Yes — according to the Bible, humans are born sinners as children of Adam, not merely because of the sins they commit.
Les teaches that we sin because we are sinners, and we are sinners from birth because we inherited Adam's sin nature. No one is lost because of a particular act, but because every child of Adam is born in sin and has refused the remedy of the cross.
Romans 5:12 — Points to Adam as the one by whom sin entered the world and death passed to all people.
Romans 3:23 — States that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
The Bible traces human sinfulness to Adam. Romans 5:12 declares, "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." This tells us that the entire human race is affected by Adam's transgression. Romans 3:23 states, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Scripture also says in Romans 3:11, "There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God." In John 3:19, Jesus explains why people avoid the light: "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."
Les emphasizes that we are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners, and we are sinners because we are born of Adam. The Adamic nature, inherited from Adam, knows only one thing—rebellion against God—and that nature makes the human race enemies of God. People are lost from birth as children of Adam and have refused the remedy, which is the work of the cross. Les also stresses that no one ever seeks God. Beginning with Adam and Eve, no member of the human race naturally searches for God. Even the Gentiles, who were saturated in paganism and not concerned about Israel's God, were found by God when He sent the Apostle Paul to them. God is the one who always makes the first move.
Les teaches that the common idea is backward. He says, "We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners, and we are sinners because we are born of Adam." A person is lost not because they got drunk, cheated, or stole, but because they were born in sin as a child of Adam and refused the remedy of the cross.
According to both Scripture and Les's teaching, no one, beginning with Adam and Eve, ever seeks God. The Gentiles were saturated in paganism and not concerned about Israel's God, yet God sent the Apostle Paul to them. God is the one who makes the first move.
Jesus said people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. Les points out that the gospel first reveals our sinfulness, and people do not want to see that, so they stay in spiritual darkness.
People who are lost are not lost because of specific wrong actions but because they were born in sin and refused the remedy. That remedy is the work of the cross, which has completed everything. The Holy Spirit's first work is to convince a person they are a sinner, as Romans 3:23 says, so they can be saved by believing the gospel.
Humans are considered sinners because they belong to Adam’s human family and share the result of his disobedience. Adam was placed in a situation where he had to choose. Rather than remain obedient to God and lose Eve, he knowingly chose, by his own free will, to stay with her and eat. This act directly violated God’s Word. The consequences began immediately when Adam ate. Sin and death came upon the human race, and the process of physical death started in Adam’s body. Although Adam lived 939 years, he eventually died. He also immediately lost fellowship with his Creator. At that same moment, Adam’s soul—his mind, will, emotions, and personality—became a sin nature. It took on a sinful and rebellious attitude toward God. Therefore, people are not sinners merely because of particular wrong actions, failures, or neglected duties. Wrong actions reflect the problem, but they are not the original reason people are sinners. The basic reason is that all people were in Adam and are his children. Because of Adam’s sin, human beings are born sinners, inheriting the sinful condition that began when Adam chose to disobey God.
Humans are considered sinners because they belong to Adam’s race and have inherited a sin nature from him. Adam is presented as the federal head of the human race, so what happened to him affected all who come from him. When Adam ate, the seeds of death entered him; he began to die physically and died spiritually immediately. Sinfulness, then, does not begin merely when a person commits a wrong action or violates something the Bible forbids. People are sinners first because they are sons of Adam. That inherited nature makes them prone to sin. This nature is shown in humanity’s response to God. In John 3, people are described as loving darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. Those who do evil hate the light and avoid coming to it because they do not want their deeds exposed. This reflects the same pattern first seen in Adam and Eve in Genesis 3. Although they had tried to cover themselves with fig leaves, they ran and hid when the Lord came into the garden. They did not want to meet God. Running from God is described as human nature, flowing from the Adamic nature inherited by the human race.
No One Seeks God
Les explains that no one from Adam onward ever seeks God. He points out that the Gentiles were not seeking Israel's God, yet God sent Paul to them.
Born Sinners, Not Made Sinners by Actions
People are lost because they are born in sin as children of Adam and have refused the remedy of the cross, not because of specific sins like drunkenness or immorality.
Inherited Sin Nature Through Adam
Les teaches that we are sinners by virtue of being offspring of Adam, and the inherited sin nature thinks contrary to God's will, making the human race enemies of God.
People Love Darkness Because Deeds Are Evil
Les says we are all under the old Adam and none seek God. He quotes Jesus that people love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil, and the gospel first reveals sinfulness.
Adam as Federal Head of the Human Race
Les emphasizes that Adam was the federal head of the human race, and all of us inherited our sin nature in Adam. We are sinners first because we are sons of Adam, which makes us prone to sin.
We Sin Because We Are Sinners
Les inverts the common view: we are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners, born of Adam. He uses Pharaoh as an example that God's hardening did not remove Pharaoh's choice.
God Decreed Every Child of Adam a Sinner
Les teaches that every child of Adam is decreed by God to be a sinner, regardless of lifestyle. Both believers and unbelievers were once 'sinners' as children of Adam.
The Holy Spirit's First Work: Convince of Sin
Les teaches that the Holy Spirit's first work is to make people aware they are sinners, quoting Romans 3:23 that all have sinned, so they see themselves as not as good as they think.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
This verse is the foundational declaration that every human being is a sinner.
Romans 3:11: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Shows that no one naturally seeks God, confirming the human condition of sinfulness.
John 3:19: And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Explains why people reject the light of the gospel—they prefer darkness because their deeds are evil.
John 3:20: For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Continues the thought that evil-doers avoid the light to prevent their deeds being exposed.
Romans 10:20: But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
Shows that God found people who were not seeking Him, illustrating that God is the seeker.
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:
Traces the entrance of sin to Adam and shows death passed to all because all sinned in him.
Ephesians 2:13: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Shows that those who were once far off are brought near through Christ's blood, the remedy for sin.
No. Les teaches that we are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners, and we are sinners because we are born of Adam. Individual acts of sin are the result, not the cause, of our sinful condition.
Yes. Adam was the federal head of the human race, and all of us inherited our sin nature from him. The Adamic nature rebels against God and makes every child of Adam a sinner by birth.
According to Romans 3:11, there is none that seeketh after God. Les emphasizes that no one, beginning with Adam and Eve, ever seeks God. God is always the one who seeks first and makes the first move toward a person.
The remedy is the work of the cross. People are lost not because of specific wrong actions but because they were born in sin and have refused the remedy. The Holy Spirit's first work is to convince us that we are sinners, and salvation comes through believing the gospel.
Watch the Teaching: What Happened When Adam Sinned? Genesis 3:14-24 Explained