Topical Bible: Heart: The Unregenerate is Full of Iniquity

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In biblical theology, the heart is often seen as the center of human will, emotion, and intellect. It is the seat of moral and spiritual life, reflecting the true nature of a person. The unregenerate heart, according to Scripture, is inherently sinful and inclined towards iniquity, a condition that underscores the necessity of divine intervention for transformation.

Biblical Depiction of the Unregenerate Heart

The Bible consistently portrays the unregenerate heart as deceitful and wicked. In Jeremiah 17:9, the prophet declares, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" . This verse highlights the profound corruption and deceit inherent in the human heart, emphasizing its natural state of moral depravity.

In Genesis 6:5, the extent of human wickedness is described: "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time" . This passage illustrates the pervasive nature of sin in the unregenerate heart, which affects every thought and intention.

The Nature of Iniquity in the Unregenerate Heart

Iniquity, as depicted in Scripture, refers to a deep-seated moral corruption and a willful deviation from God's righteous standards. The unregenerate heart is characterized by a propensity to sin, as seen in Mark 7:21-23: "For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man" . This passage underscores the internal source of sin, rooted in the unregenerate heart.

The Apostle Paul further elaborates on this condition in Romans 1:21-22, where he writes, "For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools" . Here, the unregenerate heart is depicted as darkened and foolish, rejecting the knowledge of God and embracing idolatry and immorality.

The Need for Regeneration

The unregenerate heart's inclination towards iniquity necessitates a radical transformation, which the Bible describes as regeneration or being "born again." In Ezekiel 36:26, God promises, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh" . This divine act of regeneration is essential for overcoming the inherent sinfulness of the unregenerate heart.

Jesus emphasizes the necessity of this transformation in John 3:3, stating, "Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again" . This new birth, brought about by the Holy Spirit, is the only remedy for the iniquity that pervades the unregenerate heart, enabling individuals to live in accordance with God's will and righteousness.

Conclusion

The biblical portrayal of the unregenerate heart as full of iniquity serves as a sobering reminder of humanity's fallen state and the need for divine intervention. Through the transformative power of regeneration, individuals can receive a new heart, free from the bondage of sin and capable of pursuing righteousness.

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Genesis 6:5
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
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Genesis 8:21
And the LORD smelled a sweet smell; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
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1 Samuel 17:28
And Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why came you down here? and with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride, and the naughtiness of your heart; for you are come down that you might see the battle.
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Proverbs 6:14,18
Frowardness is in his heart, he devises mischief continually; he sows discord.
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Proverbs 11:20
They that are of a fraudulent heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.
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Ecclesiastes 8:11
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
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Ecclesiastes 9:3
This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
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Jeremiah 4:14,18
O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long shall your vain thoughts lodge within you?
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Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
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Romans 1:21
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
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Library

A Penitent Heart, the Best New Year's Gift
... the soul; there must be a change in heart and life ... God, and the unholy nature of
carnal and unregenerate men. ... be between a sinless God, and creatures full of sin ...
/.../whitefield/selected sermons of george whitefield/a penitent heart the best.htm

Questions and Answers
... the street, or we may see iniquity before our ... the Holy Spirit, who has the full and
exclusive ... devil himself directly.2. A corrupt, unregenerate heart, which is ...
/.../byers/sanctification/chapter xii questions and answers.htm

Of the Incapacity of an Unregenerate Person for Relishing the ...
... that while you continue in an unregenerate state, under the ... against God, (Romans
8:7,) and full of unconquerable ... of prevailing wickedness in the heart, my soul ...
/.../practical discourses on regeneration/discourse v of the incapacity.htm

Confession of Sin Illustrated by the Cases of Dr. Pritchard and ...
... Now, the confessions of unregenerate men are precisely of this ... before God now and
let out thine heart without any ... have been his enemy, a traitor, full of evil ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 11 1865/confession of sin illustrated by.htm

Hopkinsians.
... no promises of salvation to the doings of the unregenerate. ... a sinner must approve,
in his heart, of the ... has, undoubtedly, occasioned a more full, perfect, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hayward/the book of religions/hopkinsians.htm

Of the Nature of Regeneration, with Respect to the Change it ...
... with Christ in glory, before he personally arrives at the full possession of it ... are
sorrows that seldom do at all affect the heart of an unregenerate man, I ...
/.../doddridge/practical discourses on regeneration/discourse iii of the nature.htm

Concerning the Condition of Man in the Fall.
... is under their lips: whose mouths are full of cursing ... from that nature which is corrupt,
fallen, and unregenerate. ... the light of Christ in their heart, came to ...
/.../proposition iv concerning the condition.htm

Man's Inability to Keep the Moral Law
... of God's law written on his heart; no sooner ... that we shall never recover our full
strength till ... A person unregenerate cannot act spiritually, he cannot pray in ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/3 1 mans inability to keep.htm

Vile Ingratitude!
... has his eyes opened, loathes himself, for there is nothing so loathsome as an
unregenerate heart"a heart that is like a den of unclean birds full of all ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/vile ingratitude.htm

Israel's Hope; Or, the Centre of the Target
... He died, not for any iniquity of his own; but ... received through Jesus, for he alone
is full of grace ... deceiving than the notion of the unregenerate heart that it ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/israels hope or the centre.htm