Series: Hard Questions, Holy Answers — Post 8
Introduction
Many believers have been taught that after salvation, they still possess a “sin nature” alongside their new nature in Christ. This teaching has become deeply entrenched in modern evangelicalism. But is it biblical? Is it what Paul really taught in Romans 7 — or is it a theological misreading supported by modern Bible translations?
Let’s examine this question in the light of Scripture, rightly divided.
The Phrase “Sin Nature” Doesn’t Appear in the KJV Bible
The King James Version never uses the phrase “sin nature.” Instead, it speaks of “the flesh.” That’s a critical distinction. The word “flesh” (Greek *sarx*) in Paul’s writings refers to the fallen, Adamic human condition — the old man, the body of sin. But modern versions like the NIV and ESV often replace “flesh” with “sinful nature,” subtly teaching that believers have a second, unchangeable nature that cohabits with Christ’s nature.
KJV vs. NIV (Romans 7:18)
KJV: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing…”
NIV: “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature…”
Notice how the KJV limits Paul’s statement to his *flesh* — not his spirit, not his inner man. But the NIV replaces it with “sinful nature,” which makes it sound as if Paul’s entire being, even post-salvation, remains bound to sin. That’s a lie. The believer has been made new.
Romans 7: Is Paul Describing His Christian Life or His Life Under the Law?
Romans 7 is often misunderstood because Paul writes in the first person, saying, “I am carnal, sold under sin.” But context matters. Paul is describing what it was like trying to live righteously under the Law — *before* being joined to Christ.
Just one chapter earlier, in Romans 6, Paul says:
“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed…” (Romans 6:6)
That doesn’t sound like someone who’s still enslaved to sin. And in Romans 8:9, Paul says:
“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.”
So how can Paul be “sold under sin” in chapter 7 and “not in the flesh” in chapter 8? He can’t — unless chapter 7 is a reflection on the futility of life under the Law, not a description of Christian life.
The New Man Is Not at War With an Old Nature — The Old Nature Is Dead
The cross didn’t come to tame or subdue our old nature. It came to crucify it.
“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” (Galatians 5:24)
“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
You don’t carry around your crucified self. God doesn’t do dual nature theology. There is *one new man* (Ephesians 2:15).
The Two Nature Doctrine Leads to Defeat and Excuse
If you believe you still have a sin nature, you’ll excuse sin as inevitable. You’ll resign yourself to constant failure. But the Bible doesn’t teach “you’ll always struggle.” It teaches:
“Sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14)
“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.” (1 John 3:9)
This isn’t perfectionism. It’s victory. Not in our strength — but in Christ’s.
Conclusion: You Have One Nature — Christ’s
The teaching of two natures didn’t come from the apostles. It came from confusion, compounded by corrupt translations and man-made systems. When we believe what Scripture says — that our old man is crucified, that we are risen with Christ, that we are partakers of the divine nature — we walk in freedom, not bondage.
“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:3)
Don’t let a false gospel keep you chained to what Jesus already destroyed.
Christ didn’t come to tame the old man, but to kill him.