Who first taught in the Bible that the sin nature can be crucified?
The Apostle Paul first taught explicitly in Scripture that the sin nature can be crucified. This crucifixion is appropriated by faith, committing the old sin nature to God so He puts it to death, and it must be declared dead so far as God is concerned.
Les explains that Paul teaches for the first time in Scripture about the whole idea of a sin nature and that this sin nature can be crucified. It is literally by faith committed unto God, to have Him put it to death, so the old sin nature has to be declared dead, at least so far as God is concerned, although it remains a viable force in our living. The minute God reckons old Adam as crucified, He puts within us a new nature, a divine nature, which is the very mind and nature of Christ Himself. This is what is meant by becoming Christlike, or becoming Christian. Even though God reckons old Adam as dead and sees him no more, and justification means it is just as if we have never sinned, in the believer’s experience old Adam is still there. The only hope is that God has intervened with something that will help us control this old Adam and keep him defeated.