The Sin Nature Issue

How is it that Jesus lived on the earth as a man and did not sin. It seems implausible that this really happened if He lived a human life in all regards except His conception. And yet, this is exactly why Jesus never sinned.

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD:

though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;

though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isa 1:18 KJV)

Up to the point that we get saved, we have a sin nature. If you have a sin nature, you cannot not sin. Any animal has certain things it does, because that is what that creature does. A dog sniffs other dogs rear-ends because that is their nature. That is kind of gross to humans, but every creature does certain things because it is their nature to do that thing. A sinner sins, because that is the nature of a sinner. Jesus never sinned, because it was not His nature to sin, and He passed on His divine nature to all who place their trust in Him. The first Adam gave us a sin nature, the second Adam gave us a divine nature, a nature of righteousness.

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.(2Pe 1:4 KJV)

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:(Rom 5:12 KJV)

(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.(Rom 5:13 KJV)

Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.(Rom 5:14 KJV)

But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.(Rom 5:15 KJV)

And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.(Rom 5:16 KJV)

For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)(Rom 5:17 KJV)

Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.(Rom 5:18 KJV)

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.(Rom 5:19 KJV)

Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:(Rom 5:20 KJV)

That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.(Rom 5:21 KJV)

Jesus is called the second Adam. Why? Because by one man (Adam), man obtained a sin nature and by one man (Jesus the Messiah), man was given a divine (or sinless) nature.  Before Adam rebelled against God, he did not have a sin nature. Two people can do the exact same thing and to one it is sin and to another, it is not. If you went around sniffing other humans rear-ends, it would be a sin (or perversion), to you. You are not a dog, and sniffing rear-ends is not your nature. The law is what makes sin, sin. If there was no law, then sin could not be imputed to you. You cannot break a law if there is no law.

(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. (Rom 5:13 KJV)

The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.(1Co 15:47 KJV)

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.(1Co 15:45 KJV)

From the moment Adam sinned, sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed (charged against the offender), if there is no law. The law was not given for about 2000 years after Adam sinned. The purpose of the law was to be a schoolmaster to teach us that it is impossible for us to be righteous by our own deeds.

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.(Gal 3:24 KJV)

But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.(Gal 3:25 KJV)

Even after the fall of man, there was no law that required keeping the Sabbath. After the law was given, there was a man that was picking up sticks on the Sabbath to make a fire to cook food. This man was brought to Moses to see what should be done about his working on the Sabbath. There was now a law that said, “thy shall keep the Sabbath holy, and do no laborious work on the Sabbath”, but the penalty was unknown. So, Moses went to God to see what the penalty was for breaking the Sabbath, and God told Moses that the man was to be stoned to death, by all the people. Note: Even today, when a law is broken, a trail is held and if the person is found guilty, then a penalty is decided (not before the crime happens).

And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.(Num 15:32 KJV)

And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.(Num 15:33 KJV)

And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.(Num 15:34 KJV)

And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.(Num 15:35 KJV)

And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.(Num 15:36 KJV)

What was the law that was broken, that resulted in this man’s execution?

Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.(Lev 23:3 KJV)

The law was given to make man guilty before God for doing any one of many things that is against the law. Today, if a person steals something he is a criminal because of that action, if he had raped someone he would also be called a criminal. If a person breaks any law, that makes him a criminal, but if a law did not exist that said stealing was a crime, then a person would not be a criminal for stealing. The law was given to show the sin nature of man. God never intended for man to have a sin nature, and before Adam had a sin nature, he could not sin.

Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.(Rom 4:15 KJV)

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:(Gal 3:13 KJV)

What Jesus accomplished by His sacrifice on the cross, was the forgiveness of every sin (Every sin was a future sin at this point. Therefore, today we would say that Jesus forgave all our sins; past, present and future), that man would ever commit (plus much more).

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.(1Jn 2:2 KJV)

But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.(Gal 3:22 KJV)

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.(Gal 3:23 KJV)

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.(Gal 3:24 KJV)

But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.(Gal 3:25 KJV)

It is not our nature to eat plants that we know are poisonous. Before Adam ate the fruit of the plant he had been informed was poisonous, his spirit was alive. But when he ate the poisonous fruit, it killed his spirit. Before the fall, it was Adam’s nature to follow God’s guidance in what he did with the world that God had given him. Adam acted in faith toward God in everything he did. Whatever is not of faith is sin*, the only thing Adam could not do that was not in faith was to eat from the poisonous plant.  This rebellion gave him and every person conceived by a man a sin nature. Because Jesus was born of a virgin, he did not have a sin nature. Because he did not have a sin nature, he did not sin.

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.(Luk 1:35 KJV)

And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for *whatsoever is not of faith is sin.(Rom 14:23 KJV)

Jesus said, I do only what I see my Father doing. Jesus was always acting in faith, so, taking the opposite of the scripture says that whatever is not of faith is sin; then, whatever is of faith is not sin. Therefore, Jesus never sinned. Once we are saved, we (that is our spirit, which is the real us), cannot sin.

I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.(Joh 5:30 KJV)

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.(Gal 3:10 KJV)

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:(Gal 3:13 KJV)

The scripture says that at salvation, we are a new creature. This new creature does not have a sin nature and therefore cannot sin. A person that cannot sin, is a righteous person. A born-again person is the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. It is our spirit that died when Adam sinned, and it is our spirit that is born again. Our spirit cannot sin! It is sealed by the Holy Spirit and sin cannot touch it. Sins that are committed by a person that is born again do not affect their spirit*. That does not mean that it does not affect their flesh, satan is looking for someone to devoir. Sinning makes you a servant of sin, and an open target for satan^@.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.(2Co 5:17 KJV)

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.(Rom 12:2 KJV)

*For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,(1Co 5:3 KJV)

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,(1Co 5:4 KJV)

To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved* in the day of the Lord Jesus.(1Co 5:5 KJV)

^@The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.(Joh 10:10 KJV)

This is a defining statement by Jesus, God is not the author of man’s sorrows. If something bad is happening in your life, satan is the cause of it, via the fall of man.  Jesus hates the fruits of the sin nature; like sickness, disease, poverty, death, etc., and did not cause these things in your life. God does not use such things to teach us, satan uses such things to harm us. Jesus removes the sin nature at salvation, and as we renew our minds by God’s word and the Holy Spirit’s revelation of that word, we become immune to those things.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.(Rom 12:2 KJV)

Jesus settled the sin nature issue. He redeemed us from the curses of the law, they have no affect on the born again person that understands their sonship through Christ. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be our teacher and to lead us into all truth.

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.(Joh 16:13 KJV)

He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.(Joh 16:14 KJV)

All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.(Joh 16:15 KJV)