Ecclesiastes 7:20 says: there is not a righteous man upon
earth who does good and does not sin.
This verse does not commend or excuse this state but
highlights that it is in opposition to God’s initial work in
creating man with the moral faculties to walk in the path of
righteousness.
This verse does not speak of human nature as being inherently sinful, but rather addresses those who willfully transgress God’s Law without seeking to draw closer to Him.
These are those who choose to live outside of God’s will, atheists who do not sincerely seek to know and follow God, much less does it speak of those who have the revelation of Jesus Christ. Indeed, in Jeremiah 29:13, God promises: You will seek me and find me, if you search for me with all
your heart.
Likewise, in Deuteronomy 4:29 it is written: If from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him, if you seek him with all your heart and with all
your soul.
These verses show that a sincere seeker of God, with a pure
heart, is not left in ignorance or sin. God’s promise is clear:
those who seek Him with all their hearts will find the way of
righteousness and holiness. In contrast,
Ecclesiastes 7:20 describes those who willfully do not seek God and who
persist in their sins. This distinction is crucial: sin is not an inevitability written into human nature, but a consequence of the will not to follow God.