There is no such thing as a sinful nature. I am speaking biblically now. The terms nature of sin and sinful nature are not found in the Scriptures. We don’t have a nature to sin, we have sin in our being inherited from Adam. It is not a nature to sin, it is sin itself. God looks at man and He sees sin within him. Man was created in the image of God, so God sees His own image tainted with sin.
Just as Paul wrote, “But if I am doing the very thing I I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good,” Romans 7:20, 21.
One might feel like he, or she, has a sinful nature when he, or she, is tempted; but that feeling is there because sin is actually in us. We were brought forth in iniquity, and in sin our mothers conceived us, Psalm 51:5. Hence, evil is within us.
God also sees and knows that we are unable to overcome and rid ourselves of that sin. So He sent the last Adam who was tempted in all things, as we are, and by learning obedience from the things in which He suffered, He lived a life in total obedience to the Father, and thereby without sin.
The writer of Hebrews explains in chapter 2, verses 17, 18, “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.”
Was Jesus capable of sin? Yes, just as the first Adam, for they both were flesh and blood, and they both were the image of the invisible God. Yes, Jesus was God incarnate, but God cannot be tempted, James 1:13. However, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, Matthew 4:1. Although He was God incarnate, He was in a body of flesh and blood, and, therefore, was able to be tempted like the first Adam. And, being able to be tempted, He could have sinned, but He chose not to, Matthew 4:3-10.
Jesus came to earth in the likeness of sinful flesh. Does this mean Jesus was sinful? No. Does it mean Jesus had sin in Him, as do all of Adam’s descendants? No, Jesus came to earth as the last Adam, and therefore came in the image of the first Adam before sin was accomplished. Having been born of a virgin impregnated by the Holy Spirit, Jesus, the last Adam, came in the likeness of sinful flesh, but without the sin of the first Adam.
There were two Adam’s, the first and the last. The first Adam was created as an adult, so he was not trained up in the way he should go (Proverbs 22:6); nor did he endure suffering, and, therefore, never learned obedience since obedience is learned from suffering (Hebrews 5:8); and when given a command, he disobeyed; and the entire human race was affected by it.
The last Adam came as a new-born child, was trained up in the way He should go (Proverbs 22:6), and learned obedience from the things which He suffered (Hebrews 5:8); and when given commands, He obeyed; when tempted, He overcame.
There are two creations: the first creation is Adam. The second creation is the risen body of Christ. “The first man [Adam] is from the earth, earthy; the second man [the risen Christ] is from heaven,” 1 Corinthians 15:47. Jesus came to earth as the last Adam, that is, He brought an end to the first creation, Adam.
This was accomplished by His obedience throughout His entire life, the shedding of His blood, and His becoming sin for us, which He did when placed on the cross—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,” Galatians 3:13.
And now all who will may be a part of the new creation and leave the old behind. This is done by repentance, rebirth, and denying one’s self and taking up one’s cross and following the risen Christ. And these are all done by faith in what Jesus accomplished as the last Adam and faith in His resurrection, which resulted in the new creation, the body of Christ, the church of the living God.
But there were two things to overcome, sin and death. Thus, “But we do see Him, who has been made for a little while lower than the angels, namely Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings,” Hebrews 2:9, 10.
“Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives,” Hebrews 2:14, 15.
So each and every Christian is obligated to “walk by the Spirit, in order to not carry out the desire of the flesh,” Galatians 5:16. And, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit [our lives are hidden with Christ in God}, let us also walk by the Spirit,” Galatians 5:24, 25.
We have been crucified, buried and raised up into newness of life, members of the body of the risen Christ.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
Weigh everything I say on the scales of God’s holy word.
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