Many people would deny that they have a sinful nature, but that is like a diseased person denying his sickness. It changes nothing. The same people may even deny the reality of sin, choosing rather to talk of poor choices. Those choices come naturally from our sinful nature.
Man's sinful nature not only denies the reality of his own sin, but it fights against God's law. "For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will" (Romans 8:7, NLT). Man is in rebellion against God, because of his sinful nature. He is hostile toward God, and anyone else, who hinders him from serving his sinful nature.
How do we deal with our sinful nature? Will power can never change it. Resolutions will never resolve it. Education cannot contain it. Positive thinking will not tame it. There is only one option which really works. The sinful nature must die. It dies hard and certain at the cross of Jesus. Then you can truthfully say, "I have been crucified with Christ. I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:19-20, NLT).
Dying to your sinful nature, for Christ to live in you, is the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer. He enables you to die to the old life, to live the new life in Christ. Your identity changes by the grace of God. Dying to self, the Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, raises you from the sinful nature to live a new life.
