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There are three parts of our body that we need to adjust in order to grow spiritually: the mouth (speech), the heart (the power to will), and the hands (action).
~Clement of Alexandria (b. mid-2nd century, d. 211-216), Miscellanies
There is nothing innately evil about human persons. There is no logic to assuming everyone is born evil. Such a teaching is not only illogical, it is beastly.
However, there is logic and universal evidence persons are not born as spiritually enlightened souls. We can assume the essence of each person, the being of the human being, had being in Being prior to birth and will after death: otherwise being can be essentially separate from its essentialness, which is Being, and that would contradict Being unfolding as being and being enfolding in Being--which the orthodox theologians have long taught, since the early Church. This is logical, even though conjectures on the preexistence and postexistence of the soul entails speculation.
If we assume a preexistence of the soul, we could assume the education of that soul is continuing in this life-span. If we assume a postexistence of the soul, we could assume the education of the soul continues after this life-span.
Regardless, life is a school. The essence is being educated, being trained, being shaped between conception and death.
Should we be amazed at how many purported Christians consume their resources on maintenance of conveniences and pleasures of this life? How many of us purchase the latest and, then, claim we have no time for matters directly pertaining to education of the soul, for we must work long hours to pay for and maintain the stuff of this temporal life? Would that same Christian sit before Christ and say, "Sorry, Jesus, I just don't have time to know you deeply, I'm so busy"? No! Then, why does one say that, when the Spirit of Christ is not only with us, but in us? Of course, we know such is not a matter of time, but of will. Has not the Spirit of Life given us each the adequate time to attend to the most important matters--those directly pertaining to preparing the soul for the death of this temporal body-house?
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