Being "born with a sin nature" is myth. We are born subject to the natural passions and desires of the flesh. Sin is when we reject God and "go our own way" in order to fulfill the passions and desires unlawfully. Jam1:14-15 clearly speaks of how it is the "lusts of the flesh" that draw people into sin, NOT A SIN NATURE. In Genesis 3:6 we see Eve being drawn into disobedience by the lusts of her flesh.
Repentance is when one changes their mind about submitting to the flesh in disregard to the righteousness of God. Thus a true repentance necessitates a true conversion where the action changes.
An individual who has repented has literally forsaken the life of yielding to the lusts of their flesh in disobedience to God and now lives in accordance with the leading of God. Hence a Christian walks after the Spirit and not the flesh.
When the "willful submission to the lusts of the flesh in disobedience to God (ie. going our own way)" is ignored as the basis for sin and is replaced with an inherited "sin nature" the Gospel message must be preached in a way that caters to the "inborn sin nature" and thus treats sin as a "disease" instead of the crime which it actually is.
Due to the teaching of being "born a sinner" the Gospel must by necessity be twisted into a CLOAK for the "natural state of man" which is "born a sinner." Thus the aspect of the cross where WE DIE WITH CHRIST whereby OUR OLD MAN IS CRUCIFIED and the BODY OF SIN DESTROYED is completely eliminated from the Gospel message. It has to be eliminated because an "inborn sin nature" CANNOT be crucified or "laid aside."
One CANNOT repent of a "birth nature" because repentance is a change of mind leading to a change of action within the context of OBEDIENCE FROM THE HEART (Rom 6:17). If men are "by nature sinners" then the change of mind and actions can only be made on a superficial level. Yet Jesus taught that the good seed falls on a "an honest and good heart" (Luk 8:15) which clearly harmonises with "yielding from the heart" which totally contradicts the existence of an "inborn sin nature" as being part of the "natural constitution of man."
An "inborn sin nature" depicts the fundamental constitution of man "as evil" and thus there is no possible way for the seed to fall upon an "honest and good heart" because there would be no such thing, that alone should raise eyebrows in regards to the teaching of Total Depravity. Yet if sin is a CHOICE and the SIN NATURE of Eph 2:3 is the result of "habitual sinning" becoming "hardwired" into the flesh (formation of neuron pathways/pleasure receptors etc.) then being in "bondage to lust" makes perfect sense. Human beings are not in bondage to a "sin nature" but rather are in bondage to their "natural lusts" and this bondage could be termed as the present "natural state" depicted in Eph 2:3. This natural state is not something one is born into, rather one sells themselves into it via the choices they make.
Rom 2:14 speaks of those who "by nature" do the things contained in the law and are thus a "law unto themselves" showing the "law written on their hearts." Rom 2:14 has a "nature" doing good while Eph 2:3 has a nature doing evil. Under the teaching of an "inborn sin nature" whereby the internal constitution of man "is naturally predisposed to evil" such a contrast does not make sense.
The simple truth is that man is not "born" with a sin nature. Man is born in a neutral state but is subject to the natural passions and desires of the flesh. A young child is neither righteous nor unrighteous. As the reasoning faculties develop children have the CHOICE as to whether yield to the light of God and do what is right or to reject the light of God and do what is evil. Yielding to one or the other will develop a growing natural predisposition towards certain behaviour. Thus when men choose to sin it begets more sin and becomes engrained in the character as well as physically as the brain develops (as studies on habits/addiction demonstrate). This is how sin brings bondage. It is also why Peter would write that to be a partaker in the "divine nature" one must FIRST have escaped the "corruption in the world through lust." Parallelisms to this line of thought in the Scripture would be things like how once cannot serve two masters and one cannot walk in both the flesh and the spirit at the same time.
Notice this scripture...
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
The doctrine of being "born a sinner" necessitates ongoing bondage as long as one exists in a fleshly body. Hence scriptures like 1Joh 1:8 and the Romans 7 wretch are pulled out of context to support an ongoing life of yielding to the flesh in disobedience to God because any alternative is deemed impossible due to sin being viewed as a malady of the flesh as opposed to a "yielding to lust." Inborn sin negates choice thus negating free-will.
As I mentioned earlier this redefines the Gospel into being a cloak for this ongoing sinful state. Thus being "in Christ" is merely a position of IDENTITY as opposed to being a STATE IN PRACTICE. Therefore when a professing Christian is seen to be living in accordance to the lusts of the flesh in disobedience to God they have an IDENTITY PROBLEM and not a SALVATION PROBLEM. Positionally they are viewed as saved but practically they are viewed to be still in bondage. Thus salvation has NOTHING to do with actually being set free from the bondage of sin according to this kind of theological system.
One of the most powerful scriptures which refutes this false theology is 1Joh chapter 3 where it is written...
1Jn 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
They key word above is MANIFEST in verse 10. The manifest conduct of the children of God being righteousness completely refutes any conjecture that a child of God can be walking in the lusts of the flesh and sinning. It is the children of the devil who walk in the lusts of the flesh working unrighteous conduct. Jesus put it like this...
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Joh 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
Joh 8:38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
Joh 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
Manifest conduct matters for you can know a tree by its fruit.
Repentance is when one changes their mind about submitting to the flesh in disregard to the righteousness of God. Thus a true repentance necessitates a true conversion where the action changes.
An individual who has repented has literally forsaken the life of yielding to the lusts of their flesh in disobedience to God and now lives in accordance with the leading of God. Hence a Christian walks after the Spirit and not the flesh.
When the "willful submission to the lusts of the flesh in disobedience to God (ie. going our own way)" is ignored as the basis for sin and is replaced with an inherited "sin nature" the Gospel message must be preached in a way that caters to the "inborn sin nature" and thus treats sin as a "disease" instead of the crime which it actually is.
Due to the teaching of being "born a sinner" the Gospel must by necessity be twisted into a CLOAK for the "natural state of man" which is "born a sinner." Thus the aspect of the cross where WE DIE WITH CHRIST whereby OUR OLD MAN IS CRUCIFIED and the BODY OF SIN DESTROYED is completely eliminated from the Gospel message. It has to be eliminated because an "inborn sin nature" CANNOT be crucified or "laid aside."
One CANNOT repent of a "birth nature" because repentance is a change of mind leading to a change of action within the context of OBEDIENCE FROM THE HEART (Rom 6:17). If men are "by nature sinners" then the change of mind and actions can only be made on a superficial level. Yet Jesus taught that the good seed falls on a "an honest and good heart" (Luk 8:15) which clearly harmonises with "yielding from the heart" which totally contradicts the existence of an "inborn sin nature" as being part of the "natural constitution of man."
An "inborn sin nature" depicts the fundamental constitution of man "as evil" and thus there is no possible way for the seed to fall upon an "honest and good heart" because there would be no such thing, that alone should raise eyebrows in regards to the teaching of Total Depravity. Yet if sin is a CHOICE and the SIN NATURE of Eph 2:3 is the result of "habitual sinning" becoming "hardwired" into the flesh (formation of neuron pathways/pleasure receptors etc.) then being in "bondage to lust" makes perfect sense. Human beings are not in bondage to a "sin nature" but rather are in bondage to their "natural lusts" and this bondage could be termed as the present "natural state" depicted in Eph 2:3. This natural state is not something one is born into, rather one sells themselves into it via the choices they make.
Rom 2:14 speaks of those who "by nature" do the things contained in the law and are thus a "law unto themselves" showing the "law written on their hearts." Rom 2:14 has a "nature" doing good while Eph 2:3 has a nature doing evil. Under the teaching of an "inborn sin nature" whereby the internal constitution of man "is naturally predisposed to evil" such a contrast does not make sense.
The simple truth is that man is not "born" with a sin nature. Man is born in a neutral state but is subject to the natural passions and desires of the flesh. A young child is neither righteous nor unrighteous. As the reasoning faculties develop children have the CHOICE as to whether yield to the light of God and do what is right or to reject the light of God and do what is evil. Yielding to one or the other will develop a growing natural predisposition towards certain behaviour. Thus when men choose to sin it begets more sin and becomes engrained in the character as well as physically as the brain develops (as studies on habits/addiction demonstrate). This is how sin brings bondage. It is also why Peter would write that to be a partaker in the "divine nature" one must FIRST have escaped the "corruption in the world through lust." Parallelisms to this line of thought in the Scripture would be things like how once cannot serve two masters and one cannot walk in both the flesh and the spirit at the same time.
Notice this scripture...
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
The doctrine of being "born a sinner" necessitates ongoing bondage as long as one exists in a fleshly body. Hence scriptures like 1Joh 1:8 and the Romans 7 wretch are pulled out of context to support an ongoing life of yielding to the flesh in disobedience to God because any alternative is deemed impossible due to sin being viewed as a malady of the flesh as opposed to a "yielding to lust." Inborn sin negates choice thus negating free-will.
As I mentioned earlier this redefines the Gospel into being a cloak for this ongoing sinful state. Thus being "in Christ" is merely a position of IDENTITY as opposed to being a STATE IN PRACTICE. Therefore when a professing Christian is seen to be living in accordance to the lusts of the flesh in disobedience to God they have an IDENTITY PROBLEM and not a SALVATION PROBLEM. Positionally they are viewed as saved but practically they are viewed to be still in bondage. Thus salvation has NOTHING to do with actually being set free from the bondage of sin according to this kind of theological system.
One of the most powerful scriptures which refutes this false theology is 1Joh chapter 3 where it is written...
1Jn 3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
They key word above is MANIFEST in verse 10. The manifest conduct of the children of God being righteousness completely refutes any conjecture that a child of God can be walking in the lusts of the flesh and sinning. It is the children of the devil who walk in the lusts of the flesh working unrighteous conduct. Jesus put it like this...
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Joh 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
Joh 8:38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
Joh 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
Manifest conduct matters for you can know a tree by its fruit.