Inclined Toward Sin
The wicked go astray from the womb; liars wander about from birth
Psalm 58:3 (CSB)
We are born with the inclination to sin. The simplest way to understand this truth is through observing a toddler. When you observe a toddler, you will find that they struggle to share, will disobey parents, and have a selfish nature about them. These actions happen because of the sinful human nature. The Psalmist declared that “liars wander about from birth.”
HUMANITY IS BORN WITH A SIN NATURE
We view infants as innocent. To some extent, this statement is true, but in another sense, it is false. Infants have not been exposed to many sinful activities, thoughts, and influences of the world, and thus remain untouched by their impact. However, each individual is born with the seed of Adam. In the book of Romans, Paul asserts that this means every person has a natural inclination to disobey the Lord due to the inherited nature of sin.
HUMANITY IS BORN RUNNING FROM GOD
The inclination to sin that appears at birth means we enter life fleeing from the Lord. This flight occurs when we reject absolute truth, focus on the self, and attempt to redefine what God has already established. Humanity tends to approach life in opposition to the Lord and often strives to take on God's role rather than submit to Him. Consider the Tower of Babel: the people chose to live for themselves instead of for the Lord, seeking to make a name for themselves through the tower's construction. Reflect on Sodom and Gomorrah, two cities characterized by sin, populated by individuals who consistently ran away from the Lord's ways, pursuing the corrupt, flesh-driven paths of humanity.
HUMANITY IS BORN WITH A NEED OF A REDEEMER
At birth, a God-shaped hole exists in every human being. We are born with a desperate need for a Savior because we are born telling lies. Scripture defines us as liars even at birth, and in Revelation, it reminds us that liars go to hell. Yes, in God’s grace and mercy, there is provision for those who do not have the ability to discern right from wrong. However, this does not negate the fact that each person is born with this sinful nature.
QUESTIONS
Why do we attempt to lessen the sin nature and treat it as learned and not natural?
Can you think of a moment when a child displayed the sinful nature that existed within them?
