Darrin, mankind is fallen from grace thru or first parents. check out Genesis. Also, the Bible states we were dead before we came to Christ for the second birth. The first birth, in the flesh, is without the ability to save itself. My statement is based on the following.
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins," (Eph 2:1 NIV)
"in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient." (Eph 2:2 NIV)
"All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath." (Eph 2:3 NIV)
"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy," (Eph 2:4 NIV)
"made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved." (Eph 2:5 NIV)
"........ We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin." (Rom 3:9 NIV)
"As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;" (Rom 3:10 NIV)
"there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God." (Rom 3:11 NIV)
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Rom 3:23 NIV)
"and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." (Rom 3:24 NIV)
"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." (Rom 1:16 NIV)
"Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." (Psa 51:5 NIV)
This is the reason Jesus told Nicodemus he must have a second birth, that is spiritual by the Holy Spirit at which time we receive the seed of our Father, The Holy Spirit, and become recepients of the Divine Nature. l(John 3, 1 Cor. 6:19,20, 1 John 3:9, 2 Pet 1:3,4)
God bless,
David
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