How do we know we are guilty sinners?

According to scripture, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). In John 4, Christ reveals the underlying sin of the Samaritan woman, showing her that sin is not just a matter of actions but of the heart. As the Spirit convicts us, we come to recognize that even one sinful thought makes us guilty of the whole law (James 2:10). This personal revelation of our sin is crucial as it drives us towards repentance and a reliance on Christ's redemptive work for our salvation.