Self-Help

Jeremiah 13:23
(23) Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.

The people of Judah were immersed in sin. They had temples to Baal. They were offering up their children to Molech (not unlike what we do now, actually). They had run far from God and were committed to evil.

I would maintain that we are in exactly the same state in our sin. This is our nature. We may not be as bad as we could be, but we are certainly predisposed to sin and away from God. Therefore, we have a major problem. An Ethiopian could not become white by choice and a leopard could not get rid of his spots by choice. These qualities are parts of their nature.

This is why the free and sovereign choice of God to save men is so wonderful. God saved me when I was mired in my sin. I was as unable to choose God as a leopard is to change his spots. Considering this really puts me in awe of the incredible love of our sovereign Lord.