What Is Original Sin And How Is It the Hidden Root of Human Brokenness
Why Do We Still Struggle With Sin—Even in Church? Why do people still struggle with sin—even after becoming Christians, going to church, and trying to do what’s right? The answer lies deeper than behavior. It’s rooted in our nature. From the very beginning, something entered the human race that corrupted our spiritual DNA: Original Sin. And while religion can reform behavior, only the Holy Spirit can transform nature.
If you've ever asked:
“Why do I still battle with anger, lust, or selfishness?”
“Why do I know what is right, yet still do what is wrong?”
You're not alone.
This internal conflict is the sign of something deeper. It goes beyond habits, beyond behavior—it is a spiritual condition passed down through humanity. The Bible calls it Original Sin.
What Is Original Sin?
Original Sin refers to the sinful nature we inherit from Adam. It’s not just about what Adam did, but about what we became because of it.
Romans 5:12 – “Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so death spread to all men, because all sinned.”
It’s like a virus in the bloodstream of the human race:
Our hearts became self-centered
Our minds became darkened
Our will turned rebellious
This is why you don’t have to teach a child to lie or be selfish—it’s already in the nature.
Why This Matters to Every Believer
Until we understand the depth of our fall, we will never appreciate the height of our redemption.
Original Sin explains:
Why humanity is broken
Why your willpower alone won’t work
Why Christ HAD to die
Why the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary
Jesus didn’t come to make bad people behave.
He came to make dead people alive (Ephesians 2:1–5).
The Only Escape: The Power of the Holy Spirit
The only way to overcome the grip of Original Sin is to live and walk in the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16 – “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.”
This isn’t optional. There is no other path.
You can try:
Religion
Rules
Self-discipline
Behavior change
But the flesh cannot fix the flesh. It takes a higher life—the life of the Holy Spirit.
Why the Holy Spirit Is Essential
Romans 8:13 – “If you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
The Holy Spirit:
Replaces the old sinful nature with the life of Christ (2 Peter 1:4)
Empowers us to say NO to worldliness and sin (Titus 2:12)
Aligns our thoughts with heaven (1 Corinthians 2:12–16)
Restores a kingdom focus and renews our appetite for holiness
The Inner Battle: Proof That You're Still Alive
Many believers get discouraged by the ongoing battle between flesh and spirit. But that battle isn’t a sign of failure—it’s a sign that you’re not spiritually dead.
Galatians 5:17 – “The flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit what is against the flesh.”
If there’s a war inside you, that’s evidence the Spirit is at work.
Carnal people feel no battle—they are at peace with sin.
Spiritual people wrestle, but through the Spirit, they overcome.
So, How Does the Church Overcome Original Sin?
Here are 5 clear and practical steps, but all must point back to a life led by the Spirit:
1. Walk Daily With the Holy Spirit
This is non-negotiable.
Walking in the Spirit means:
Listening to His leading
Obeying His promptings
Yielding to His convictions
Trusting His guidance, even when it contradicts logic
Romans 8:14 – “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.”
This is how the Church escapes worldly systems—by being led from within, not pressured from without.
2. Live by Faith, Not by Sight
2 Corinthians 5:7 – “For we live by faith, not by sight.”
The Spirit teaches us to live based on what God says, not what we see, feel, or fear.
Walking in faith means:
Choosing the Word over emotions
Trusting God’s promise over your performance
Believing you are a new creation even when you feel like the old one
3. Renew the Mind Through the Word
The Holy Spirit uses Scripture to retrain our thinking and break patterns of sin.
Romans 12:2 – “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
A renewed mind:
Thinks like heaven
Discerns the will of God
Desires purity over pleasure
4. Crucify the Flesh Daily
Galatians 5:24 – “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
This means:
Dying to self-centeredness
Saying no to impulsive cravings
Starving the old man by feeding the new one
You crucify the flesh by choosing the Spirit again and again and again.
5. Stay Kingdom-Focused
Original Sin pulls our minds to the world.
The Spirit lifts our hearts to the Kingdom.
Colossians 3:2–3 – “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
The Church must:
Prioritize heaven’s values
Hunger for righteousness
See people, purpose, and problems from an eternal view
Victory Is Possible, But Only Through the Spirit
The human condition is broken because of Original Sin.
But God did not leave us powerless.
He sent:
Jesus to redeem us
The Holy Spirit to renew us
The Church to walk in that newness of life
You don’t fight sin by trying harder.
You overcome by living higher—in the Spirit.
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” – 2 Corinthians 3:17
If this spoke to you,
COMMENT with the moment Christ became your new beginning.
Bookmark Church History Chronicles for deeper insights that will transform your faith journey.
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