Mary to be so born, then what about her\nmother, her grandmother, and so on back to the beginning of time?\n 3. Graham avoids this problem by essentially stating that sin must be inherited\nthrough the father, not the mother. Jesus’ father was God, so he had no sin.\n a. Problem: Inherited sin is not from a person’s immediate father, but\nfrom Adam. Luke traces Jesus’ lineage back to Adam (Luke 3:38).\nHow can Jesus be a descendant of Adam without inheriting the sin all\ndescendants of Adam supposedly receive?\n
II. The Fall of Adam<\/p>\n
A. We first need to look at the origin of the problem<\/p>\n
1. God created man – Gen. 2:7 and everything was very good.<\/p>\n
2. Man was given charged to care for the garden – Gen 2:15-17<\/p>\n 3. Man and God’s relation was so close that God walked during the cool of the\nday with Adam – Gen. 3:8\n
4. Yet in Gen. 3:1-6, Man yields to the temptation of sin and violates God’s law<\/p>\n a. The nature and avenue of those temptations are the same as faced by all\nmen – I John 2:15-17\n
5. As a result<\/p>\n
a. Man’s eyes were opened – Gen. 3:7<\/p>\n
b. Woman was cursed – Gen. 3:16<\/p>\n
c. Man was cursed – Gen. 3:17-19<\/p>\n
d. Adam and Eve were given proper clothing – Gen. 3:21<\/p>\n
e. They died spiritually that day – Gen. 3:23-24<\/p>\n
f. They eventually died spiritually – Gen. 5:5<\/p>\n
B. So far, we all agree, but what happened to Adam’s children?<\/p>\n 1. Gen. 4:4-7 – If Cain would do well, God would accept him, otherwise sin lies\nat the door. \n
a. Calvinism teaches that sin was already in Cain!<\/p>\n
b. God said it was about to enter.<\/p>\n
2. Enoch walked with God – Gen. 5:21-24<\/p>\n
a. How could he if he was born in sin?<\/p>\n
b. God does not have fellowship with those in sin<\/p>\n
(1) Isa. 59:1-2 – your sins have separated you from God<\/p>\n
(2) I Jn 1:5<\/p>\n
3. Noah too walked with God (Gen. 6:9)<\/p>\n C. The only conclusion is that man does not inherit sin, but is responsible for his own\nactions\n
1. Ezek. 18:1-4 … 20 – Sin is not inherited from one’s parents!<\/p>\n
2. Col 3:25 – One is repaid for the wrong he has done.<\/p>\n
III. Some “proof” offered<\/p>\n
A. Psalms 51:5<\/p>\n
1. Is David agonizing over the sin he inherited from his mother?<\/p>\n
2. Is he grieved for being an illegitimate son? <\/p>\n
a. No he was Jesse’s 8th son – I Sam. 16:10-11<\/p>\n
3. This was written after Nathan confronted David with his sin – II Sam. 12:1-7<\/p>\n 4. Note Psalms 51:1-4 – Notice that the sin David agonizes over is his own sin,\nnot Adam’s.\n
5. Compare this statement with Ps. 22:9-10. Which is correct?<\/p>\n 6. David is saying that his sin has affected his whole life (A point that abortionist\nshould note is that David counts his life from conception.) He is saying he\nstarted in a sinful world and it has affected his life.\n
B. Rom. 3:23<\/p>\n
1. All have sinned. This shows an activity on every individual’s part.<\/p>\n
2. James 1:14-15 – Every man is tempted, being drawn away by his own lusts.<\/p>\n 3. Paul and James are teaching the same thing. Every man is faced with a choice\nand every man has made the wrong choice at various times in their lives.\n
C. Rom. 5:12<\/p>\n 1. Death passes to all men because all men have sinned. Not because they inherit\nit from Adam.\n
2. This is still the same thing taught in James 1:14-15<\/p>\n
IV. Inherited sin is a myth<\/p>\n
A. A child enters life in purity and innocence<\/p>\n
1. When they are young, they have no knowledge of good or evil – Deut. 1:39<\/p>\n
2. Isa. 7:15-16 – A child must grow to know to refuse evil and chose good.<\/p>\n 3. This is why Jesus says that the kingdom is compose of people like little\nchildren – Mk. 10:14\n
4. We have to become like children to enter the kingdom – Mt. 18:3<\/p>\n
B. People are punished for their own sins – Col. 3:25<\/p>\n 1. God does not “chose” who is punished or not by name, but by the actions of\ntheir own choice.\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. I’ve been hearing a lot about man’s sinful nature A. A large number of people in denominations take it for granted that mankind is born sinful. 1. In other words, people can’t help but to sin because it is a part of our nature. 2. The Philadelphia Confession of Faith (p. 7-8) states that…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[1196,179,1005,1130],"class_list":["post-44579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-inherited-sins","tag-sin","tag-sinful-nature","tag-total-depravity"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":48654,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-man-inherently-evil\/","url_meta":{"origin":44579,"position":0},"title":"Is man inherently evil?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 1, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I recently had some questions on man's sinful nature. I have been through a worldview curriculum that taught this. They used the books Frankenstein\u00a0(whose world view is that man is basically good),\u00a0Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde\u00a0(whose world view is that man is inherently evil and cannot change himself),\u00a0Know What\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":45724,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-men-have-a-sinful-nature\/","url_meta":{"origin":44579,"position":1},"title":"Do Men Have a Sinful Nature?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 14, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ephesians 2:1-10 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Romans 3:23 - Why is it that everyone sins, barring Jesus our Lord? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A dominant teaching among the denominations is the idea that people are born sinful. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Westminster Confession gives a popular view: \u201cOur first parents, being seduced by the subtlety\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":26706,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/since-man-is-created-in-gods-image-how-can-he-have-a-sinful-nature\/","url_meta":{"origin":44579,"position":2},"title":"Since man is created in God’s image, how can he have a sinful nature?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 14, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Since we were created by God and in His image, how is it possible that we have a sinful nature? Answer: The Bible doesn't use the phrase \"sinful nature.\" It is the New International Version that substitutes \"sinful nature\" for the word \"flesh\" in many places. In doing so,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":28379,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-can-you-do-when-you-are-completely-controlled-by-your-sinful-nature\/","url_meta":{"origin":44579,"position":3},"title":"What can you do when you are completely controlled by your sinful nature?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 11, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Paul said that he did what he hated and that as long as he knew the law of God was good, that shows it's the sin in him and not him that does it. But he also said if your sinful nature is controlling you, it leads to death.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":85683,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/thoughts-on-sinful-nature\/","url_meta":{"origin":44579,"position":4},"title":"Thoughts on “Sinful Nature”","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Author Unknown (Labeled \"Guest Editorial\") via\u00a0Sentry Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 2, June 30, 1990 Sinful natures exist. It would be foolish for any serious individual to deny it. How this comes about in a person's life and just who has a sinful nature are other matters. Please consider a few\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":44307,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/hereditary-total-depravity-examining-the-old-testament-proof-texts\/","url_meta":{"origin":44579,"position":5},"title":"Hereditary Total Depravity: Examining the Old Testament Proof Texts","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 19, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"by Melvin Curry via\u00a0Guardian of Truth, January 1, 1987 Hereditary total depravity is generally associated with Augustinian and Calvinistic doctrine. John Calvin, following in the footsteps of Augustine, taught that all men sinned in Adam, and, consequently, every human being, except Jesus Christ, possesses from birth a totally corrupt sinful\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44579"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44579\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}