Man’s Moral and Natural Ability, Part 5

When God saved us, our bondage to sin is dealt with. We now have been given the power to be set free. After being made alive spiritually, we once again have been given the ability to not sin.  In heaven, however, we will have the inability to sin.

Let me see if I can categorize this below:

Before the Fall

Able to sin

Able not to sin

After the Fall

Able to sin

Unable not to sin

Born-Again Man (saved man on earth)

Able to sin

Able to not sin

Glorified Man (saved man in heaven)

Able to not sin

Unable to sin

Before the Fall man was able to refrain from sinning; after the Fall man was no longer able to refrain from sinning.  Again, this is what is referred to as original sin.

This moral inability is overcome by the new birth (i.e. believing in Jesus as one’s Lord and Savior).  Being born again liberates us from the bondage of original sin.  Before coming to Jesus we still have a free will but not the liberation from the power of sin.  Therefore, in one sense, the will is not actually free since it cannot choose to come out from under the power of sin. 

The person who is reborn can still sin.  The ability to sin is not removed until we are at home with Jesus in heaven.

End of Part 5