The achievements of men evident in building tremendous edifices, in scientific discoveries and inventions all attest to the fact that mankind was created by God with great intelligence.  We are the beneficiaries of these external evidences of greatness.  However, there is more to mankind than the external.  What about that which is internal, the mentality of the soul and its relationship with its Creator?

It cannot be denied that every individual at times has a propensity or urge to do that which is contrary to the laws imposed by society, parents, schools, or business standards of practice. That is attributed and even justified with the expression—that’s human nature.  That is an accurate statement, for man does possess such a nature as a result of sin coming into the world.

Though created without sin, Adam and Eve, though living in perfect environment, chose to sin against God’s instructions.  It was at that moment that they acquired both a conscience and sin nature.  “And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die” (Gen 2:15-17 NIV).  In their disobedience, there was instant spiritual death, separation from God.  As a result of now possessing a sin nature, they would eventually die physically.  What a tragic ending to man’s existence if the Biblical record ended on that note.  But God who is rich in mercy, having anticipated the Fall, presented the good news of the Savior.  Man could have relationship with God restored through simple faith in the coming Lamb of God who would bear the guilt of sin and pay in full its penalty to a righteous God. 

However, that nature to sin, acquired in the Garden, would be transmitted to all mankind through procreation.  The Apostle Paul wrote to the churches in Rome … “There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:23-24 NIV).  God is absolutely fair and levels the playing field with the word, “all.”  Man could choose to accept God’s offer of eternal life by believing in Christ as his Savior or reject it.

Perfection in the Christian life must await man’s presence in heaven.  While salvation frees the individual from the power of the sin to control the believer’s life, that sin nature, called the “flesh” or the “old man” still seeks to have dominance.  Its goal is to neutralize the Christian’s effectiveness, so that he is rendered useless in the spiritual warfare.  

The Apostle Paul spoke of the inner conflict in his life.  Though a believer Jesus Christ, he still had a propensity to sin.  “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it” (Rom 7:14-20 NIV). 

God has a two-power solution for this conflict.  When we sin, admit it to Him (1 John 1:9) and then … “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18 NIV).