People Are Basically Good?

If you get out and talk to people about spiritual matters, you'll find that atheists and agnostics tend to want evidence.

Fact and figures, they say, are what they base their beliefs upon.

These same people, when asked about human nature, often state they believe that "people are basically good."

The Bible teaches the opposite. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;" (NKJV)

Which is right, the non-believer or the Bible? The one who wants "evidence" or the written record of the God of the Universe?

Let's look at some facts and figures, some hard evidence, to find out.

Note: all of the following are from government agencies in the USA, about the USA.

In the USA alone, there are about 16,000 murders annually. About 6000 of those murders go unsolved. That means 1/3 of all murderers are walking the streets with you and me.

About 93,000 times each year, someone commits the crime of rape. Some claim this number is artificially low since many rapes go unreported.

Robbery is defined as "taking something from a person against their will." This happens about 401,000 times each year.

Theft is the act of entering a property without permission and removing property. How many times does this happen in the USA? About 2,143,000.

The city of Boise, Idaho reported recently that 79% of all crime is unsolved.

It's not hard to see that every day each one of us probably walks past, stands next to, drives behind, or chats with a fugitive from the law.

So which is correct, the non-believer who says "people are basically good", or the Bible which claims "the heart is deceitful and wicked"?

You wanted proof? There's your proof. You wanted evidence? Done. You wanted hard facts and figures that can be tested and verified? You got them.

The fact is, the Bible is right and the non-believers are wrong.

If you are a non-believer, consider this: if you are wrong about this, what else are you wrong about?

Of course, the non-believer reading this may think, "well, others may not be so good, but I'm a good person."

Really?

Are you willing to test that too? If you are, then I challenge you to take the good person test now.

Just click: Take The Good Person Test or go to http://www.wayofthemaster.com/goodperson.shtml

How Are YOU Doing?

If you were to die right now, where would you end up?

According to Barna Research: "Half of all adults (50%) argue that anyone who "is generally good or does enough good things for others during their life will earn a place in Heaven.""(The Barna Group, Oct 8, 2002).

So, how are you doing? Are you a good person? Are you good enough to go to heaven when you die?

You can find out in less than two minutes by answering a few questions.

How? Take a quick look at a few of Ten Commandments, God's standard for who is "good" and who is not.

How many lies have you told? Most people will admit that the number of lies they've told during their life is rather large. If you tell lies, you are known as a liar.

Have you ever stolen anything? Even if the value is small, or the item was relatively insignificant, if you've ever taken something that didn't belong to you without permission, you are a thief.

Have you ever looked at another person and lusted after them? Just about anyone who is older that 13, and is honest, will have to admit that they have. Big deal? Well, Jesus said that if you've even looked at another person with lust, you've already committed adultery in your heart.

One more, then we'll see how you're doing.

Have you ever hated someone, or call someone nasty names? Because God knows your innermost thoughts, He knows that hate takes root before murder takes place. That's why Christ said, "everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty." You haven't committed the act, but you have already committed murder in your mind and heart.

So, let's have a summary. If you admitted to each of the above questions (and we've only looked at four of the Ten Commandments), then you are a liar, a thief, an adulterer, and a murderer in God's eyes.

If you stood before God tonight, and He judged you by the Ten Commandments, would you be innocent or guilty?

Everyone who is answering truthfully would admit to breaking at least one of the Ten Commandments. You don't need to break all of them, of even most of them, to be guilty. The Bible says that if you break even one, you are guilty of breaking all. So, you'd be guilty, just like the rest of us.

Would that mean heaven, or hell?

No one likes to admit it, or think about it, but the answer is clear. The Bible says, "all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone..." It also says that no one who breaks God's Law will inherit the kingdom of heaven (Rev 21:8, and 1 Cor 6:10).

The fact is, we've all fallen short of God's standard, and deserve our place in hell.

Does that concern you?

It should. After all, everyone dies, and all sinners will face God on Judgment Day.

What will you say?

Is there any hope? Yes, there is.

God is not only just, He is also loving and forgiving. Because of this, He offers a path to salvation.

Two thousand years ago, God took on the form of a man, called Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus (also known as the Christ) lived a sin-free life, but took the sins of the world upon himself during his death on the cross. Because of this, your sins and mine can be forgiven. His sacrifice was the same as a legal transaction today. It's as if He paid the cost for our crimes, and now we can go free.

All He asks in return is that you repent and put your trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Repent means to recognize your sin, confess your sin to God, ask for forgiveness, and then turn from your sinful ways. You can't be a drunk, do drugs, hate people... say that you love Jesus, then be a drunk, do drugs, and hate people. Your actions show that you did not really repent, and you don't love the Lord.

Putting your trust in Jesus means that you place Him at the head of your life in every way. You recognize that there is no hope outside of your faith in Him. You then do all you can to follow after Him the rest of your life. That begins with prayer and reading His Word (the Bible).

Please don't wait.

Make up your mind. Putting it off is the same as rejecting Christ.

Today you still have time. You are, as Bob says, "Still vertical."

But, every day 150,000 people die. Believe me, few of those who died today planned to take their last breath. Many died suddenly in an accident, or a crime. Some died in their sleep. Some had an unexpected blood clot or anurism and died in a few short seconds.

Please don't put it off until tomorrow. Decide right now. Then, if you agree that you are a sinner who needs God's mercy, cry out to him... read the Bible... pray daily... and join a church of devoted believers.