Untwisting Scriptures to Find Freedom and Joy in Jesus Christ: Book 6 Striving, Dying to Self, and Life will be published on December 3rd.
In writing about “daily dying to self,” which isn’t in the Bible, I saw that “sinful nature,” which also isn’t in the Bible, also needed to be addressed.
In “dying to self,” we’re taught to fight against ourselves. The “sinful nature” also teaches us to fight against ourselves.
My friend, there is a better way, a more Biblical and God-honoring way. I expound on it at length in Untwisting Scriptures Book 6, but here is where I specifically talk about the “sinful nature.”
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The concept of “two natures” in the Christian—the new nature and the old sinful nature—has been around for a long time. But the New International Version of the Bible, published in 1973 with 450 million copies in print, more or less cemented the idea in the thinking of modern-day believers.
According to this teaching, we are doomed to struggle between the “white dog” of the divine nature in which God has been pleased to allow us to partake (2 Peter 1:4) and the “black dog” of the old sinful nature, still present and very active in the life of the believer, hell-bent on sin.
But the Bible doesn’t teach that we have a sinful nature, not anywhere. And that’s critically important.
What the Bible does teach is that we have “flesh” (sarx in the Greek). Many people, including the NIV translators, have thought that “flesh” means “sinful nature.” But many others have disagreed for decades. I would be one of those.
Recently, when our Bible study group was studying Galatians, my husband Tim noticed something neither of us had noticed before: the connection between the word “flesh” and the concept of “weakness.” Not sin, directly. But weakness, which will lead to sin if not empowered by the Spirit.
Now consider. Galatians highlights the contrast between the “flesh” and the “Spirit.” Throughout Galatians, Paul repeatedly emphasized the weakness of the flesh as opposed to the power of the Spirit. This was not about that initial turning to the Lord. It was about the ongoing life of pleasing God.
“Living in the flesh” in Galatians means a believer is trying to lead a spiritual life through human determination (which is weak) rather than by the ongoing work of God’s Spirit.
That’s the emphasis of this epistle.
But if the word “flesh” is rendered “sinful nature,” as the NIV did for so many years, then we completely lose this concept of “weakness” that seems inherent to the idea of “flesh,” and we can fall into thinking that we will never be free from sin, ever in this life, even though the Lord has told us in Romans that we are.
What does it mean?
From my study of “flesh” throughout the New Testament, here is my conclusion so far as to what it can mean. The context usually makes obvious which meaning to apply.
- Physical heritage, especially Jewish physical heritage.
- The natural physical body, especially the surficial part. (Circumcision, which takes place in the “flesh,” then connects this meaning back with meaning #1.)
- Weak human nature, the seat of human desires and decisions, which are not always sinful. However, in weakness these desires and decisions can easily and naturally go astray in one of two ways:
- Pursuing righteousness through self-effort (which initially feels like strength, but without the wisdom of the Spirit, we don’t see that this “strength” is really weakness and we are 100% destined to fail). This connects with the circumcision of #2.
- Pursuing passions and desires, with a tendency toward increasing lack of restraint over time. (This can also initially feel like strength or “power,” but it is deceitful and will lead to bondage.)
- The pursuits of #3 being carried out to their logical conclusions, either in sinful indulgence or in extreme hypocrisy and self-righteousness. Because both of these are based in the flesh, it’s not uncommon to find both of these in the same person.
I’ll never forget when in 1999 the realization of #4 came upon me as I was studying Galatians that time around. This was way before I began to understand abuse in the church, but when I did, the foundational understandings of Scripture helped everything make sense.
Some of Tim’s thoughts from our Galatians study
This is from a paper my husband Tim wrote on the topic:
This question has been on my mind for some time. It began with pondering whether a Christian retains a “sin nature” after conversion—leaving a believer with two natures that constantly battle each other (the good dog vs. bad dog analogy).
The only biblical “support” I found for this idea was in Romans 7, where Paul seems to express that he can’t do what he genuinely wants to do—please God. However, this interpretation is an error stemming from a lack of context, compounded by the NIV’s translation of the word “flesh” as “sin nature.”
The context of these verses suggests that Paul is describing a life that is lived in the weakness of the flesh, which he is teaching against, rather than his own condition, which he describes in Romans 8.
How far and how fast will someone follow a path of sin? It is certainly not the same for everyone. It is also clear from God’s revealed standard of justice that not all sins have equal weight.
Yes, all humans will sin and fall short of God’s glory. However, the teaching that all humans are entirely opposed to God—our hearts being idol factories, even those transformed by the power of God’s Spirit (which is clearly stronger than our flesh)—is unbiblical.
Practically speaking, such teaching is a form of abusive guilt manipulation and a denial of the power of the gospel.
Voices of others
I also appreciated finding others who have written on this topic. Here are a few.
[In Romans] Paul is not speculating about the existence of some depraved nature that we all have resulting from the fall, a nature that Jesus himself did not share. On the contrary . . . Jesus himself shared this sarx—this source of all desires—in order that when he was crucified, it meant a victory over the desires of that flesh (chief among which is the desire not to die).
As such, the flesh no longer requires an external law to hem it in and restrain its desires—it has died and is now raised to new life, the life governed by the Spirit. But this whole scheme is all shot to pieces if Jesus did not share the same sarx as all of us (hence 1 John’s very strong statements to that effect). — from Jason Staples, “The ‘Sinful Nature’ Translation Dilemma and the Upcoming NIV Revision.”
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The distinction [between flesh and spirit] is really between the urges that come as a result of being embodied versus the rational, spiritual faculties that should govern those drives and desires. — comment on the above article, here.
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A better way to speak of the power of sin comes directly out of Paul. He speaks of the flesh and its passions and desires. By using such language, we can speak accurately about sin and also discover concrete ways to defeat sin since we will know what it is.
Speaking of a sinful nature as such can often obscure sin’s real power by making it sound like a dualistic force that we have to fight in a battle like in the ancient teaching of Manichaeism. — from Wyatt Graham, “Do We Have a Sinful Nature? Better to Say, We Have Passions And Desires of the Flesh”
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I prefer not to say we have two natures if by that one means: a sinful and redeemed nature. I prefer to say that the Spirit renews our nous (mind) so that we can recognize and conquer the passions that lie within the flesh. — comment on the above article, here.
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Why is this point so important? Because it goes to the very heart of the Gospel about what really happened when Jesus died on the cross for us. We died with him. It goes to the core of who you really are inside. Are you both a sinner and a saint? Or, are you a saint who sometimes sins? According to Romans 6, you are a saint who sometimes sins.
When we teach this truth to people and they embrace it, we’ve literally watched God change them. Why? The truth always sets you free! Will you believe the truth today so you can live freer in your own life? — from Mark Maulding, Grace Life International, “Do Christians Have a Sinful Nature?”
The implications of this change in thinking are profound.We do not have to be slaves to sin. We can indeed be free from sin. We don’t have to keep fighting, striving, dying, and struggling. We can rest in the complete salvation and finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
More, of course, in my upcoming book, Untwisting Scriptures #6 Striving, Dying to Self, and Life.
In the comments below I invite you to post any Scriptures that have been used to teach you that we have a “sinful nature.” I may have already addressed them on this website or in one of my books. If not, I’ll plan to address them in the comments or perhaps make a whole new article (or book chapter!) out of them.
God bless you, and I pray that all of us who are His redeemed children will live in the fullness of His Spirit and His truth.
In Celebrate Recovery’s Twelve Steps and Their Biblical Comparisons, Step 1 reads: We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable. The corresponding Bible verse is: “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” (Romans 7:18 NIV)
Yes, as you observed, that’s the old NIV, which translated the word “sarx” as “sinful nature” when it should be “flesh.” The flesh, not empowered by the Spirit of God, is unable to walk in God’s ways. The whole book of Galatians expounds on this at length.
Exactly. I come from the lineage of AA, and I believe in the disease model of addiction. Therefore, it was always difficult for me to wrap my mind around the “sinful nature” of my addiction, as I see it as a disease, just as the DSM-5 classifies it. Additionally, when comforting a family who has tragically lost a loved one, such a their child for example, to the disease of addiction, I have found it impossible to reconcile the “sinful nature” of the disease, when the family is honestly asking where their loved one is spending eternity. If one passed away from lung cancer with a cigarette in their mouth, or from diabetes due to mismanagement of their glucose intake, am I to tell them that their loved one isn’t resting in Heaven with the Lord? This changed my entire perspective on addiction, so why should we apply this ideology to one thing and not the spiritual malady of pride, arrogance, fear, dishonesty, etc? We all die in some kind of sin. None are immune, only the Perfect One was.
Thank you for your insight!
Well, we don’t die in sin if we’re in Christ. I do talk about this more in my upcoming Untwisting Scriptures book.
Jeremiah 17:9 “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” I’m sure there is a context to this, but it’s always used to shore up the “sin nature” trope.
Goodness yes, that one has a context. I addressed this one in chapter 8 of Untwisting Scriptures Book #3.
That makes sense! I’m so glad that God’s power shown in salvation is so much stronger than some church circles seem to have you believe!!
Amen!
It was a bad idea for Christians to act like St. Augustine’s writings(before becoming a Christian, he was involved with the Manicheans and may not have gotten all the cult’s garbage out of his thinking) were inspired or something. Then again, we’re referring to the same people that interpreted Scripture through the lense of ancient greek philosophy instead of the other way around. The flesh simply being our innate instincts that can be misused for evil makes more sense. It’s not wrong to meet your physical needs, It’s wrong if you meet your needs/desires in a selfish manner that harms others.
Yes, that’s it. Harming others or dishonoring the Lord.
I have been confused by 1 Corinthians 6:9-10… it’s not uncommon for people I know to have been introduced to porn, alcohol or some other type of addiction as a pre-teen. Knowing what we know about trauma and addiction, and what I know to be true of God’s character, I have trouble reconciling the kind of pain and addiction of a “drunkard” who struggles with the ups and downs not “inheriting the kingdom.” Does anybody have any insight or recommended resources for deeper study? The “sinful nature” makes it seem like a hopeless battle, a life of torture followed by condemnation. Addiction is common where I live- it’s not unusual to call in an overdose on my way home from the grocery store.
I’m so sorry, Kristen. This is very heavy. Those with extreme childhood trauma are in my life as well, and struggling with addictions like what you mentioned is very often a part of the aftereffect. I believe the difference between what makes a person “wicked” (1 Cor 6:9) or not is whether the person embraces the sin or wants to be freed from it. Being freed from it can certainly be a long and difficult process, but the heart desire is what makes the difference.
This quotes several scriptures
https://www.gotquestions.org/sin-nature.html
If you’d like to have a discussion of any of those, let me know which ones.
This is a fantastic site to see what mainstream evangelicals believe- but the theology is often a mess!
Thank you for attacking this concept head-on!!
The concept of the flesh being evil so permeated my very being for so long that I severely disdained my physical body, thinking its desires were sinful. I’ve been dissociating from my body for years- with some catastrophic effects.
Thank you for calling this out!!
I appreciate the work you do in this realm as well, Amy!
One passage that describes our inherent unrighteousness is Romans 3:8-18. We are under the “power of sin” until we become righteous by Christ. We can do nothing good in ourselves. If this is not being sinful “by nature” in other words, naturally sinful, then how do you rightly interpret this passage? It doesn’t use the term “by nature” but it describes people as inherently doing evil not doing good. Romans 6:14 says sin is our master.
Do you mean we don’t start out with a sinful nature in our natural man but that we start with something like a neutral nature, neither sinful nor good? If we don’t start out with a sinful nature, then why does God talk about our selves being set free from the law of sin?
What underlying issue do you have with the theology of a sinful nature that needs redeeming?
Perhaps a key phrase in that passage is in Romans 3:9 “both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;”
I think when people read that word “sin” they may think “innate badness,” but really this word means something more like “going astray (so as to not receive the inheritance).” This would happen because without the power of the Spirit, our weak flesh is drawn away by the world and the devil.
Through the rest of this passage in Romans, Paul quotes a psalm, one that I cited in Untwisting Scriptures Book 1 (about bitterness). When weak human nature goes astray, it naturally will go deeper and deeper into sin, unless rescued and redeemed by the Lord.
I don’t see this Romans passage as teaching that “badness” is inherent; only that “weakness” is inherent. And that weakness, unless redeemed and strengthened by the Lord, will be pulled down by the world and the devil.
Romans 6:14 actually says that sin shall NOT have dominion over you.
I believe all people need to be set free from the “law of sin” that will pull a weak human nature down into sin if it isn’t strengthened by the Spirit. Romans 6 teaches that we believers are free from sin.
“What underlying issue do you have with the theology of a sinful nature that needs redeeming?” I’m not sure I understand this question. I’m only observing here that the Bible doesn’t teach the “sinful nature.”
What about putting off the old self? And what is earthly in you. Like in Colossians 3 and put on …
And 2 Corinthians 5:17 the old is passed away…is this the weak self?
I appreciate your approach to these things and making me think
Putting off the old and putting on the new, in Ephesians 4. Here it is:
17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
This is a beautiful example of how sinfulness wasn’t inherent, in the Ephesians’ “nature,” since the old self could be put off.
I believe a natural reading of 2 Corinthians 5:17 would be that the old way of life is gone, and a new way of life has come. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” Salvation through Jesus Christ has the power to be transformative, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Interesting. I have always been taught that sin is separation and disobedience to God’s commands, such as Genesis 3