Many Scriptural proofs of man’s inherited sin nature

[John Zain]

Some verses from David …
“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” (Psalm 51:5)
“The wicked (sons of men, verse 1) are estranged from the womb;
they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.” (Psalm 58:3)
“The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men … They have all turned aside,
they have all become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.” (Psalm 14:2-3)
“God looks down from heaven upon the children of men … Every one of them has turned aside;
they have all become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.” (Psalm 53:2-3)
“… for in Your sight no one living is righteous.” (Psalm 143:2)

Various and sundry OT verses …
“… (for there is no one who does not sin) …” (1 Kings 8:46, 2 Chronicles 6:36)
“For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin.” (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
“Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!” (Job 14:4)
“For I knew that you (Israel) … were called a transgressor from the womb.” (Isaiah 48:8)
“For we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses
are like filthy rags (women’s menstral cloths)” (Isaiah 64:6)
The Pharisees said to a man, “You were completely born in sins …” (John 9:34)

Jesus, of course, understood man’s disasterous spiritual condition
“If you (Jesus’ disciples) then, being evil, know how to give good gifts …” (Luke 11:13)
Did Jesus purposely choose evil men to be His disciples?
No, He’s just saying that all men are evil.
“But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had
no need that anyone should tell Him about man, for He knew what was in man.” (John 2:23-25)
“I am He who searches the minds and hearts.” (Revelation 2:23)
“Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,
fornications, thefts, false witness (lies), blasphemies.” (Matthew 15:19)

Paul (the Jewish scholar) just repeated what his Old Covenant Scriptures say
“As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one … there is none who does good,
no, not one.’ ” (Romans 3:10-12). Paul is quoting here from Psalm 53:2-3.
“The Scripture has confined all under sin …” (Galatians 3:22)
“… through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin,
and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned …” (Romans 5:12)
“I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.
… the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:18-19)
“… through one man’s offense (Adam’s sin) judgment came to all men,
resulting in condemnation … in Adam all die (spiritually) …” (1 Corinthians 15:18, 22)
“And you He made alive, who were (spiritually) dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1-3)

The Fall of Man affected more than just the human race
What happened between …
“Then God saw everything that he had made, and indeed it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)
and …
“… the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption
into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that
the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.” (Romans 8:21-22)
What happened was “the Fall of Man” and this caused:
(1) a cursed man … an inherited sin nature, evil, sickness, physical death, spiritual death.
(2) a cursed creation … suffering, pain, disorder/chaos, death of God’s creatures.

Noah and his family carried the sin nature through the flood
Noah left the ark, built an altar, and offered a burnt offering to the Lord (Genesis 8:18-20).
”Then the Lord said in His heart, ‘… the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth …’ ” (Genesis 8:21)
.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Some verses from David …
“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” (Psalm 51:5)
“The wicked (sons of men, verse 1) are estranged from the womb;
they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.” (Psalm 58:3)
“The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men … They have all turned aside,
they have all become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.” (Psalm 14:2-3)
“God looks down from heaven upon the children of men … Every one of them has turned aside;
they have all become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.” (Psalm 53:2-3)
“… for in Your sight no one living is righteous.” (Psalm 143:2)

Various and sundry OT verses …
“… (for there is no one who does not sin) …” (1 Kings 8:46, 2 Chronicles 6:36)
“For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin.” (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
“Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!” (Job 14:4)
“For I knew that you (Israel) … were called a transgressor from the womb.” (Isaiah 48:8)
“For we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses
are like filthy rags (women’s menstral cloths)” (Isaiah 64:6)
The Pharisees said to a man, “You were completely born in sins …” (John 9:34)

Jesus, of course, understood man’s disasterous spiritual condition
“If you (Jesus’ disciples) then, being evil, know how to give good gifts …” (Luke 11:13)
Did Jesus purposely choose evil men to be His disciples?
No, He’s just saying that all men are evil.
“But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had
no need that anyone should tell Him about man, for He knew what was in man.” (John 2:23-25)
“I am He who searches the minds and hearts.” (Revelation 2:23)
“Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,
fornications, thefts, false witness (lies), blasphemies.” (Matthew 15:19)

Paul (the Jewish scholar) just repeated what his Old Covenant Scriptures say
“As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one … there is none who does good,
no, not one.’ ” (Romans 3:10-12). Paul is quoting here from Psalm 53:2-3.
“The Scripture has confined all under sin …” (Galatians 3:22)
“… through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin,
and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned …” (Romans 5:12)
“I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.
… the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:18-19)
“… through one man’s offense (Adam’s sin) judgment came to all men,
resulting in condemnation … in Adam all die (spiritually) …” (1 Corinthians 15:18, 22)
“And you He made alive, who were (spiritually) dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1-3)

The Fall of Man affected more than just the human race
What happened between …
“Then God saw everything that he had made, and indeed it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)
and …
“… the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption
into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that
the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.” (Romans 8:21-22)
What happened was “the Fall of Man” and this caused:
(1) a cursed man … an inherited sin nature, evil, sickness, physical death, spiritual death.
(2) a cursed creation … suffering, pain, disorder/chaos, death of God’s creatures.

Noah and his family carried the sin nature through the flood
Noah left the ark, built an altar, and offered a burnt offering to the Lord (Genesis 8:18-20).
”Then the Lord said in His heart, ‘… the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth …’ ” (Genesis 8:21)
.

Thanks for posting and compiling these references; Good Job!

 

[holyrokker]

An excellent example of how not to study the Bible.
I suggest that we discuss each of the verses that you've lifted out of context and see what they mean.

Why don't we start with your first one: Psalm 51:5
It is a song of repentance. David is expressing, with strong language, the anguish of his guilt.

Notice the personal pronouns used:

blot out my transgressions
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
cleanse me from my sin
For I know my transgressions
my sin is ever before me
Against you, you only, have I sinned

It is obvious that David is accepting full personal responsibility for his actions. He is not attempting to pass his sin off on a preexisting condition.

Also notice the wording of verse 5

David is utilizing "hyperbole" - a standard poetic practice of exaggerating a statement. The purpose is to express intense emotions, or to make a strong empression upon the reader, and should not be taken literally.
A common American hyperbole is "I'm so hungry, I could eat a horse".

David again uses this technique in verse 7:

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Surely David isn't creating a doctrine of cleansing from sin in this statement.

Neither is he making a doctrinal statement of inherited sin nature.

Additionally, if Psalm 51:5 can be interpreted literally to teach the doctrine that David and all other men are born sinners, then Job 1:21 can also be interpreted literally to teach the doctrine that Job and all other men will go back into their mother's womb: "Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there."

Neither Psalm 51:5 nor Job 1:21 should be understood literally. Both texts are figurative expressions. The same rules of interpretation that would permit Psalm 51:5 to teach that little babies are born sinners, if they were also applied to Job 1:21 (or if they were applied to many other passages from the Bible), would permit every kind of perverted and absurd interpretation of the Word of God.

To claim that Psalm 51:5 supports the doctrine of original sin (born sinful, inherited sin nature, etc.) is applying a meaning to the text that it doesn't teach.
The doctrine would need to be presumed true, and the doctrine would then need to be assigned to the passage.

 

[John Zain]

The "DOMINANT LIE" --- Andrew Strom

Let me place this question before you: Is there one dominant, over-riding LIE that the devil
has sold the Western world in the last forty years or so, that greatly hinders men and women
coming to Christ? I believe so.

Let's think for a moment about the 'strongholds' and "dominant lies" which the devil has established
in this modern generation - and which hinder people today from believing the gospel. A man wrote
to me one time and mentioned that we can't preach "sin" these days, because many young people
hardly know what sin is any more. The man is absolutely right. (And of course, this totally strips
the gospel of it's historic power). But since when has this been the case?

There can be no doubt that the watershed or "revolution" that ushered in this worldview largely occurred
in the late 1960s. Here is what it amounted to (particularly amongst the youth) - "Sin" as a concept was
suddenly abolished. Moral absolutes were thrown out. Everything became no longer black or white,
but varying shades of grey. "Be happy, feel free, do what you want, cast off the shackles of outmoded
morals and values. Be liberated. Do what you feel..." etc. And so it still is today. A completely
'non-judgemental' (ie. no right or wrong) approach to everything. So long as you don't "hurt" anybody,
you can do as you please. You can sleep with anyone (of any sex), you can abort your babies,
you can taste any pleasure, you can believe in any 'god' (including yourself). As many commentators
have noted, today the worst sin you can be accused of is being "judgmental". (And then will come
the storm: "How dare you apply your value system to ME? How dare you call what I'm doing 'wrong'?")

Thus in many ways, 'Sin' has almost ceased to exist in people's thinking and beliefs. And if you wipe out
the concept of 'Sin', then you wipe out a massive part of the basic gospel itself. For the only reason
Jesus had to come was to DEAL WITH MEN'S SIN. If there is no consciousness of sin, then the gospel
ceases to make any sense. Why do I need forgiveness? Why do I need to repent? Why did Jesus die
in the first place? The cross is made of NO EFFECT without a consciousness of Sin.

This is why all the great Revivalists emphasised Sin, and the only remedy - Jesus. If you feel you have
little sin, then you will feel little need of Jesus. And then the gospel can become neutralized.
The devil knows this. He has seen many Revivals and he knows if he can stop people becoming convicted
of their sin, then he can stop them from responding to the gospel in significant numbers.
Why is there hardly any conviction of sin amongst today's generation? Because in the 1960's the whole
concept of it was virtually abolished (and still is). It's as simple as that.

Now, if we wish to see true Revival amongst today's generation, what do we need to do?
REFUTE THIS DOMINANT LIE. We have no option. We need to re-introduce and preach the concept of "sin"
again. No consciousness of sin - no true conversion. For what is there to repent of? The gospel almost
entirely loses it's power without this.

Ever since the late 1960s we can see the fruit of this "dominant lie" in the complete mess that modern
relationships have become. Teenage sex, single mothers, abortions skyrocketing, absent fathers,
an epidemic of divorce, drugs, broken families, poverty, etc. What were the results of throwing away
all morality and restraint? What were the results of 'free love' and "if it feels good, do it"? It is all there
for everyone to see. But the sad fact is, this lie is nowso dominant and so ingrained that it would take
almost a literal "revolution" again to topple it. It utterly dominates today's Christianity, as well as the world.

May there indeed come such a 'revolution', my friends. May the "John-the-Baptist" preachers rise again!
May conviction of sin return, that people might run to Jesus - the only one who can wash away their sins
and truly make them clean.

 

[holyrokker]

What's the point of preaching about sin if it's all Adam's fault? If we are born sinful, then God is an unjust tyrant who doesn't deserve our praise and adoration. He would be no god at all; nothing more than the idols of the nations

 

[pshun2404]

Some verses from David …
“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” (Psalm 51:5)
“The wicked (sons of men, verse 1) are estranged from the womb;
they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.” (Psalm 58:3)
“The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men … They have all turned aside,
they have all become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.” (Psalm 14:2-3)
“God looks down from heaven upon the children of men … Every one of them has turned aside;
they have all become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.” (Psalm 53:2-3)
“… for in Your sight no one living is righteous.” (Psalm 143:2)

Various and sundry OT verses …
“… (for there is no one who does not sin) …” (1 Kings 8:46, 2 Chronicles 6:36)
“For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin.” (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
“Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!” (Job 14:4)
“For I knew that you (Israel) … were called a transgressor from the womb.” (Isaiah 48:8)
“For we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses
are like filthy rags (women’s menstral cloths)” (Isaiah 64:6)
The Pharisees said to a man, “You were completely born in sins …” (John 9:34)

Jesus, of course, understood man’s disasterous spiritual condition
“If you (Jesus’ disciples) then, being evil, know how to give good gifts …” (Luke 11:13)
Did Jesus purposely choose evil men to be His disciples?
No, He’s just saying that all men are evil.
“But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had
no need that anyone should tell Him about man, for He knew what was in man.” (John 2:23-25)
“I am He who searches the minds and hearts.” (Revelation 2:23)
“Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,
fornications, thefts, false witness (lies), blasphemies.” (Matthew 15:19)

Paul (the Jewish scholar) just repeated what his Old Covenant Scriptures say
“As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one … there is none who does good,
no, not one.’ ” (Romans 3:10-12). Paul is quoting here from Psalm 53:2-3.
“The Scripture has confined all under sin …” (Galatians 3:22)
“… through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin,
and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned …” (Romans 5:12)
“I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.
… the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:18-19)
“… through one man’s offense (Adam’s sin) judgment came to all men,
resulting in condemnation … in Adam all die (spiritually) …” (1 Corinthians 15:18, 22)
“And you He made alive, who were (spiritually) dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1-3)

The Fall of Man affected more than just the human race
What happened between …
“Then God saw everything that he had made, and indeed it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)
and …
“… the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption
into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that
the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.” (Romans 8:21-22)
What happened was “the Fall of Man” and this caused:
(1) a cursed man … an inherited sin nature, evil, sickness, physical death, spiritual death.
(2) a cursed creation … suffering, pain, disorder/chaos, death of God’s creatures.

Noah and his family carried the sin nature through the flood
Noah left the ark, built an altar, and offered a burnt offering to the Lord (Genesis 8:18-20).
”Then the Lord said in His heart, ‘… the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth …’ ” (Genesis 8:21)
.

Sorry but about 90% of these speak of what we all BECOME and do not speak of what we are when born. The few that imply this are only declaring God's foreknowing of what will be.

Paul

 

[Setyoufree]

On your Ps 51:5...here's the NIV: "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me."

How can an infant be sinful at birth? Is it guilty of murder, theft, adultery? No! Then how?

In the NAS version it uses the word "iniquity". What does "iniquity" mean?
The root meaning of this word is “to be bent.” Better yet, to be "bent to self".



In a nutshell an infant is born self-centered because mom & dad passed to him/her a fallen, sinful nature. That nature is concerned with one thing: My needs - i.e., me, me, me. Hence we are born "bent to self".


If not, then sit two infants down to play, give one a toy and the other nothing. Now watch what happens: The one without will try to get the toy for himself/herself.