If you ask the average American, “Does sin exist?” you will probably get yes for an answer as a new study shows 84% of Americans do believe that sin exists. And yet, despite the majority acknowledging sin’s existence, only half of Americans believe that everyone is a sinner—and a full third think they aren’t the problem!
Of course, we expect poor theology from those who don’t profess the name of Christ. But shockingly, the research found that 25% of those who claim to be born-again Christians don’t believe they are a sinner, and a whopping 7 in 10 say we’re all “basically good at heart.”
This sentiment comes from our culture, not from the Bible. God’s Word is clear—not only does sin exist, but every single person is born a sinner standing under the judgment of death because of their sin.
In Romans 3:23, we read, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 5:12 states, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.”
Romans 8:7–8, says, “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
1 John 1:8 additionally underscores, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
And then how about this one: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
And it’s not just individual Bible verses that teach this. Think about the full scope of biblical history:
- God creates a perfect world with two perfect people; they sin.
- God cleanses the world, leaving just eight people; Noah and his descendants sin.
- All of humanity is one group, speaking one language, descended from the same righteous man (Noah); they all collectively sin.
- God chooses one man and makes a covenant with him; Abraham sins . . . and his descendants sin.
- God miraculously brings his people, Israel, out of Egyptian bondage, giving them his law and providing for all their needs; they sin (over and over).
- God rules over his people; they sin.
- God gives them kings; the people and the kings sin.
- God sends his Son; God’s own covenant people kill his Son.
- God establishes his church; the church struggles with sin.
Whew—that’s a lot of sin! Really, the Bible is a record of mankind’s failure to live up to God’s perfect standard no matter the circumstances (remember that next time someone tells you that most people are basically good and it’s just their circumstances that make them do bad things!). We fail over and over again because we’re born sinners, dead in our trespasses, and at war with God. Even after we come to faith in Christ, we still struggle with “the old man” at war with the new creation that we are in Christ.
But you won’t hear this talked about in many churches. In order to attract people and keep them in the pews, many churches downplay man’s sin, focusing instead on inspirational and uplifting messages. This almost singular focus on the “positive” is unhealthy because it’s not what God does in his Word. He shows us our sinfulness, even giving us his law as a mirror to highlight it!
I urge pastors to preach all of God’s Word—including the truth about sin. After all, if someone doesn’t know they are a sinner, how will they understand the good news of the gospel? It’s only when we realize our hopeless state that we turn to Christ in faith, repenting of our sin and trusting in his death and resurrection on our behalf to cleanse us from sin and save us for eternity.
We need the bad news so we can know the good news!
