Man is sinful. He does not become a sinner by sinning. He sins because he is a sinner. He is depraved,(corrupt) which means that sin has corrupted all that he is: mind, soul, spirit, emotions, and body. Man is so full of sin, so thoroughly touched by it, that there is nothing in him that merits or enables salvation.
Man is born into a state of condemnation: "...and [we] were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest" Eph. 2:3 This is not to say that we are as evil as we can be, rather, that all of what we are is affected by sin. Gods holy Spirit is what restarains sinful man from destroying himself with his evil.
The heart is often referred to in scripture as the deepest part of man and the center of his spiritual nature. Because of his depravity (sinful condition), man's heart is not only impure but desperately sick: "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?" Jer. 17:9
Also, it is out of the heart that we speak "...out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" Matt. 12:34 and what is in the heart of the person is what comes out of him: "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man" Mark 7:21-23 Man's understanding, reflection, feelings, and experiences are all stained by sin.
The unregenerate person is a slave of sin: "For when you were slaves of sin you were free in regard to righteousness" Romans6:20 The unregenerate is inherently against God, for he has Adams sinful nature which was corrupted after the fall. "by abolishing in His flesh the enmity...thus establishing peace" Eph. 2:15
Enmity is hatred, bitterness, and malice toward an enemy. That was our relationship to God prior to salvation; there was enmity between us. The unregenearte hate God with a deep seated hatred. Even the religious man hates God because he would rather serve the god of his understanding, than the God of scriptures.
The Bible reveals the true nature of man. It is evil, sick, a slave of sin. At enmity with God. Out of his utterly sinful condition, only sinful desires and sinful motives will follow. How then can a sinful person ever desire God?
Praise God however, for his undeserving, unmerited, gift of Grace
Man is born into a state of condemnation: "...and [we] were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest" Eph. 2:3 This is not to say that we are as evil as we can be, rather, that all of what we are is affected by sin. Gods holy Spirit is what restarains sinful man from destroying himself with his evil.
The heart is often referred to in scripture as the deepest part of man and the center of his spiritual nature. Because of his depravity (sinful condition), man's heart is not only impure but desperately sick: "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?" Jer. 17:9
Also, it is out of the heart that we speak "...out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" Matt. 12:34 and what is in the heart of the person is what comes out of him: "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man" Mark 7:21-23 Man's understanding, reflection, feelings, and experiences are all stained by sin.
The unregenerate person is a slave of sin: "For when you were slaves of sin you were free in regard to righteousness" Romans6:20 The unregenerate is inherently against God, for he has Adams sinful nature which was corrupted after the fall. "by abolishing in His flesh the enmity...thus establishing peace" Eph. 2:15
Enmity is hatred, bitterness, and malice toward an enemy. That was our relationship to God prior to salvation; there was enmity between us. The unregenearte hate God with a deep seated hatred. Even the religious man hates God because he would rather serve the god of his understanding, than the God of scriptures.
The Bible reveals the true nature of man. It is evil, sick, a slave of sin. At enmity with God. Out of his utterly sinful condition, only sinful desires and sinful motives will follow. How then can a sinful person ever desire God?
Praise God however, for his undeserving, unmerited, gift of Grace
