If man is born with a sin nature ....

NewGuyOnTheBlock · Apr 10, 2015

If man is born with a sin nature, then why do we need the devil? If we are born with a sin nature, that is saying that it is in our nature to lie, cheat, steal, kill, rape, etc. So, if it is on our nature to commit sins; why do you blame the devil for temptatation? Why is the devil even needed in this mythology? To say that we have a sin nature and yet we are tempted of the devil, makes me think that those who believe don't really know who or what to blame for sin; and if that's the plan of the omnipotent father, it seems like a double negative to me.

George-ananda · Apr 10, 2015

I think people at a more mature spiritual level people see it as man having potential for both good and evil and that the real battle is in their own minds. To call it 'born with a sin nature' is demeaning to man.

Quintessence · Apr 10, 2015

Isn't "the devil" intended to be a personification of sin and evil?

InChrist · Apr 10, 2015

According to the biblical perspective the devil is not the one we need, if fact he is a powerful enemy to human beings who encourages people to further indulge their sin tendencies. Jesus Christ the only One with the power to save us from our own sin and the sway of the devil is the One we need.
BTW, when you say Cult Survivor, what cult did you survive, if you don't mind sharing?

metis · Apr 10, 2015

Humans do not have a "sin nature", but we do have free will. Also, I would suggest that God can forgive any time He wishes to, and I certainly do not believe that one has to belong to any particular religion in order to ask God for forgiveness and to possibly receive it.

Salek Atesh · Apr 10, 2015

Maybe the sin nature is the devil. Or maybe they're metaphors for the same thing.

sojourner · Apr 10, 2015

Why do you think we're born with a sin nature?

Unveiled Artist · Apr 10, 2015

I actually learnt two things on this. We dont have a sinful nature. Adam and Eve were "born" perfect. They were tempted (the devil didnt put temptation "in" them, so its not inherited.) by the devil to and like children, they did.

Its a repeat. Adam and eve children were brorn perfect.. Parents must have given them rules as God gave them. They followed after their parents and broke the rules. We can only be tempted to sin when we know what it is and what are the rules so one can break it to be a sin. Adam and Eve were given rules but they were not given the definition of sin and death. How would they know? Likewise, first innocent, how would we know until we break a rule?

Second thing I found was the devil is a personification of our temptations. Mythology has a way of telling real stories in unrealistic ways. When Jesus was tempted, He wasnt tempted by an external devil. The devil was within hence the need to meditate and pray to God in the desert alone.

We can go a whole day without sinning. The devil is within us.

Awoon · Apr 10, 2015

Breaking laws, is called sinning in the Holy Books of Man. Today we just call it breaking laws.

DawudTalut · Apr 10, 2015

Peace be on you.
Man is born on image of God, not on sin......As long as people remain at level of rawness, they show weaknesses in morals, when control and reforms are applied, rawness begin to get better shape and one become moral in conduct. Further when divine teaching is applied, one rise up and get image of God.
Philosophy is described in details in "The Philosophy of Teachings of Islam" @ alislam.org by founder of Ahmadiyya-Muslims.

roger1440 · Apr 10, 2015

Yeah, in simple laymen's terms we are screwed

NewGuyOnTheBlock · Apr 10, 2015

I agree completely. But most Christian doctrines hold that we are born of a sin nature, inherited from Adam. So I'm curious as to why such a doctrine would also believe in a tempter of mankind, which is certainly not needed to lead others away from their gospel if they already hold that we are born of a sin nature.

A non-denominational charismatic christian church.

I don't. Most Christian denominations hold that we all sin; that none have sinned except Jesus; which is why we need his salvation; and as we all have sinned and/or will sin, this is from the sin nature we inherited from Adam & Eve at the initial fall of man in the garden of Eden. These doctrines are central to the salvation message and doctrines that most Christian denominations hold to be true. So I'm wondering; if we already have a sin nature, we certainly don't need a tempter to "lead us away" from the almighty as our own natures can do that just fine by themselves. Why is Satan needed in this story?

LoL!

Saint Frankenstein · Apr 10, 2015

From a Christian perspective, the question doesn't make sense because it's not as if Satan was just written into the theology as an explanation for something. It just is. Satan is just a fallen angel who led a failed rebellion in Heaven, convinced some other angels to join him and they were thrown out. Now they spend their time preying on humanity's weaknesses. Sin comes from three places: the flesh, the world and the Devil. Our nature isn't sinful, but it is easily tempted to sin.

psychoslice · Apr 11, 2015

To me we are certainly not born in sin, we are born ego free, its after we are born that we are conditioned by our parents, schooling, religion and society that we forget who we are, this is what sin is, forgetting. All we need to do is turn the other way a 180% turn, we then will be back on target, sin is going off target.

raph · Apr 11, 2015

I think the devil is a personification of that sin nature. Today, we have a bigger understanding of things like psychology and spirituality. Wen don't need the devil to describe what happens, when we sin. But 2000 years ago, the best way to explain how sins happen, was the devil.
Maybe, if you said someone 2000 years ago, that the snake in paradise was actually the ego of Eve, people would say "what is ego?" "Is the devil inside me? I need to cut myself open and pull him out". "You saying, that I am tempting myself? How can that be?"
Forces are often explained as persons, when not understood. It is like, we would say, that gravity is an invisible person, who pulls everything to the earth.

psychoslice · Apr 11, 2015

Thank heaven we don't live back then.

Rick O'Shez · Apr 11, 2015

Because God wanted to liven things up a bit?

roger1440 · Apr 11, 2015

For lack of a better term we always have free will. Always we are at the cross roads of life.

“15"See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; 16in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it.…” (Deuteronomy 30:15-16)

sojourner · Apr 11, 2015

"Most people" voted for W, too. Did that make them right?

sojourner · Apr 11, 2015

I'd have to say that a fraternity party is usually a lot more lively than a PTA meeting...

If man is born with a sin nature ....

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