How corrupt is the human heart?

[PeterJens]

How corrupt is the human heart?
If the human heart is irredeemable, how could Jesus say the pure in heart
will see God because that would be impossible.

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Gen 6:5

The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth.
Prov 10:20

The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
Prov 15:28

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matt 5:8

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person.
Matt 15:19-20

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
Matt 22:37

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick
Jeremiah 17:9

So where is your corruption.
If the heart can be cleansed and bring forth good things for a righteous man
it cannot be corrupted in and of itself.

So I see no corruption, I see an inevitable rebellion against God because of
how it has been made to exist in communion with God, without which it
destroys itself and dies.

We inherit from Adam an aloneness, and separation from God that will destroy
us inside.

The more we justify ourselves and our sinful acts and intentions the more it will
decay and destroy us.

One of the first lessons we learn is to pretend something to get attention,
lying, to manipulate. Once we go down this road it is difficult to stop.

Now if Jesus could not save our hearts and straighten us out, what is the point
of the witness of the church, or walking in the light, or over overcoming sin, and
being a good example if we have overcome nothing.
So the heart must be capable of being purified and set true to God and righteousness.

We could not love God with a corrupt heart, because that would be dishonouring Him.
The cross purifies us from all unrighteousness, including our hearts.

If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 1:7

 

[BenFTW]

Some might wish to smite such corruption, but God willed to save such men. What a perspective, eh? Here we are, a corrupt and fallen people. God chooses sympathy. What a perspective God must have, to know the riches of His grace and what our experience would be in receiving it from Him. His ways are better. His heart seems to have gone out to us, as ours would to a wounded animal. His desire? Restoration, and reconciliation. Grace and mercy.

 

[PeterJens]

we are ALREADY DEAD in trespasses and SIN

Can a sinful heart have communion with God. No.
Because its very state rejects God from speaking to it.

The sinful heart rebels and is so chaotic it is dead to God.

But the redeemed heart is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
It is a Holy place, pure, spotless, clean.

Now some peoples theology implies people are not truly cleansed
or redeemed, so how can they by Holy and clean.

 

[phil36]

Hi Peter,


The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick
Jeremiah 17:9



I think the scriptures you have posted yourself show that we have a corrupt nature.. its what is called original sin. it does not mean that Jesus cannot save us, this is an idea you seem to be trying to conflate with original sin.



Paul explains it well:

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— 13 sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. 14 Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. 16 And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. 17 If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. 19 For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 But law came in, with the result that the trespass multiplied; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, just as sin exercised dominion in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification[a] leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:12-21

 

[PeterJens]

How does unbelief affect us?

If God makes us clean, heals our hearts and restores us so we can have communion
with Him, does our unbelief and self condemnation grieve the Holy Spirit?

Pessimism is expecting the worst to happen while going into every situation.
The excuse is if you know the worst then surely things will look better.

But is this not unbelief, suggesting whatever might befall us, it matters or is important
compared to knowing Jesus and walking in eternal life.

If we walk with an open heart, overflowing with Jesus love, able to take any hurts and
bear them inside ourselves, what is there to fear? Death is release, blessing is blessing
and to be in His presence is great joy. Halleluyah, in Christ there is victory.

 

[BenFTW]

How does unbelief affect us?

If God makes us clean, heals our hearts and restores us so we can have communion
with Him, does our unbelief and self condemnation grieve the Holy Spirit?

Pessimism is expecting the worst to happen while going into every situation.
The excuse is if you know the worst then surely things will look better.

But is this not unbelief, suggesting whatever might befall us, it matters or is important
compared to knowing Jesus and walking in eternal life.

If we walk with an open heart, overflowing with Jesus love, able to take any hurts and
bear them inside ourselves, what is there to fear? Death is release, blessing is blessing
and to be in His presence is great joy. Halleluyah, in Christ there is victory.

"Death is release." To some that statement is hope, it is dreamed of. It would be quite easy as opposed to actually living out our lives. Yet, we were saved unto good works. We have a purpose, each and every one of us. Even the apostle Paul spoke of being with Jesus, and wanting to (go be with the Lord) but he decided to stay because he had a mission, a purpose. In the same way, we all have a purpose. So while death is a release, let us not seek it, because we have lives to live and souls to save.

 

[PeterJens]

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick
Jeremiah 17:9

I think the scriptures you have posted yourself show that we have a corrupt nature.. its what is called original sin. it does not mean that Jesus cannot save us, this is an idea you seem to be trying to conflate with original sin.

Original sin, is merely us inheriting from Adam the rebellion of Adam and his
lack of fellowship with God. This state is enough to doom us to judgement
and hell.

There is nothing innate in the human condition that is sinful, which is why
Jesus could be a man and not sin.

The mistake people make is inventing an impossible problem, which does not
exist. It is a kind of unbelief, a final lie of the enemy.

I know from experience many take on the guise of knowing God, yet their hearts
are far from Him. For some small reason I will be dispossessed of any insight
not because of my standing in Christ, or faith, or walk but because of some
nuance of trust, and be cast into hell and total ignorance.

So I have good reason to discount many from any authority or even balance
in their contributions.

If you walk with a pure heart, you qualify to be able to see God and the reality
with people.

I have to declare only now does it appear plain, because my heart confirms the
reality of unbelief and deception that so easily disqualifies us from walking in
communion with our King.

The issue in our lives is the old man, put to death through the cross, but still
embedded in our patterns of life and reactions from the past.

How far we can constrain these, or know how we individually react and work with it,
it very much an individual walk question. What doctors have found the brain can
adapt to a vast array of problems and cope, so it is probably a question of the will
and belief.

As a people, we seem to disqualify ourselves, when Gods word raises us up as His
children. Amen.

 

[BenFTW]

Original sin, is merely us inheriting from Adam the rebellion of Adam and his
lack of fellowship with God. This state is enough to doom us to judgement
and hell.

There is nothing innate in the human condition that is sinful, which is why
Jesus could be a man and not sin.

The mistake people make is inventing an impossible problem, which does not
exist. It is a kind of unbelief, a final lie of the enemy.

I know from experience many take on the guise of knowing God, yet their hearts
are far from Him. For some small reason I will be dispossessed of any insight
not because of my standing in Christ, or faith, or walk but because of some
nuance of trust, and be cast into hell and total ignorance.

So I have good reason to discount many from any authority or even balance
in their contributions.

If you walk with a pure heart, you qualify to be able to see God and the reality
with people.

I have to declare only now does it appear plain, because my heart confirms the
reality of unbelief and deception that so easily disqualifies us from walking in
communion with our King.

The issue in our lives is the old man, put to death through the cross, but still
embedded in our patterns of life and reactions from the past.

How far we can constrain these, or know how we individually react and work with it,
it very much an individual walk question. What doctors have found the brain can
adapt to a vast array of problems and cope, so it is probably a question of the will
and belief.

As a people, we seem to disqualify ourselves, when Gods word raises us up as His
children. Amen.

Basically, "old habits die hard." So then, if the entertainment of sin is simply a matter of habit, how then do we form a habit of righteousness? I think of renewing the mind, what about you?

 

[phil36]

Original sin, is merely us inheriting from Adam the rebellion of Adam and his
lack of fellowship with God. This state is enough to doom us to judgement
and hell.

There is nothing innate in the human condition that is sinful, which is why
Jesus could be a man and not sin.

The mistake people make is inventing an impossible problem, which does not
exist. It is a kind of unbelief, a final lie of the enemy.

I know from experience many take on the guise of knowing God, yet their hearts
are far from Him. For some small reason I will be dispossessed of any insight
not because of my standing in Christ, or faith, or walk but because of some
nuance of trust, and be cast into hell and total ignorance.

So I have good reason to discount many from any authority or even balance
in their contributions.

If you walk with a pure heart, you qualify to be able to see God and the reality
with people.

I have to declare only now does it appear plain, because my heart confirms the
reality of unbelief and deception that so easily disqualifies us from walking in
communion with our King.

The issue in our lives is the old man, put to death through the cross, but still
embedded in our patterns of life and reactions from the past.

How far we can constrain these, or know how we individually react and work with it,
it very much an individual walk question. What doctors have found the brain can
adapt to a vast array of problems and cope, so it is probably a question of the will
and belief.

As a people, we seem to disqualify ourselves, when Gods word raises us up as His
children. Amen.

Peterjens: The mistake people make is inventing an impossible problem, which does not
exist. It is a kind of unbelief, a final lie of the enemy.

Paul disagrees with you.

 

[PeterJens]

Amen - So victory in Christ is complete.

In all things we can praise God for all outcomes are a blessing to His glorious name
when we walk in the Spirit.

We have good reason to rejoice at it all.

 

[Ariel82]

"The issue in our lives is the old man,"

What you call "old man" is what folks call original sin

 

[Ariel82]

Can someone explain the term "sin nature" and "original sin" to me?

I know these bodies we now have Will die because of Adam's sin and the curse. However we have the hope that God will give us NEW bodies, just as He has given us NEW SPIRITS that are not trapped by sin.

That is what I thought original sin meant.

Was Adam created with a "sin nature" or was sin placed upon him when he disobeyed God?

Are we born with sin or does our hearts become corrupt when we fall to temptation and disobey God?

 

[MadebyHim]

Some answers can only be given by God, remember His thoughts and ways are much higher than ours.

 

[PeterJens]

Can someone explain the term "sin nature" and "original sin" to me?

I know these bodies we now have Will die because of Adam's sin and the curse. However we have the hope that God will give us NEW bodies, just as He has given us NEW SPIRITS that are not trapped by sin.

That is what I thought original sin meant.

Was Adam created with a "sin nature" or was sin placed upon him when he disobeyed God?

Are we born with sin or does our hearts become corrupt when we fall to temptation and disobey God?

Adam was created perfect with communion with God.
If Adam did not know the difference between good and evil, he did not have
free will in the way we know it but a simple relationship with God.

So the fall is about free agency, the ability to choose good or evil behaviour
separate from the Lord.

Now within that, if we are separate from the Lord, evil will always be corrupting
and we will self justify our actions, and sink lower into death and destruction.

Sin destroys, it is by its nature rebellion, uncontrolled direction.

Once sin has grabbed a hold, defence of the heart from hurts and betrayal is
in place we will always self justify and continue to sin and be blind to it.

 

[garee]

How corrupt is the human heart?

Beyond repair.

1Corinthians 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

If the human heart is irredeemable, how could Jesus say the pure in heart will see God because that would be impossible.

God alone purifies our hearts according to His work of faith that works in us to both will and do His good pleasure. He began it he will finish it to the end of our faith, His gift.

Who said that which is secret (the imaginations of one’s heart)is redeemable? It’s beyond repair. It must be created anew along with a new spirit that could never die.

Romans 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Original sin, is merely us inheriting from Adam the rebellion of Adam and his lack of fellowship with God. This state is enough to doom us to judgement and hell.

Original sin, is death, separated from God, lack of God. Its not enough to ,it does.And like Lazarus dead 4 days with no way to qualify his own self by doing a work of righteousness we must hear the gospel of our salvation as the anchor of our soul..

Lazarus come forth as a new creature. A new spirit that will never die and a new heart

Joh 11:43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.(the hearing of faith.)

It’s not enough to doom us, it does, it is beyond repair. It is simply a judgment hall that either condemns us one moment or excuse us the next.

1Corinthians 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

There is nothing innate in the human condition that is sinful, which is why Jesus could be a man and not sin.

Everything is innate in the human condition .God is not a man as us. We will receive a new body, a new spirit that will never die and a new heart. . Not flesh and blood rudiments of this corrupted world..

Jesus as the Son of man put on sinful flesh to condemn sin in the flesh. Corruption cannot put incorruption .A new creature must be created.

The mistake people make is inventing an impossible problem, which does not exist. It is a kind of unbelief, a final lie of the enemy.

Yes no man will be found with a righteousness of their own selves. There is nothing we can do to contribute to the salvation of Christ which is not of our selves. It is a gift of God not a work of the imaginations of our own heart

Ezekiel 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

It is Christ who can make our hearts soft.

Ezekiel 14:7 For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:

I never knew you depart form you who work inquity

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. Jer 17:9

Depart from me you worker of iniquity, I never knew you.

As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary. O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me "shall be written in the earth", because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters. Jer 17:11

There is nothing good about the human heart, corruption dies

 

[garee]

Adam was created perfect with communion with God.If Adam did not know the difference between good and evil, he did not have free will in the way we know it but a simple relationship with God.

Free will to a believer is to do the will of God. (His design)

They had that but chose according to their own hearts to do the pleasure of the will of another. "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" (questioning the word of God.)

God did not want them to learn by experience, walking by sight, but did desire they do His will ,walk by faith. They died.

 

[Grace777x70]

Man's heart was corrupted with the mystery of iniquity that entered into man-kind through Adam's transgression and it is passed on through the blood which is one of the reasons why Jesus had to be born from the Holy Spirit to by-pass the blood of man contaminating Him.

In the OT man's heart was desperately wicked because people were still "in Adam". The heart is the old man that was in Adam but now that Christ has came - we believers have a new heart. We have a new man of the heart now in Christ.

Get this wrong and we create a doctrine of a "new evolution" instead of a new creation in Christ. We create an works-based humanistic mindset that actually denies the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the next post I will show that believers in Christ have a new heart now. I believe the understanding of this is vital to growing up in the Lord. We need to get our "identity" correct.

 

[BeyondET]

Man's heart was corrupted with the mystery of iniquity that entered into man-kind through Adam's transgression and it is passed on through the blood which is one of the reasons why Jesus had to be born from the Holy Spirit to by-pass the blood of man contaminating Him.

In the OT man's heart was desperately wicked because people were still "in Adam". The heart is the old man that was in Adam but now that Christ has came - we believers have a new heart. We have a new man of the heart now in Christ.

Get this wrong and we create a doctrine of a "new evolution" instead of a new creation in Christ. We create an works-based humanistic mindset that actually denies the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the next post I will show that believers in Christ have a new heart now. I believe the understanding of this is vital to growing up in the Lord. We need to get our "identity" correct.

Good post, it reminded me of these verses..

John 6
28Then they inquired, “What must we do to perform the works of God?”
29Jesus replied, “This is the work of God: to believe in the One He has sent.”

 

[Grace777x70]

All born-again Christians are pure in heart. It's the same reason why all water is wet. It's the very nature of it.

Thank God that the gospel of the grace of Christ has given us believers a new heart which is pure because it is in Christ!

I believe that scripture teaches that we have new hearts now in Christ as a new creation in Him.

In the Old Testament David cried out prophetically - looking into this New Covenant and sais - "Create in me a clean heart O God". Jesus Himself says to "clean up the inside of the cup and the vessel will be clean".

We don't need to search our hearts for wrong things - we need to have our minds renewed to the truth of Christ living in us now.

It's the flesh that "speaks" to us as all the "works" in Gal 5 are from the flesh. We are not "in the flesh" as Paul says in Romans 8:9 - but we are "in the Spirit" - our inner man in Christ.

We need as Christians to learn to live from this new heart that was "created" in us because of Christ's finished work for us.

I firmly believe we are confusing the "desires of the flesh which still has the law of sin in it" ( Romans 7:23 ) and wrongly calling it our heart.

We have been circumcised with the circumcision of the heart - called the circumcision of Christ and the body of flesh. Col 2:11. This is also called "being sealed by the Holy Spirit" Eph 1:13

The Holy Spirit "cut away" ( as in physical circumcision ) the body of the flesh from the inner man who is in Christ - the new creation - created in righteousness and holiness. Eph 4:23

Here are the reasons why I believe we Christians have a new heart now in Christ and not a corrupted heart. We need to learn how to live from this new heart which is where Christ is in us as one spirit by the Holy Spirit.

The believers new heart in Christ is created in righteousness and holiness: First it was prophesied in the Old Testament.

Ezekiel 36:26 (NASB)
[SUP]26 [/SUP] "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone ( old man ) from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. ( new man in Christ )


Romans 2:29 (NASB)
[SUP]29 [/SUP] But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

By grace we have been given a new heart that is obedient.

Romans 6:17 (NASB)
[SUP]17 [/SUP] But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heartto that form of teaching to which you were committed,

God cleaned house and moved in. God will not dwell in unrighteousness. God through the Holy Spirit is in our inner man now.

Ephesians 3:16-17 (NASB)
[SUP]16 [/SUP] that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,

[SUP]17 [/SUP] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

God sealed us and gave us the Holy Spirit in our new hearts.

2 Corinthians 1:22 (NASB)
[SUP]22 [/SUP] who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.

We have the Spirit of God's Son in our hearts now.

Galatians 4:6 (NASB)
[SUP]6 [/SUP] Because you are sons, God has sent forththe Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"

God has cleansed our hearts by faith.

Acts 15:8-9 (NASB)
[SUP]8 [/SUP] "And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;

[SUP]9 [/SUP] and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

We love from our hearts now as it is pure.

1 Timothy 1:5 (NASB)
[SUP]5 [/SUP] But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

2 Timothy 2:22 (NASB)
[SUP]22 [/SUP] Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (this is a believer in Christ..hang around them )

1 Peter 3:4 (NASB)
[SUP]4 [/SUP] but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

There are more but this should work to show that the believer has a new heart in Christ.

We still have the flesh to deal with in our bodies and we are admonished to not to yield to that...but all that is a different subject.

 

[BeyondET]

All born-again Christians are pure in heart. It's the same reason why all water is wet. It's the very nature of it.

Thank God that the gospel of the grace of Christ has given us believers a new heart which is pure because it is in Christ!

I believe that scripture teaches that we have new hearts now in Christ as a new creation in Him.

In the Old Testament David cried out prophetically - looking into this New Covenant and sais - "Create in me a clean heart O God". Jesus Himself says to "clean up the inside of the cup and the vessel will be clean".

We don't need to search our hearts for wrong things - we need to have our minds renewed to the truth of Christ living in us now.

It's the flesh that "speaks" to us as all the "works" in Gal 5 are from the flesh. We are not "in the flesh" as Paul says in Romans 8:9 - but we are "in the Spirit" - our inner man in Christ.

We need as Christians to learn to live from this new heart that was "created" in us because of Christ's finished work for us.

I firmly believe we are confusing the "desires of the flesh which still has the law of sin in it" ( Romans 7:23 ) and wrongly calling it our heart.

We have been circumcised with the circumcision of the heart - called the circumcision of Christ and the body of flesh. Col 2:11. This is also called "being sealed by the Holy Spirit" Eph 1:13

The Holy Spirit "cut away" ( as in physical circumcision ) the body of the flesh from the inner man who is in Christ - the new creation - created in righteousness and holiness. Eph 4:23

Here are the reasons why I believe we Christians have a new heart now in Christ and not a corrupted heart. We need to learn how to live from this new heart which is where Christ is in us as one spirit by the Holy Spirit.

The believers new heart in Christ is created in righteousness and holiness: First it was prophesied in the Old Testament.

Ezekiel 36:26 (NASB)
[SUP]26 [/SUP] "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone ( old man ) from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. ( new man in Christ )


Romans 2:29 (NASB)
[SUP]29 [/SUP] But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

By grace we have been given a new heart that is obedient.

Romans 6:17 (NASB)
[SUP]17 [/SUP] But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heartto that form of teaching to which you were committed,

God cleaned house and moved in. God will not dwell in unrighteousness. God through the Holy Spirit is in our inner man now.

Ephesians 3:16-17 (NASB)
[SUP]16 [/SUP] that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,

[SUP]17 [/SUP] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

God sealed us and gave us the Holy Spirit in our new hearts.

2 Corinthians 1:22 (NASB)
[SUP]22 [/SUP] who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.

We have the Spirit of God's Son in our hearts now.

Galatians 4:6 (NASB)
[SUP]6 [/SUP] Because you are sons, God has sent forththe Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"

God has cleansed our hearts by faith.

Acts 15:8-9 (NASB)
[SUP]8 [/SUP] "And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;

[SUP]9 [/SUP] and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

We love from our hearts now as it is pure.

1 Timothy 1:5 (NASB)
[SUP]5 [/SUP] But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

2 Timothy 2:22 (NASB)
[SUP]22 [/SUP] Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (this is a believer in Christ..hang around them )

1 Peter 3:4 (NASB)
[SUP]4 [/SUP] but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.

There are more but this should work to show that the believer has a new heart in Christ.

We still have the flesh to deal with in our bodies and we are admonished to not to yield to that...but all that is a different subject.

Well said G7, I admire the way you traverse the scripture numbering system and rightly place them together.. Not a easy task indeed...