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Throughout history, countless men and women have attempted to achieve self-righteousness, self-improvement, and societal change through their own strength, intellect, and inventions. Today, many people continue to strive for these ideals apart from God, being quick to turn to religion, money, self-help books, science, government, and even radical ideologies to accomplish these changes. However, when viewing mankind's struggle to change and save itself through the lens of God's infallible Word, the complete folly of these fleshly strivings becomes clear.
Mankind's rationalized solutions and human effort fail to produce true, eternal change because they cannot address mankind's root problem. This problem began in Genesis 3, where the first man and woman rebelled against God by seeking self-sufficiency and knowledge of good and evil apart from Him. Following this first rebellion, sin entered mankind's heart, thus killing his spirit, cutting of his fellowship with God, and polluting his soul with wicked intents, thoughts, and desires. Furthermore, Romans 5:12 states that this event caused all humanity to inherit these devastating consequences, causing all people to stand guilty before God (Romans 3:23) and be completely incapable of understanding and applying the perfect truths of His Word on their own (1 Corinthians 2:14). Thus, the root issue behind man's problems and inability to solve them lies in his fallen nature, enslavement to sin, and complete separation from God, His love, and His perfect Word.
In this state, it is impossible for mankind to achieve true change in his personal life and in society. This is a prevalent theme throughout the Old Testament, where God provided His perfect law to the Israelites, who repeatedly proved their total inability to keep it and achieve righteousness. Paul notes in Romans 7:18 that it is impossible for people to do good apart from God even if they so desire because of their sin natures, in which nothing good dwells. Jesus further expounds upon this in Mark 7:20-23, where He notes that all are defiled by the inward desires of their hearts, which are corrupted by sin and produce pride, hatred, division, and other sinful attitudes. Because of this, Isaiah 64:6 notes that the "righteous" works of mankind are as filthy rags before God because they come from a position of attempting self-righteousness or good works through our sinful flesh. Thus, in this corrupted, godless, and sin-tainted state, man has no ability to produce true change in himself, his neighbors, or society.
Fortunately, our heavenly Father provides the sole way we can truly achieve it through these three elements:
Because they cannot address man's struggle with sin and its polluting presence in our hearts and souls, the works, wisdom, and tools of mankind are incapable of producing true change. Conversely, the sole solution lies in receiving and preaching the Gospel, studying and applying God's Word, and humbling ourselves to the Holy Spirit's mental renewal. It is through these actions that we receive the perfect, God-given love, wisdom, and humility necessary to produce the true change in ourselves, others, and society that the secular, sinful efforts of man could not and will never accomplish.
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