Innate or Temptation?

[Nim]

According to the Holy Bible, do people sin because Satan tempts them or because they themselves have a desire to sin, or both? I remember my friend saying a long time ago that there will be no desire to sin when Satan is banished or something along those lines. But he didn't read the Bible much, or actually in his case, the book of Mormon.

 

[jayswife29]

People sin because of...1.)they have a sin nature
2.)satan is tempting people always.
Even when satan is bound for 1,000 years people will still sin, and then people will not be able to blame satan.

 

[Reformationist]

According to the Holy Bible, do people sin because Satan tempts them or because they themselves have a desire to sin, or both?

There is no denying that satan tempts us. However, satan has no power to make someone choose contrary to their greatest desires. For instance, let's say you go into a store and see a CD on sale. You really like the music and want to buy the CD. Then you realize that you don't have the money because you have to save what you have to pay your rent. If, WHEN FACED WITH MAKING THAT CHOICE, your greatest desire is to be obedient to God in managing your money in a godly way, then you will choose to leave the store without the CD. You can be sure that satan will tempt you to respond to that choice in an ungodly way. Christians are urged to guard their heart against the subtlty and deceitfulness of sin. The reason we are urged to do so is because ALL sin is conceived IN OUR HEARTS when we drawn away BY OUR OWN DESIRES:

James 1:14-16
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

Again, though satan is very powerful, he, like us, is a created being and is incapable of changing our nature. He cannot make us desire something. We can never blame satan for our own sinfulness because sinfulness is the product of our own actions of giving too much attention to ungodly desires.

I remember my friend saying a long time ago that there will be no desire to sin when Satan is banished or something along those lines.

We will have no desire to sin when we are glorified. We are glorified when we die and go to Heaven. The saints in Heaven are already in a state of complete and perfect harmony with God. They have no desire to sin. Additionally, satan has already been banished, at least in the theological sense. That is not to say that he doesn't exert power in this world. It just means that God has foreordained satan's end and it shall come to pass exactly as the Lord has sovereignly ordained.

God bless

 

[Reformationist]

Even when satan is bound for 1,000 years people will still sin, and then people will not be able to blame satan.

Umm...not trying to debate, I just don't understand this comment. When will satan be "bound for 1,000 years?"

Also, you said, "then people will not be able to blame satan." Does this mean that you think people are currently justified in blaming satan?

Again, I'm not debating. I'm just curious about what you're alluding to here.

God bless

 

[Ken]

one of my favorite teachers says that the Bible teaches us that we sin because we are sinners, not that we become sinners when we sin..... we are by nature, children of wrath.....

(Eph 2:1-3 NNAS) And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, {2} in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. {3} Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest."

I agree with Reformationist in that once we are glorified, when Satan is eventually defeated, God will so change our hearts that we will no longer desire to sin.....
(Rev 12:7 NASB) And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. And the dragon and his angels waged war,"

.... and is seems to be the case that since death is a penalty for sin, and in heaven there will be no more death, that it follows that there will be no more sin...
(Rev 21:4 NASB) and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."

blessings

 

[BarbB]

Umm...not trying to debate, I just don't understand this comment. When will satan be "bound for 1,000 years?"

Also, you said, "then people will not be able to blame satan." Does this mean that you think people are currently justified in blaming satan?

Again, I'm not debating. I'm just curious about what you're alluding to here.

God bless

I think that refers to Jesus' millenial reign; Satan will be bound, then loosed to collect the final sinners from the 1,000 reign and be thrown with the final sinners into the lake of fire.

I don't have my Bible handy for sites - sorry!

 

[water_ripple]

I think it is a bit of both.

Before I came to Christ I sinned all of the time. I did things that I knew were sinful (still felt guilty for them), and I did things I never realized were sins.

Now that I've gotten closer to God I am aware of things I never considered sins before. (like cursing) I desire more than anything not to sin and hurt God. If one slips out during frustration instantly I am ashamed and pray to God to forgive me. I ask for wisdom and strength to resist. He is answering my prayers, and this form of sin is almost completely gone. God is insisting that I walk in the light with Christ. I am not perfect by any means, but sin now sickens me. God is changing my heart, and making me consciencously aware of my actions.

Lust used to have an extreme hold on my life...last night my husband and I went to a friend's house. We watched a movie. The guys were drinking heavily, but were talking about their experiences in the military. Well, our friend who was intoxicated started making lewd suggestive comments to me when my hubby went to the bathroom. I told him how disgusted and hurt I was. He stopped. When my husband came out of the bathroom he asked what was wrong, and I told him it was nothing. Then our friend gets a porno out and puts it in the DVD to watch. I was sickend and infuriated. I told my husband I was ready to go, and he ignored me. I said I'm leaving now wether you are comming or not. Guess what I did. I refused to be a part of any of that. Since I have decided not to interact with this guy anymore if he cannot respect my wishes. This does not mean I want to control what he does; it means I want him to respect the way I feel about sexual matters.