man's heart
The Bible tells us that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). This means that at the very core of our being, apart from God, we are corrupted by sin. Our thoughts, motives, and desires often lead us astray, even when we think we are doing what is right. We can be deceived into believing we are good enough on our own, but the truth is, no amount of effort or morality can cleanse the heart from sin. Left in this condition, mankind is separated from God and unable to please Him.
The only cure for this desperate condition is found in Jesus Christ. He told Nicodemus, “You must be born again” (John 3:7). This new birth is not physical but spiritual. It is the work of God’s Spirit giving us a new heart and a new nature that desires to please Him. When a person turns from their sin and places their faith in Christ’s death and resurrection, God forgives them, cleanses them, and makes them new. Being “born again” is not optional—it is the only way to be made right with God and to have eternal life with Him.