Human nature, from the moment we are clothed in flesh, carries a tendency toward evil, driven by self-satisfaction and selfishness. By the time we begin to think rationally, we already lean toward the evil side as our desires pull us in that direction. As children, we learn to fulfill the cravings of our flesh, constantly having our needs met by caregivers. Jesus, in Matthew 7:11, plainly calls us evil, using a term that suggests active, rebellious wickedness akin to that of satan. He contrasts our morally corrupt nature, which opposes God, with the transcendent goodness of the Father, showing us at one extreme of the moral spectrum, comparable to satan, while God stands at the other as eternally good. Despite occasional acts of kindness, such as giving good gifts to our children, our fundamental disposition remains wicked. This evil nature traces back to the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve's choice to eat from the forbidden Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil set humanity on a path of deciding right and wrong through trial and error. This course has fixed us under the curse of sin, as our nature inclines toward evil. Even as Christians, though called by God and given the Holy Spirit, we remain a mixed bag, bearing a tendency toward rebellion against Him while carrying the baggage of past sins. Our challenge is to transform from evil to good, overcoming the internal obstacles that persist within us. The evil within us is the primary enemy we must recognize, face, and overcome to grow in the image of Jesus Christ. While the raw evils of the world are obvious and often avoidable, they are less of a concern since we lack the power to change them. Our true battle lies in resisting the influence of satan, not by direct confrontation, but by defending our ground through avoiding temptation, doing good, and subduing the internal sins we nurture and express. Jesus emphasizes in Mark 7:14-16 that the sins defiling us originate from within, a truth He repeats to ensure we acknowledge the evil we see when we look in the mirror.

The Founders of this nation held a fundamental view that human nature is depraved, a belief that shaped their creation of a republic to control it. They understood human nature as corrupt and easily corruptible, necessitating a government with separated powers and checks and balances to prevent tyranny. They believed that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely, driving them to design a system to constrain the evil tendencies inherent in humanity. The Bible presents a dim view of man's natural character, portraying it as a mixture of good and evil, with even the good tainted by selfish motives. Human nature, originally neutral as seen in Adam and Eve, carries a bias toward self due to the flesh's desires, making it easily pulled toward evil. After their choice to follow the serpent's influence, Adam and Eve's nature shifted from being open to God to being hostile, turning toward self and becoming enmity against Him. Man's nature is described as corrupt from youth, with hearts and eyes inclined to idolatry and sin. The heart is desperately wicked, unfathomably corrupt, and beyond human understanding. Even actions perceived as right, without God's influence, end in death due to their origin in a corrupt nature. Humanity is depicted as sick with sin from head to toe, burdened by corruption, with no inherent goodness. This evil nature is shaped by absorbing sinful attitudes from the world, being receptive to satan's broadcast of his own corrupt nature, and the inherent selfishness of the flesh. These influences—society, satan, and self—must be overcome, a struggle that persists throughout life. Even with God's Spirit aiding His called-out ones, the corrupt nature remains, requiring constant battle and transformation toward His character. God does not create human nature as evil; rather, individuals shape their own natures through choices made with free will. Each person has the ability to improve or corrupt their nature, influenced either by satan's deceit or by God's guidance. Despite God's desire for humanity to choose life and love Him, the choice remains with the individual, often leading to separation from Him due to persistent sin. Throughout history, as seen from Adam and Eve onward, humanity has followed a path of corruption, with God allowing mankind to reap the consequences of their choices. Only through His calling and grace can a person change their nature, yet even then, the struggle against inherent evil persists, requiring sanctification to cleanse and transform into His image.