Trying to get a new start on life by simply casting off bad, negative, offensive, selfish, toxic, venomous behavior is like a snake trying to change his nature by shedding his skin (molting). You can count on it, if the snake lives, he will need to molt again.
God's solution goes deeper than the snake's skin, deeper than the leopard's spots. It goes to the very nature of the creature. As humans, we cannot change our nature by changing our outward behavior. Though we can exercise some self control (AND WE SHOULD), we cannot deliver ourselves from sin and sin nature by simply dressing up the outward appearance.
Even if we can fool most people into thinking that we are beautiful and wonderful, or even if we are beautiful and wonderful (ACCORDING TO WARPED HUMAN STANDARDS), we are still WRETCHED AND POOR AND BLIND AND NAKED before God, and our righteousnesses are as filthy, contaminated rags.
Yes, we should cease to do evil and start to do good, but we can only have deliverance from sin and bondage when we surrender ourselves to God, die to self and follow Jesus. Allow God's Holy Spirit to burn away the wickedness of your sinful self and melt your heart of stone. Call on Jesus to have mercy on you and trust Him to transform you into a new creation.
Remember, Self Reliance is God Defiance
SCRIPTURE BACKGROUND
(I sometimes use LITV, the "Literal Version" in order to make a passage a little more clear).
Jeremiah the prophet told Judah that they could escape the coming judgment of God nor save themselves by outward change. In fact, they were not able to change their inner nature by mere human endeavor.
Jeremiah 13:22-23 (LITV)
(22) And if you say in your heart, Why do these things come upon me? It is because of the greatness of your iniquity. Your skirts are bared; your heels suffer violence.
(23) Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then you also may do good who are accustomed to doing evil.
Jeremiah the prophet told Judah what it was that was bringing the judgment of God.
Jeremiah 17:9
(9) The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Paul asked who would deliver him from his sinful nature. Contrary to the false teaching of some, Paul did not wither in defeat, under the sinful nature, instead he shouted that victory over the sinful nature is in Christ.
Romans 7:23-25 and 8:1-10
7:23-25
(23) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
(24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
(25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
8:1-10
(1) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
(2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
(3) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
(4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
(5) For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
(6) For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
(7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
(8) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
(9) But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
(10) And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Jesus told the self righteous Church of Laodicea that they should not trust their own goodness, but call on the mercy of God and turn from their sin.
Revelation 3:14-19
(14) And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
(15) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
(16) So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
(17) Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
(18) I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
(19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Isaiah the prophet exposed the futility of self righteousness.
Isaiah 64:6
(6) But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
King David said doing evil would bring God's judgment.
Psalms 37:8-9
(8) Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
(9) For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
Isaiah the prophet contrasts self righteousness with Divine redemption.
Isaiah 1:16-20
(16) Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
(17) Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
(18) Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
(19) If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
(20) But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
The Psalmist and the Apostle James extol cleansed hands and pure hearts.
Psalms 24:3-5
(3) Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
(4) He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
(5) He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
James 4:8
(8) Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Ezekiel the prophet revealed that God's salvation is from the inside out.
Ezekiel 36:24-27
(24) For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
(25) Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
(26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
(27) And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Paul the Apostle tells us that God makes us into new creatures.
2 Corinthians 5:17
(17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
