The Heidelberg Catechism

Question 5. Can you keep all this1 perfectly?

Answer: No, (a) for I am inclined by nature to hate God and my neighbour.(b)

1What God’s law requires (Question 4).

(Click through to see scriptural proofs.)

a. Romans 3:10, 23

… as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one … “

… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God … 

      1 John 1:8, 10

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

b. Genesis 6:5 

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.

      Jeremiah 17:9

The heart is deceitful above all things,

and desperately sick;

who can understand it?

      Romans 7:23

… but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 

      Ephesians 2:3

… among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

      Titus 3:3

For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.