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Now, therefore, each of us needs to examine his or her heart in the light of the mirror that is called the Bible. Just as we examine our faces as they are reflected in a mirror, we need to examine each of our thoughts carefully, one by one.
First of all, let's read from the book of Jeremiah, chapter 17 verses 9 and 10.
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The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.
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If we consider these words carefully, we find ourselves looking back over our past lives, and we can not help but acknowledge the existence of the sinful nature within us that causes us to commit sins, whether or not we are aware that this is what we are doing.
There will probably also be people who comfort themselves with the thought that they have relatively few sins, since they have only entertained them in their minds and have not transferred them into actions.
The Bible tells us, however, that even though you may not actually have committed a sinful act, if in your heart you have felt hatred towards another person or perhaps even wanted to kill them, that amounts to the same thing as murder.
Also, even though you may not have committed adultery, entertaining lustful thoughts, in itself, is also judged as adultery.
Since this is the case, who amongst us could dare claim that they have no sin?
If we read through Matthew chapter 5 verses 21 and 22 and verses 27 through 30, we cannot possibly deny the existence of the sinful nature squirming around in our hearts and in our thoughts.
You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment." But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, "Raca!" shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, "You fool!" shall be in danger of hell fire.
(Matthew 5:21-22)
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You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not commit adultery."' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. (Matthew 5:27-30)
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Ephesians chapter 4 verses 18 and 19 speak of our helpless state of sin, saying,
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Having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness (Ephesians 4:18-19).
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In the light of this passage, probably no one will be able to deny that we have all harbored this sinful nature, like a hereditary disease, throughout our lives. The difference between the inner sins of our hearts and the sins that are manifested in our actions is only of relative importance. Even though we live our lives tending towards wickedness, greed, envy, strife, malice, spite, pride, and gossip, these tendencies have been well smoothed out by up-bringing, education, or religious good deeds, and therefore, we may appear to be very righteous in the eyes of others. If you take a look at the book of Isaiah, however, in chapter 64 verse 6, you will find that it says,
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