Man: Good or Bad?

I’ll be honest with you.  I used to believe that man was basically good but that it was his circumstances and life situations that made him do bad things.  Then I read something that someone said that made me think twice about that.  It went like this, “There is none good but God.”  Jesus said it.  So being a Christian I have to look at that and say, “He said it so it must be true.”  But it isn’t a blind acceptance.  There is proof for those who would seek it.  But we have to first define what we mean when we ask the question, “Is man inherintly good or inherintly evil.” 

First, what is meant by the word man?  If we break it into three parts we can get a better understanding.  Those three parts will be defined by the verse that tells us to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul and mind.  We can then break a man into three separate parts: the physical man, the spirit of a man and the mind or nature of man.  We will take each of these individually and look at them more closely.

What of the physical man?  I believe that the physical creature as a creation of a good and perfect God is basically good.  Though it is weak and causes us at times to stumble.  Why do I say that?  God made man in His own image.  How then can a creation made in the image of the creator be evil?  The body is only a tool for the work given to us.  It is called a temple of the Holy Spirit, a tabernacle for our spirit.  Would God create an evil temple for His Spirit to dwell in?  I don’t think He would.

Next the spirit of a man.  This is a little gray.  I believe that the spirit of a man is in a constant struggle with the world around it.  I also believe that the world around it is evil and the product of separation from God.  A sin covered world in need of redemption.  If then the spirit is in struggle with this world it must be opposed to it.  “The spirit is willing but the body is weak.”  Therefore I believe that the spirit of a man is basically good because it is willing but is so closely tied to the physical body and its weakness  that it can often concede to the pressure around it. 

That leaves us with the mind of a man.

There is no doubt that I believe that the nature of a man is his downfall.  It is most definitely evil.  The things the mind can imagine and the decisions it can make that are so utterly against the laws of God are frightening.  The mind rationalizes away God, it decides what race is superior and who is inferior by design.  It boasts in its accomplishments.  It seeks always to be correct even at the cost of truth.  It degrades the value of life.  It willfully decides to do wrong and to compromise principles and morals for worldly gain.  We cannot say that this is something that is a product of the world around it but rather that the world around it is a product of it.  From our earliest youth the mind of a man seeks to rebel.  It will do those things which it knows are wrong.  It is the very reason that the Law of God is death to us.  Paul said that he was alive once without the Law but then the Law came to life and he died.  Why is that?  Because we will always do what is contrary to the law, even thought we know it is wrong.  Our spirits know that is wrong but our minds disregard it.

So to summarize we can say that man as a physical creature is beautiful, as a spirit is basically good but as a willful mind is defiant and fallen.  We must say though that with God all things are possible.  If He commanded us to love him with our whole heart, soul and mind then we must be able to do just that.  But only when we give all of these things to Him and make our life dedicated to Him can this happen.

Surrender all of who you are to Him.  He will then make you knew, each day, and love this fallen, hurting world through you.

SDG