The Hidden War Inside Every Believer (The Old Sin Nature Explained)

Feb 19, 2026    Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin

This lesson focuses on the believer’s lifelong battle with the old sin nature and how it creates a “fragmented life” if left unchecked. The old sin nature is not just about committing sins; it has multiple dimensions that influence behavior and thinking. It includes:

·      An area of weakness that produces personal sins and can lead to moral or immoral degeneration.

·      An area of strength that produces human good, pride, and self-righteousness, which are just as displeasing to God.

·      A lust pattern that motivates sin and evil, whether through indulgence or legalism.

·      Trends such as legalism or antinomianism that shape a person’s lifestyle.

The message emphasizes that the old sin nature resides in the body, not the soul, but the soul is the battlefield where the struggle takes place. Within the believer are three realities: the old man (sin nature), the new man (new nature in Christ), and the soul, which makes the choices. Whichever influence the soul yields to will control the believer’s life.

Scripture uses many terms to describe the sin nature—“sin” (singular), “flesh,” “old man,” “carnal,” “body of sin,” and “corruptible seed”—each revealing a different aspect of its power, origin, and effect.

Victory over the sin nature does not come from human effort, self-improvement, or trying to suppress sin. Instead, it comes through walking by the Spirit, filling the mind with doctrine, and allowing the new nature to govern the soul. When the mind is renewed, the thoughts, words, and actions begin to change.

The lesson concludes by stressing that the real target of the old sin nature is the believer’s thinking. If it can influence the heart (the thinking of the soul), it can control the person and pull them away from God’s plan. Understanding this inner conflict is essential to spiritual growth and stability.


MC42 628      Doc: Problems & problem solving, part 24. Problem #7: The old sin nature and the fragmented life. Rom 7:14-25.

Date: 03-02-1993

The Hidden War Inside Every Believer (The Old Sin Nature Explained)

 


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