“…The
...[flesh]... nature
...never
did obey God’s laws, and it
never will.…” (Romans
8:1-14 NLT). “…I [am] …a slave to the sin (nature) …” (Romans 7:14-25 NLT). “…Can an Ethiopian change his skin
or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who
are accustomed to doing evil…” (Jeremiah
13:23 NIV). “...I want to do
what is right, but I can’t…” (Romans 7:14-25 NLT).
*
Sinful behaviors
learned through the
body of flesh and dictated by the
senses are developed to the point they become automatic behaviors that are skillfully
performed with little or no thought.
Automatic behaviors simply means, through lifelong practice, the body of flesh (sinful nature) and its dictates have become ACCUSTOMED (habitual, familiar, the usual, normal, customary, etc.) to DOING evil. “…Can an Ethiopian change his skin
or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who
are accustomed to doing evil…” (Jeremiah
13:23 NIV).
Automatic
behaviors can be done or performed
without conscious knowledge, or fully thinking about them, or independent of
the heart and mind. The one doing the automatic
behaviors may not be able to explain HOW they did it. Automatic behaviors are so well practiced by the body of flesh,
through the senses, that these automatic
behaviors have conditioned, innate reactions that are second nature to the ones performing them.
“… Be
transformed by the renewing of your mind….”
(Romans 12:2 KJV).
“...letting your sinful nature
control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control
your mind leads to life and
peace...” (Romans 8:5-7
NLT).
“…The sinful nature (body of flesh) wants
to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the [Holy] Spirit wants ...These TWO FORCES are constantly fighting
each other, so you are not FREE to carry out your good intentions...”
(Galatians 5 NLT).
SINFUL CONDITIONING
done by the body
of flesh, through the SENSES is when a lifetime of familiarity,
practice, exposure, and shaping normalcy that became habitual responses, for the SOUL, that
continually maintain and sustain the learned behaviors of the sinful nature. “…The
sinful nature (flesh) wants to do evil ... so you are not FREE to carry out your good intentions...”
(Galatians 5 NLT).
THE SOUL is one’s very BEING
and is the immaterial self that HOUSES the EMOTIONS, AFFECTIONS, HEART,
THOUGHTS, conscience, personality, identity, and human will. The heart and thoughts are
the information and command centers of the soul. The heart INFORMS the thoughts
and the thoughts COMMAND behavior.
The
heart of the soul is either informed by the body of flesh, through the senses
on how to live and behave. On the other hand, the soul may be freed to decide, through the enabling POWER of indwelling Holy Spirit, how they choose to live and behave.
The HEART of the SOUL is
the information center and influences everything from the emotions, to the
appetites, to orientations to life, and of course, the thoughts. The heart will
glean its information from the senses through the body of flesh or from the indwelling Holy Spirit. If there is
NO indwelling Holy Spirit, the heart
has received ALL its information from the senses through the body of flesh that is ACCUSTOMED to doing EVIL.
Everything they say, think, do, believe, feel, model after, become, or don’t
become are all dictated by the senses through the body of flesh, which is UNDER the POWER of the EVIL ONE.
The soul was originally created to dominate, rule, be blessed, multiply, be spiritual, and be free to make choices,
but it is NOW imprisoned by the dictatorship of the senses through the body of
flesh. “…keep
(guard) thy heart, with
all diligence; for out of it are the issues (influences)
of life…”
(Proverbs 4:23 KJV). All behaviors, that mankind displays outwardly, originate
from information within the heart. It
is “… from
within, out of the heart of
man, proceed evil thoughts (thoughts that command
behavior)…these … come from within, and defile a person (dictate evil
behavior)...”
(Mark 7:21-23 KJV).
The heart, however, “…is deceitful above all
things and desperately wicked…who can know it…” (Jeremiah 17:9 KJV). "…Offspring
of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth
speaks. The good man, out of his good treasure, brings forth good
things, and the evil man, out of his evil treasure, brings forth evil things."
(Matthew 12:34-35).
LET’S LOOK AT THE BODY OF FLESH, THE SOUL,
AND THE INDWELLING SPIRIT THROUGH ADAM AND EVE.
GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT SAID: “…of
every tree of the garden THOU MAYEST FREELY EAT: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
thou
SHALT NOT EAT of it; for in THE DAY THAT THOU
EATEST thereof THOU SHALT SURELY DIE…”
(Genesis 2:16-17 KJV).
THE SERPENT APPEALED TO ONE OR MORE OF THE
WOMAN’S SENSES, USING THE BODY OF FLESH. “…The woman [became] ... convinced
(THROUGH SOUND) [to eat from the tree, anyway]... She saw (SIGHT) that the tree
was beautiful and its fruit looked (SIGHT) delicious (TASTE), and she wanted (LUST of the EYES or FLESH) the
wisdom (PRIDE of LIFE) it would give her. So
she took (TOUCH and EXPERIENCE) some of the fruit and ate it (TASTE)...”
(Genesis 3:1-7 NLT). “….She [choose to take (HUMAN WILL)] ...
some of the fruit and [eat] ... IT.
Then she gave
some to her husband, who was with her, and HE ATE IT, too …” (Genesis 3:1-7 NLT).
Thus, “…through [the behavior of one man]... sin (transgression)
entered into the world, and [spiritual] ...death through sin (through that transgression), and so
death (spiritual death) passed to all men (women)—“(Romans 5:12 KJV). “… One sinner (one transgressor of God’s holy law) destroy[ed]… MUCH
good…” (Ecclesiastes
9:18 NASB).
Three things happened: 1. They (Adam and Eve) became separated from God. 2. They (Adam and Eve) died spiritually. 3. They (Adam and Eve) became enslaved to the body of flesh (now a sinful nature) through their
SENSES. Adam and Eve had a body of
flesh, a soul, and the Spirit, but the Spirit separated from them and thus,
they died spiritually. “….let
us make man in our image (SPIRIT),
after our likeness (SPIRIT)…” (Genesis 1:26 KJV). “…..God
created man in his own image (SPIRIT)...male and female created he them…”
(Genesis 1:27 KJV). “….God formed man of
the dust of the ground (body), and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (Spirit); and man became a living soul (soul)…”
(Genesis 2:7 KJV).
“….let us make man in our image
(SPIRIT), after our likeness(SPIRIT)…” (Genesis 1:26 KJV). They were originally created in God’s “image”, which is SPIRIT. “…God
is not human …” (Numbers 23:19 NIV).
“…GOD IS SPIRIT…” (John
4:24 KJV). “…the
Spirit of God dwell in you (dwelt in Adam and Eve)…” (Romans 8:9 KJV).
However, they became SEPARATED
from the SPIRIT and were left with ONLY the soul and the body of flesh. Mankind was, now, missing or FELL short of the
glory of God (his presence) and was separated from the indwelling Holy Spirit. NOW all humanity is born with the same
problem. “…the wages of sin (the
payment for having a sin nature) is death…” (Romans 6:23 KJV).
“…[Now]... all have sinned (all have been born with a sin nature)…”
(Romans 3:23 KJV). “…all have ... come
short of the glory of God (all are born missing or WITHOUT the indwelling Holy
Spirit)…” (Romans 3:23 KJV).
"…That which is born of the flesh is flesh…” (John 3:6
KJV). “….I was born a sinner
(I was born without the indwelling Holy Spirit)—yes,
from the moment my mother conceived me….”
(Psalms 51:5 NLT). Adam and Eve had NOTHING to pass down to their descendants,
but the flesh nature.
Every soul is a dead soul born, into the
world without spiritual life, and trapped within the prison of the body of
flesh, which is NOW a totally SINFUL NATURE. The BODY of FLESH, without the indwelling Holy Spirit, can ONLY be
a SINFUL NATURE, because it was NOT created to OBEY God. “…The
...[flesh]... nature
...never did
obey God’s laws, and it
never will.…” (Romans
8:1-14 NLT). Thus, all of mankind
is “…DEAD “IN”
trespasses and sin (within the body of flesh or sin nature)...” (Ephesians 2:1 KJV).
THE BODY OF FLESH CAN’T
OBEY GOD, BECAUSE IT WASN’T CREATED TO OBEY GOD, BUT IT WAS CREATED TO BE A
VESSEL AND SERVANT FOR THE SOUL AND SPIRIT TOGETHER.
A FORK, BOWL, PLATE,
COUCH, COAT, TELEVISION WAS CREATED TO SERVE ITS PURPOSE “ONLY.” THESE THINGS
WILL DO “ONLY” WHAT THEY WERE CREATED TO DO AND WILL NOT OBEY OR SERVE ANY
OTHER PURPOSE APPROPRIATELY.
IF YOU WERE TRAPPED INSIDE A FORK, BOWL,
PLATE, COUCH, COAT, OR TELEVISION YOU COULD NOT MAKE THEM OBEY YOU OR GOD. THEY
ARE WHAT THEY ARE. THE BODY OF FLESH “IS” WHAT IT IS!
All of mankind is born“…separated from the LIFE of God…”
(Ephesians 4:18 NIV). “…It is the SPIRIT who
gives LIFE…” (John
6:63 NASB). Before sinners are SAVED “…[THEY are] ... DEAD in
[their]... transgressions and sins
(within the sinful nature)…” (Ephesians 2:1 NIV).
“…[The redeemed]... were [once]...
dead
in [their] sins and
... [NOW]…God made [them]... ALIVE with Christ. He forgave [them]… all [their]…
sins…”
(Colossians 2:13 NIV). God “….made
[the redeemed]… ALIVE
with Christ …when [the
redeemed]… were DEAD in transgressions…”
(Ephesians 2:5 NIV). Like the prodigal son, “… [THEY
were]…. DEAD and [have
been made]… ALIVE AGAIN; [they
were]… lost and [have been]… found…” (Luke 15:24 NIV).
If the redeemed were
made “ALIVE AGAIN” it implies they
were DEAD. The soul was a DEAD soul. “….God formed man of the dust of the ground (body), and breathed into his nostrils the breath
of life (Spirit);
and man became a
living soul
(soul)…”
(Genesis 2:7 KJV).
Adam and Eve BECAME “LIVING”
souls AFTER God breathed into their nostrils the “breath of LIFE.”
Spiritually DEAD souls are under the power of the
evil one through the body of flesh and the dictates of the senses, which
influences them to sin. “…The sin of my SOUL…”
(Micah 6:7 KJV). “......I want to do
what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t
…”
(Romans 7:14-25 NLT).
The spiritually DEAD souls are imprisoned within the
body of flesh and the dictates of the senses, which are totally influenced by
the evil one. “….When you follow
the desires (influences) of your sinful nature, the results are very
clear: sexual immorality, impurity,
lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling,
jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,
envy, drunkenness, wild
parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before,
that anyone living
that sort of life WILL NOT inherit the Kingdom of God. …”
(Galatians 5:22-23 NLT).
God told Adam and Eve they would “surely die” “... THE
DAY THAT THOU EATEST thereof THOU SHALT SURELY
DIE…” (Genesis 2:16-17 KJV). “…[Their]
...INIQUITIES … separated … [them from] ... God [the
Holy Spirit or the breath of LIFE]…”
(Isaiah 59:2 KJV). THEY BOTH DIED SPIRITUALLY AS GOD SAID THEY WOULD.
Now every
man or woman born, into the world without God’s
Holy Spirit, is spiritually dead. “…For all have sinned
(all have been born with a sin nature)…” (Romans 3:23 KJV). “…all have ... come short of the glory of God (all are born
WITHOUT the indwelling Holy Spirit)…” (Romans 3:23 KJV). “….I was born a sinner—yes,
from the moment my mother conceived me….”
(Psalms 51:5 NLT).
When God’s
Holy Spirit is not present, all of mankind is born with ONLY a body of
flesh which is automatically and organically a sin nature that will not and cannot obey God. “….I was born a sinner—yes,
from the moment my mother conceived me….”
(Psalms 51:5 NLT). “…The
...[flesh]... nature
...never
did obey God’s laws, and it never
will.…” (Romans
8:1-14 NLT).
God is “spiritual life” and anyone
separated from God is “…dead in
trespasses and sin (IN that sin nature)...” (Ephesians 2:1 KJV). “…The
...[flesh]... nature
...never
did obey God’s laws, and it
never will.…” (Romans
8:1-14 NLT). “…For all
have sinned (all have been born with a sin nature)…” (Romans
3:23 KJV). “….I was born a sinner—yes,
from the moment my mother conceived me….”
(Psalms 51:5 NLT).
There is an ongoing
DEBATE as to what the SINFUL NATURE is and an enduring attitude about why
Adam’s GUILT has been PASSED to all of mankind. Adam could only pass on what he
had, which was the flesh nature. It wasn’t so much his guilt he passed on to
all mankind, but his condition.
Sin, is an INNATE
CONDITION of the flesh nature which every male and female is born with, because
they inherited it from Adam and Eve, but they did NOT inherit the SPIRIT. "…That
which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit
is spirit…” (John 3:6 KJV).
Adam and Eve could ONLY reproduce what
they had become; A BODY of FLESH. They had DIED spiritually and were SEPARTED from God, the
Holy Spirit. Thus, “… all have
sinned (been born with a flesh nature), and come short of the glory of God (is born without the presence of
the indwelling Holy Spirit)…” (Romans 3:23 KJV).
“,,,
[Therefore,] ...through one man sin entered (physical life without the indwelling Holy Spirit
entered) into the world, and [spiritual] ...death
through sin, and so [spiritual] death
passed to all men, for that all sinned (all have been
born without the indwelling Holy Spirit]—“(Romans 5:12 KJV).
“…All have
sinned and fallen short of the glory of God…”
(Romans 3:23). “….I was born a sinner (I was
born without the indwelling holy spirit)—yes,
from the moment my mother conceived me….”
(Psalms 51:5 NLT).
If you can be BORN a
sinner, then being a sinner is NOT simply what YOU DO, but it is a REALITY of
what YOU ARE. “….I was born a sinner —yes, from the moment my mother conceived me….” (Psalms 51:5 NLT). “…The
...[flesh]... nature
...never
did obey God’s laws, and it
never will.…” (Romans
8:1-14 NLT).
SINFUL BEHAVIOR is an INNATE condition of what YOU ARE. “….I was born a sinner ….”
(Psalms 51:5 NLT). “…The ...[flesh]... nature ...never did obey God’s laws, and it never will.…” (Romans
8:1-14 NLT). “...I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good,
but I don’t. …I [am] …a slave to the sin
(the symptoms of the flesh nature) …” (Romans
7:14-25 NLT). “…For all have sinned
(all have the flesh nature)…” (Romans 3:23 KJV). “…all have ... come short of the glory of God (all are born
WITHOUT the indwelling Holy Spirit)…” (Romans 3:23 KJV).
SIX (6) TRUTHS ABOUT
THE SINFUL NATURE: 1.The bible tells us that all of humanity are BORN sinners,
because of the FLESH nature. “….I was
born a sinner ….” (Psalms 51:5 NLT) “…The
...[flesh]... nature
...never
did obey God’s laws, and it
never will.…” (Romans
8:1-14 NLT).
2. All of humanity will
become a slave, in one form or another, to the SINFUL BEHAVIORS produced by the
FLESH nature. “…I [am] …a slave to the sin (nature) …” (Romans 7:14-25 NLT). “…The
...[flesh]... nature
...never
did obey God’s laws, and it
never will.…” (Romans
8:1-14 NLT).
3. Without the indwelling Holy Spirit, mankind has
NO POWER over the flesh naturel it is what it is.
“...Who will free me from
this life that is dominated by [the sin nature]?”
(Romans 7:14-25 NLT). “... APART FROM [Christ]...
you can do nothing …” (John
15:1-11 NASB).
“… [You] … can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth …
[you]…” (Philippians 4:13 KJV).“…The
...[flesh]... nature
...never
did obey God’s laws, and it
never will.…” (Romans
8:1-14 NLT).
4.
Mankind is left with a flesh nature that ONLY
wants to DO EVIL (sin) and CAN ONLY do evil (sin). “...I want
to do what is right, but I can’t.
I want to do what is
good, but I don’t …” (Romans 7:14-25 NLT). “…The
sinful nature (body) wants to do evil... so
you are not FREE to carry out your good intentions. …
…” (Galatians 5 NLT).
5. The sin nature is
automatically and naturally hostile toward God and is totally incapable of
DOING anything righteous or holy. “…The
sinful nature
is always
hostile to God. It never did
obey God’s laws, and it
never will. …” (Romans
8:1-14 NLT).
6. The sinful nature
and the dictates of the senses, trains the lost soul to practice sin and PROVES
that mankind is a SLAVE to SIN through the SINFUL NATURE. “…Know ye not, that to whom ye yield
yourselves servants to obey, his
servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience
unto righteousness?” (Romans 6:16 KJV).
“…SIN is
the transgression of the... [Holy] ... law….” (1 John 3:4 KJV).
“…of
every tree of the garden THOU MAYEST FREELY EAT: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
thou
SHALT NOT EAT of it; for in THE DAY THAT THOU
EATEST thereof THOU SHALT SURELY DIE…”
(Genesis 2:16-17 KJV). BUT“…The woman [became] ... convinced
[to eat from the tree, anyway]... She saw that the tree was beautiful and its
fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it...”
(Genesis 3:1-7 NLT). “….She [choose to take] ... some of the
fruit and [eat] ... IT. Then she gave some
to her husband, who was with her, and HE ATE IT, too …” (Genesis 3:1-7 NLT). “.... At that
moment their eyes were opened…” (Genesis 3:1-7 NLT). At
that moment, they transgressed God’s holy law and “…[their]
...INIQUITIES … separated … [them from] ... God…”
(Isaiah 59:2 KJV). “…It’s YOUR SINS that … [will] ...cut
you off
from God…” (Isaiah 59:2 NLT).
“…SIN is
the transgression of the... [Holy] ... law….” (1 John 3:4 KJV).
“... When Adam sinned (chose to transgress God’s
Holy law), sin (the enslaving symptoms of the flesh nature) entered the world. Adam’s sin (transgression) brought
[spiritual] ... death (separation from God, the Holy Spirit). “... [THOU SHALT SURELY DIE…” (Genesis 2:16-17 KJV). “...so [spiritual] ... death (physical existence
without God) spread to everyone...”
(Romans 5:10-16 NLT).
“... there
is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought [spiritual] death to many. But even greater
is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other
man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very
different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God (being restored, reunited with the Holy Spirit again), even though we are guilty of many sins..[through
the sin nature]. For the sin (transgression of God’s holy law) of this one man, Adam, caused [spiritual]...death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will
live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ...” (Romans 5:10-16 NLT).
“…, my
righteous servant (Jesus) ... [made]... it possible for many to be counted righteous,
for he will bear all
their sins…” (Isaiah 53:11 NLT). “… [He sent the ] …one
… who can
reconcile
God and humanity—the
man Christ Jesus…” (1
Timothy 2:5 NLT).
“…Jesus Christ maketh thee
whole (SAVES,
RESTORES , AND MAKES YOU WHOLE YOU AGAIN)…” (Acts 9:34 KJV). “... It was for freedom that
Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm (enduring) and do not be subject again to a yoke
of slavery...” (Galatians
5:1 NASB).
Adam
and Eve were both, originally, MADE whole, but HAD the FREEDOM of choice. My
son, Oshawn, said, the only choice they HAD, because SIN was “NOT” an issue,
was to OBEY. You are ALSO made whole again and HAVE the FREEDOM of CHOICE to
OBEY. Therefore, “... Stand fast (keep enduring) therefore in the
liberty (freedom from sin and freedom to OBEY) wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be
not entangled again with the yoke of bondage...” (Galatians 5:1 KJV).
YOU
HAVE BEEN FREED FROM SIN AND FREED TO OBEY. HOWEVER, YOU CAN “STILL” FREELY
CHOOSE TO BECOME ENTANGLED AGAIN WITH THE YOKE OF BONDAGE, BY PRACTICING and
LIVING A SINFUL, LIFESTYLE!
YOU
LIVE and PRACTICE a SINFUL LIFESTYLE, NOT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO (YOU ARE FREE
FROM SIN), BUT BECAUSE YOU “CHOOSE” TO!!
“…I [am] …a slave to the sin
(nature) …” (Romans
7:14-25 NLT). “…Can
an Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard its spots? Neither
can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil…”
(Jeremiah 13:23 NIV). “...I want to do
what is right, but I can’t…” (Romans 7:14-25 NLT).
“...Who
will free me from
this life that is dominated by [the sin nature that is accustom `med to doing evil]?”
(Romans 7:14-25 NLT).
“…The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord…”
(Romans 7:14-25 NLT). “If the Son
therefore shall make you free, you SHALL
be free indeed…” (John 8:36 KJV). “….Apart from [the indwelling spirit],.. [you]… can do nothing…” (John 15:5 NIV).
WHEN YOU ARE IMPRISONED WITHIN THE SINFUL NATURE, YOU HAVE NO CHOICE, BUT TO DO WHAT THE SINFUL NATURE WANTS TO DO.
HOWEVER, WHEN YOU ARE FREED FROM SIN, THE INDWELLIN HOLY SPIRIT THAT RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD, NOW, LIVES "IN" YOU.
JUST LIKE JESUS TOOK AUTHORITY OVER SIN AND DEATH, HE GAVE THAT AUTHORITY TO YOU.
IT IS YOUR "FREE" CHOICE TO PUT DEMANDS UPON THE SINFUL NATURE THAT IS ACCUSTOMED TO DOING EVIL.
IN ORDER TO ALLOW THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT TO EMPOWER "YOU" TO LIVE HOLY; MAKE A CHOICE!
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