What can inhibit the old Adam in an unbeliever?
An unbeliever's old Adam can be inhibited by external restraints such as surroundings, circumstances, parental influence, and community influence. When removed from familiar settings and placed where no one knows them, those restraints disappear, and the old Adam has free course to act.
Les explains that even an unbeliever can be inhibited by his surroundings, circumstances, parental influence, and the influence of community. He illustrates this with soldiers in basic training who did things they never did at home, saying, "Because nobody knows me." When a person is placed in a totally strange environment away from home where no one knows them, the old Adam has free course. Les compares this to invading soldiers who pillage and rape without bother, showing that before salvation everyone is capable of the same. Paul shows the old Adam abounds with sin, but where sin abounds, God's grace is always greater. The old Adam reigned like a king, but grace can reign like a king.