Even when walking in the old nature, God left us a choice, giving us a conscience which allows us to be a law to ourselves. By this, we can learn to discern right and wrong. Within this, man may choose to love, to remain open, and to seek God. Man may still choose to do what is right in this, but he is weak.
The gospel is salvation to this person, because it gives them a way out, if they would believe. Our souls MUST be powered by something. When we only have the old nature, it leaves us no choice. But now we receive a new nature by which we may choose to walk.
[sup]6[/sup] For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. [sup]7[/sup] Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. [sup]8[/sup] So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
[sup]9[/sup] But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. [sup]10[/sup] And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. [sup]11[/sup] But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. (Romans 8)
There is a wind of doctrine today which says the old nature is powerless to please God, which is true, but continues by saying we cannot be free from this while living in mortal bodies. This is a plot of the devil to make men believe the gospel requires no response other than 'sure God, I'll take that'. In other words, it promotes an attitude of taking our lives, rather than giving them, and says the gospel has no power now, whereas the aim of Christ and the apostles was to teach men to enter and walk in the power of the Spirit.