Why do sinners sin?

To Christians the world is divided into two groups of people; the righteous and the sinners.  Christians see it as their duty to convert the world by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We see a world full of sinners steeped in sin.  But has anyone ever thought to ask the question, 'Why do sinners sin'.  I know the story of the fall of Adam comes to mind but the word of God sheds some interesting light on the question of sin.

Why do sinners sin?

Romans 5:18a
So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, 

Romans 5:19a
For as through the one mans disobedience the many were MADE sinners,

Paul is literally telling you that you are a sinner because you were BORN THAT WAY.  There was no point at which you CHOSE to be a sinner.  SIN IS NOT A CHOICE FOR THE SINNER.  Consider:

2 Corinthians 4:3-4
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Here Paul tells us that the unbelievingly (this included EVERYONE at some point) are BLINDED by Satan.  This is interesting because the sinner here is OBVIOUSLY a victim of his condition.  Asking the sinner to stop sinning is therefore like demanding that a blind man see light.  But let us see what else is stated:

2 Corinthians 3:14-16
But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But TO THIS DAY whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

Here Paul is describing the state of the Jews.  He says that their hearts were hardened and it remains so to this day.  What else does the word say about the condition of the sinner:

Ephesians 4:18
... being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;

Alright we know that the heart of the sinner is hardened.  What else:

Romans 8:7
...because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,

Did you read that?  Paul says that the sinner (remember that he is BORN this way) is NOT EVEN ABLE TO SUBJECT HIMSELF TO THE LAW OF GOD.

1 Corinthians 2:14
But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

God tells us that a natural man CANNOT understand the things of the spirit. We think that if they would just be attentive during an alter call then they would understand, but God says NO.

How did they get this way?

Remember a few verse back when we read about the Jews being veiled?  Here we see WHY:

Romans 11:25
For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;

God here tells us that he  hardened the hearts of the Jews for a particular reason.  You ask, well doesn't the sinner harden his OWN heart and in this way he is the cause of his own condition? My answer to you is a question. If God locks you in a box can you some how get out?

Romans 11:32
For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

This word bound is the Greek word sugkleiō which means to 'enclose in a net'. Here we see that GOD imprisons the WHOLE of mankind to disobedience.  See it here again:

Galatians 3:22
But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

We can therefore conclude from these things that a sinner can no more stop sinning than a blind man can avoid a ditch!

Can a sinner turn to God by his own power?

This is a pertinent question because  since sinners are bound to sin can the sinner turn to God on his own?  Consider:

2 Corinthians 4:6-7
For God, who said, Light shall shine out of darkness, is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;

Hello, these verses tell us that it is GOD who turns the sinner and NOT the sinner himself,  Here again:

Colossians 1:21-22
And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—

Do you see the activity of the sinner ANYWHERE in the above verse?  God is doing the reconciling and  HE is the one presenting you holy and blameless and beyond reproach.

John 6:44
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.

Jesus is saying here that NO ONE, again, NO ONE can come to him(Jesus) UNLESS God draws him.  Not the sinner's will but GOD's will.

John 6:45
It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Everyone who has heard and learned FROM the Father, comes to Me.

Again we see that only those who has learned FROM the Father comes to Jesus.  It is the Father's choice and NOT the sinner.

2 Timothy 2:25
...with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,

IF PERHAPS, wow!!!! Again it is God who turns the sinner and NOT the sinner himself.  This is confirmed by:

Acts 16:14
A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the LORD OPENED HER HEART TO RESPOND to the things spoken by Paul.

Who opened her heart?  God.  Do you believe this:

Acts 13:48
When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been APPOINTED to eternal life believed.

Have you ever wondered why salvation is called a gift,  it is because it is given BY God.

But why would God subject the sinner to sin?

Romans 9:18-23
So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. You will say to me then, Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?  On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, Why did you make me like this, will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,

GOD SUPPLIES HIS OWN EXPLANATION.