DEAR REV. GRAHAM: Are people basically good or basically bad? Some friends and I have been having a discussion about this, and we're having a hard time coming to any firm conclusion. What does the Bible say about this, if anything?
-- H.R.
DEAR H.R.: The Bible says a great deal about the question you've been discussing, and its answer can be summarized in just a few words: people are both -- basically good and basically bad. Let me explain.
From one point of view, the Bible says, we are basically good -- that is, we were created in the image of God, and every human being bears within them something of God's image or character. We aren't like every other creature on earth; we know right from wrong, and we know human life shouldn't be thoughtlessly destroyed. We are infinitely valuable in God's eyes. The Bible says, "You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor" (Psalm 8:5).
But from another point of view we are basically bad -- and the reason is because we have rebelled against God and chosen to live only for ourselves. The Bible calls this "sin" -- and like a deadly cancer, it has infected our souls and twisted our bodies and minds. Evil lurks just below the surface of our hearts, and threatens to turn us into moral and spiritual monsters.
What is the solution? God has already provided the remedy we need -- and that remedy is Jesus Christ. He came down from Heaven to become the perfect sacrifice for our sins, and by His Holy Spirit He can come to live within us and begin changing us from within. Is He the ruler of your life? The Bible says, "In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind" (John 1:4).
Write to Billy Graham in care of Billy Graham Evangenlistic Association, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, N.C., 28201 or visit the website at
billygraham.org
MovieStyle on 09/22/2017