The lie about the "sinful nature" (Part 3)

This is what it meant for "sin to crouch at Cain's door" with a "desire to master him," with him able to "master it":

Cain didn't have to kill his brother, no matter how strong the murderous desire to do so.
He didn't sin because of a sinful nature.

According to the word of God, this is how sin happens:

"When tempted, no one should say 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death." James 1:13-15 NIV

Here it is again:  Evil desire leads to sin, and sin leads to death.

But even here, there's something else to consider from the scriptures:

"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide you a way out so that you can endure it."  1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV

So, we're tempted when we give in to our own evil desires.  But we're never tempted in a way that no one in history has been tempted, nor beyond our ability to escape, endure, or resist.

There's no mention of a "sinful nature" during temptation that makes it impossible to resist sin.  The reason it's not mentioned is because sin doesn't come from a sinful nature.  We know this for three reasons:

1. Lucifer and the angels that rebelled against God didn't have a sinful nature when they sinned.  
2. Adam and Eve weren't created with a sinful nature, yet they sinned.
3. Christians, according to the apostle Paul, have a "new nature," and are "no longer slaves to sin." But they can still sin, even with a new nature, even though they're set free from sin. (See Romans 6-8.  See also Ephesians 1-5)

In all of this, we have good news and hope.  The good news is that before and after salvation, we're under no obligation to sin.  (How could we hold anybody accountable for anything if they're "just born that way?")  The good news this:  before their salvation people can accept Jesus,  who will save them from their sins; and after salvation, they can live by His Spirit, who saves them from sinning again.  We can be forgiven for the sins of our past (that we didn't have to commit) and enjoy freedom from sins in our present (which we still don't have to commit.)  This is good news, and hope.

I've heard some say in response to this, "Yes, we don't have to sin, but we're going to sin."  Which is really another way of saying we have to sin.  To make sin inevitable isn't freedom from sin.  But Paul said, "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God."

I've heard others say in response, "What about Romans 7?  Doesn't Paul teach that we continue to sin 'because of the sin that's in us?'"  No.  He doesn't.  Paul does teach that God's law exposes sin instead of saving us from sin.  His point is that we aren't bound by sin (Romans 6) or the law (Romans 7).  Sin is no longer our master (Romans 6.)  The law is no longer our husband or overseer (Romans 7, Galatians 4.)  As Paul said, we have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God.  Christ is now our husband (not the law) and the Spirit is now our master (not sin.)  

But if we strive to achieve righteousness by keeping the 10 commandments, instead of by faith in Jesus Christ alone, we are seeking self-righteousness, which is a selfish desire.  And when we have two selfish desires, the strongest selfish desire wins out.  For example, if a man is striving to not commit adultery against his wife in order to establish himself as a good husband (instead of out of love for his wife), and he's tempted to commit adultery, his selfish desire for adultery will overrule his  selfish desire to be a good husband. But if he loves his wife, then he won't commit adultery.  As it is written, "Love does no harm to a neighbor, therefore love fulfills the law."

So Paul in Romans 7 is continuing the argument he started in Romans 1:  that true righteousness comes by faith in Christ, and continues by faith in the Spirit of Christ.  Faith in Christ Jesus saves us from our past sin and from present sinning.  This is the good news.  Glory to God.  Praise the Lord.  Praise the Spirit.