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What is the Sin Nature

What is the Sin Nature?

When Adam sinned , his nature became bent towards doing wrong because in sinning he not only determined to reject God’s word, but also separated himself from God. After this happened, all of the offspring from Adam and Eve were born with his fallen image and likeness. As a result, we are all born separated from God in our spirit with a nature that wants to do wrong; even though we have a conscience which knows what is beneficial (good) from what causes calamity (evil).

Wrong does not just mean wicked or evil, although both of these terms can be included in doing wrong. Most of the things we seek to do that are wrong are a result of us rejecting God’s way and seeking to do it our own. Such as, we want to please God through our own efforts (works) rather than living out from faith through grace. Both actually produce works. Faith without works is dead – how can you say you have faith if your actions never show it? One manifests works to please God, the other displays works because in Christ we are already pleasing to Him. Israel rejected the righteousness of God in Christ because they sought to make their own righteousness through works.

The Sin Nature is terminology that is used to describe our bent nature that we received from Adam. Scripture does not use this specific term, but rather refers to it as sin or the flesh. However, it does specifically describe a part of us that seeks to do those things that we know are not right and how to overcome it, which is not referring to […]

What is the Sin NatureLuther Walker2018-11-11T22:52:32-08:00

The Power of a Single Act of Love

As I sat sipping my coffee in the darkness of Christmas morning while I waited for the light of day to rise and the rest of the house to begin to stir with activity, I began thinking about the night. Night is master during this time of year. Although the sun still shines, as we move into deep winter it is often all too quickly over taken by the night. With little light the world grows cold and dreary and the soul begins to mourn as it longs for the bright face of the sun. We tell ourselves that not all hope is lost, for we know that the sun will return and again shine its face upon us and warm our souls giving us energy and melting the cold cover of winter. Yet our spirit is still left in the cold and darkness, for the sun cannot melt the winter that has set upon it. With no light, our spirit suffers in the darkness, alone, seeking relief but finding none in itself. As the seasons take their turn according to their times soon the world will again be cold and dark and our soul will again join our spirit in mourning for the light: so cold, so dark, so alone, feeling as if there really is no hope.

Yet, not all is lost, for a light has come into the world that is able to bring our soul and spirit out of darkness; a light so intense and pure that darkness will never again overwhelm our spirit. In one of the darkest periods of man’s history God sent light into the world through a single act of love. A love that seeks the best for […]

The Power of a Single Act of LoveLuther Walker2014-12-27T07:37:26-08:00

Habitual Sin and the Christian

In Greek class we were discussing the Middle/Passive form of the verb and looking at 1 John 3:9. I know I started speaking grammar, but don’t let that intimidate you, the truth we learned from this passage is incredible. Our major translations in English make the statement “and he cannot sin” as active; the one born from God is the one inhibiting the ability for that saint to habitually sin; however, the form of the verb is middle or passive so it actually cannot be translated that way.

Quick grammar lesson.

Middle is a voice in Greek that does not exist in English and means the subject is not only producing the action of the verb, but also receiving the action. We would express a similar idea with “he did this for himself (or his own benefit)”; although that is a bit more reflective than middle voice.

Passive means that the action of the verb is being acted upon the subject.

To justify an active translation on a middle/passive form of Greek, some grammarians have come up with the concept of a “deponent verb” in error. A deponent verb is a verb that never occurs in Scripture in an active form, but these grammarians think that it should be translated as active. This not only violates the normal grammar of the Kione Greek, it is actually unsupported when you examine the words they think must be translated as active, even though their form is passive or middle. Without justifiable evidence to show that in the original language exceptions were made on a regular basis by using the wrong form of a verb to express an idea that is not inherent to its form, […]

Habitual Sin and the ChristianLuther Walker2023-12-14T11:21:18-08:00

Definition of Sin

The Definition of Sin

The definition of sin has become so elusive today that there are so called “sins” in many churches that cannot be found in Scripture. How do you know what a sin is? True, we see very well defined sins in Scripture such as adultery, fornication, stealing, lying, murder, etc., but what about the things that are not revealed in Scripture. Is it a sin not to give ten percent of your wages to the Church? Is it a sin for a husband to ignore his wife? What about which movies you watch, what you wear, what friends you hang out with, going to a party…, how do we know if they are sins?

“Missing the mark” as a definition of sin is very predominate in teachings today. However, there is a problem with this definition. First of all, what mark are we missing? When we start asking this question we will find that the answer is a moving target. Secondly, this definition is so generic it allows for really anything to be put in as the mark missed. The mark could be, not living up to God’s glory; having a ruined character; not abiding by God’s law; and they go on and on. Lastly, where this definition comes from is an issue. In the book of Judges the word normally translated as “sin” from the Hebrew is used to describe men who are so good with a sling that they do not miss their targets. The meaning “missing the mark” comes off of a miss understanding of how this word is used in this passage and also requires ignoring other passages of Scripture that specifically define sin. These men are so good […]

Definition of SinLuther Walker2018-10-28T13:29:20-07:00

Sin, Trespass, and the Mind

The definition of sin has become so elusive today that there are so called “sins” in many churches that cannot be found in Scripture. How do you know what a sin is? True, we see very well defined sins in Scripture such as adultery, fornication, stealing, lying, murder, etc., but what about the things that are not revealed in Scripture. Is it a sin not to give ten percent of your wages to the Church? Is it a sin for a husband to ignore his wife? What about which movies you watch, what you wear, what friends you hang out with, going to a party…, how do we know if they are sins?

“Missing the mark” as a definition of sin is very predominate in teachings today. However, there is a problem with this definition. First of all, what mark are we missing? When we start asking this question we will find that the answer is a moving target. Secondly, this definition is so generic it allows for really anything to be put in as the mark missed. The mark could be, not living up to God’s glory; having a ruined character; not abiding by God’s law; and they go on and on. Lastly, where this definition comes from is an issue. In the book of Judges the word normally translated as “sin” from the Hebrew is used to describe men who are so good with a sling that they do not miss their targets. The meaning “missing the mark” comes off of a miss understanding of how this word is used in this passage and also requires ignoring other passages of Scripture that specifically define sin. These men are so good with the sling that […]

Sin, Trespass, and the MindLuther Walker2016-10-12T06:02:44-07:00