Cheryl Schatz

truthseeker,

I am very glad that you are willing to dialog on this issue. I believe that it is a very important one.

You said:

You said they brought us a sin nature. Very very different-sin nature vs. opportunity to sin. Perhaps better yet, Adam simply brought us an example of sinning to follow should we choose to do so along with all the consequences of his sin that affect us. I do not see any mention of sin nature in the passage.

Just as the words “The Trinity” are not in the Bible but the concept is there, so the exact words “sin nature” are not in the Bible but the concept is there.

The book of Romans calls the natural tendency toward sin as “the flesh” or “in the flesh”.

Rom 7:5 For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.

Here we see that the “flesh” was aroused with sinful passions.

Rom 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.

Here the phrase “in my flesh” is a synonym for the natural tendency towards an inability to continue to practice good.

In verse 21 Paul calls it a principle of the present evil within us.

Rom 7:21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.

Paul further calls this natural tendency toward sin as against our intention to do good.

Rom 7:23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.

Walking after the natural inclination is said to be “walking in the flesh”.

Rom 8:4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Rom 8:8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

The opposite of spiritual is of “the flesh” showing a natural tendency that is opposite to the spiritual nature.

1 Cor 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.

“Flesh and blood” is another term that Paul uses for the sinful human nature.

1 Cor 15:50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

We also know that the transgression of Adam caused “the many” to die.

Rom 5:15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

Through Adam came universal condemnation to Adam’s offspring:

Rom 5:18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.

Here disobedience brought many to the place of sin:

Rom 5:19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

The question we must ask ourselves is how did Adam’s disobedience bring us to sin? His disobedience cannot make us sin because we have a will that can refuse to sin. But the disobedience of Adam (as we were “in” Adam when he sinned) has tainted us in such a way that we are attracted to sin and desire to sin. We then choose to participate in sin because of this attraction.