The old Adam is the inborn Adamic sin nature passed down from Adam, and it continues to oppose God's will in every believer until it is kept crucified with Christ.
Les Feldick defines the old Adam as the old Adamic nature every child of Adam is born with, bent to rebellion. Scripture says our old man was crucified with Christ so that the body of sin might be destroyed, yet Les clarifies that 'destroyed' means knocked out of commission, not removed. Therefore the old Adam still influences Christians and must be resisted daily.
Romans 6:6 — This is the central verse: our old man is crucified with Christ and the body of sin is destroyed.
Romans 7:18 — Paul describes the flesh as having no good thing, which shows the old Adamic nature's ongoing effect.
Romans 5:12 — It traces how sin and the old sin nature entered the human race through one man, Adam.
Scripture calls this inner source of sin the 'old man' and connects it to Adam. Romans 5:12 says, 'Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.' Paul then describes what God has done with the believer's old man: 'Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin' (Romans 6:6). Yet the same apostle acknowledges the ongoing reality of sin in the flesh: 'For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not' (Romans 7:18).
Les Feldick explains that the 'old Adam' is the old Adamic nature every person inherits from Adam. It is not merely sinful acts; it is the inner nature that produces them, and it is 'bent to rebellion' from birth. Even a newborn soon shows it through anger, lying, and bad language without being taught. God's demand is that this old nature must die. Les points to Romans 6:6 as the solution: our old man was crucified with Christ, and the body of sin was destroyed. He stresses that the Greek word translated 'destroyed' does not mean removed and annihilated; it means knocked out of commission. The power is still present, like a main fuse that can be flipped back on, but it has lost its rightful control. For believers, old Adam remains an active opponent. Les says before the day is over, old Adam will be at our throat, trying to move us contrary to God's will. The believer's proper confession is not 'I can be whatever I want to be because I have it within me,' but 'in myself I am nothing; in Christ I can become anything.' Christianity is not self-effort; it is accomplished by God's grace and power.
Les describes the daily experience of every believer: before the day is over, old Adam will be at our throat and will try to get us to do something contrary to God's will. Paul's confession in Romans 7:18, 'in me dwelleth no good thing,' refers to the flesh, the old Adamic nature. Even though believers want to do good, the old Adam continually opposes what the new nature desires.
No. Les teaches that at salvation the old man is crucified with Christ, but the Greek word 'destroyed' in Romans 6:6 means knocked out of commission, not removed and annihilated. The power is still there—it has lost its power, but it can be 'flipped back on.' The believer is therefore told, 'henceforth we should not serve sin,' because old Adam no longer has to be obeyed.
Overcoming is by faith in what Christ has already done, not by self-effort. Les says the old Adam is crucified with Christ and the body of sin is destroyed; that realization is the believer's basis for not serving old Adam. He emphasizes that Christianity is not a religion of works but something accomplished by the grace and power of God.
Les states that we are sinners by virtue of being Adam's offspring; then, as sinners, we commit individual sins. Romans 5:12 traces sin entering through one man. The old sin nature thinks nothing but things contrary to God's revealed will, which is what makes the human race enemies of God.
Daily Opposition
Les says every believer will face old Adam before the day is over, and that 'in me dwelleth no good thing' refers to the old Adamic nature.
Definition of Old Adam
Les identifies the old man as the old Adamic nature every child of Adam is born with, and he shows that even babies display its rebellion.
The Old Man Crucified
Les explains that God demands the old nature die, and Romans 6:6 says our old man is crucified with Christ so the body of sin is destroyed.
Destroyed Means Knocked Out
Les clarifies that 'destroyed' does not mean annihilated; it means the old Adam has lost his power, like a fuse pulled from the main box.
Why Most People Miss Who Jesus Really Is — Colossians 1:15 Explained
Now all that means is that we are born without old Adamic nature, and that Adamic nature knows only one thing, and that is to rebel against the things laid down by God Himself. And so the human natural tendency is to listen to the old Adam, and consequently we become sinners. And it isn't because of what we've done. It's because of what we are. Now the same way here then.
The Whole Human Makeup
Les discusses the soul, spirit, and old sin nature, showing why God deals with the old man and calls it to death.
Inherited Sin
Les says we are sinners because we are Adam's offspring, and the old sin nature thinks only what is contrary to God's will.
Grace, Not Works
Les reminds us that overcoming old Adam is not self-improvement but something accomplished by God's grace and power.
Romans 6:6: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
This is the central verse showing the old man being crucified with Christ and its power broken.
Romans 7:18: For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Paul describes the flesh's inability to produce anything good, which Les applies to the old Adamic nature.
Romans 5:12: Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Shows that sin entered through one man, Adam, which is why the old Adamic nature is inherited.
Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Les references this verse when discussing how the soul and spirit can be distinguished from the old sin nature.
The old Adam is the old Adamic nature that every child of Adam is born with. Les defines it as the inner nature that is bent to rebellion and produces all the things we naturally do against God. It is the source of our sinful works, not just the works themselves.
Scripture says the old man is crucified with Christ and the body of sin is destroyed, but Les explains that 'destroyed' means knocked out of commission rather than removed. The old Adam loses his power, yet the believer still experiences his attacks and must not serve him.
Because the old Adamic nature is still present and active. Les says old Adam will be at our throat before the day is over, and Paul acknowledges that even though he wants to do good, no good thing dwells in his flesh.
Not by positive thinking or self-effort, but by faith in Christ's death. The believer recognizes that the old man was crucified with Christ and says, 'in myself I am nothing; in Christ I can become anything.' Christianity is accomplished by God's grace and power.
Watch the Teaching: Why Every Believer Still Struggles With Sin — Romans 7:15-25