Is the message of the 'good and noble heart' a new teaching?
Friday, January 21, 2011 at 10:21AM The idea that we have a good and noble heart now because of Christ's work in us comes from the 
classic Christian doctrine called, "regeneration." It was even forecast in the Old Testament when God declared:
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you." [Ezekiel 36:26]
This is not a new teaching; but rather, one we've largely ignored in contemporary Christianity.
J.I. Packer, whom Time magazine listed as one of the top 25 most influential evangelicals in America, describes our regeneration as, “the spiritual change wrought in the heart of man by the Holy Spirit in which his/her inherently sinful nature is changed so that he/she can respond to God in Faith, and live in accordance with His will (Matt. 19:28; John 3:3,5,7; Titus 3:5). It extends to the whole nature of man, altering his governing disposition, illuminating his mind, freeing his will, and renewing his nature.”
He goes on to say that, “The regenerate man has forever ceased to be the man he was; his old life is over and a new life has begun; he is a new creature in Christ, buried with him out of reach of condemnation and raised with him into a new life of righteousness.” (See Rom. 6:3-11; II Cor. 5:17; Col. 3:9-11)
[In my book, Recover Your Good Heart, you can read quotes from preachers of old such as Jonathan Edwards, Andrew Murray and Martin Luther who also confirm the supernatural goodness of our new nature.]