The truth is that you’re not good. You are bad. The Bible says, “None is righteous. No, not one. No one understands. No one seeks for God. All have turned aside. Together, they have become worthless. No one does good. Not even one.” That’s Romans 3:10–12.

Are Humans Basically Good?

I’ve heard it said, “God will accept me because I know I’m a good person.” Our culture loves to celebrate that humans are basically good, not sinful. If a human does something that’s harmful, then it must be because of a complex of sociological factors that negatively affected that person. Our culture just despises the idea of sin, of breaking moral rules from God, and if there is a God, you can earn his approval by living well.

Here’s an example. Michael Bloomberg is one of the richest people in the world. He was mayor of New York City for three terms, from 2002 to 2013. Four months after he finished his terms as governor, The New York Times published a story about him. The story says that if Bloomberg senses that he may not have as much time left as he would like, he has little doubt about what would await him at a judgment day. Bloomberg thinks he has earned God’s favor on the basis of his work on gun safety, obesity, and smoking cessation.

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