What is “the natural man”?

In the Book of Mormon, King Benjamin taught, “The natural man is an enemy to God” (Mosiah 3:19). The term natural man describes “a person who chooses to be influenced by the passions, desires, appetites, and senses of the flesh rather than by the promptings of the Holy Spirit” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Natural Man,” Gospel Library).

Because of the Fall of Adam and Eve, we are born into this world with bodies that have needs and wants. We have a natural desire to feed our appetites and seek comforts and pleasures of all kinds. But “natural” doesn’t always mean “good.” If we don’t control our natural desires—if we pay attention only to natural things and ignore spiritual things—we become selfish, sinful, cruel, and hardhearted.

To overcome the natural man, we must be spiritually reborn through Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice. We must listen to the Holy Spirit and keep the Lord’s commandments. We must become “as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit” to the Lord’s will (Mosiah 3:19).