Are all people depraved sinners?

Paul writes that "all, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin," and then quotes from Psalm 14:1-3, "There is no one who is righteous, not even one; there is no one who has understanding, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, there is not even one." (Rom. 3:9-12)

Yet, Paul asserts that Abraham had faith in God, "and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." (Rom. 4:3) Paul says no one can save himself from sin by keeping the commandments of the law, but he also affirms that Abraham exemplifies for Christians the faith in God that is saving. Abraham lived before the law of the covenant was given to Moses, so his example undermines the Jewish argument that salvation requires keeping the covenant of the Torah. But Abraham’s example undermines as well the Christian argument for "original sin," because Abraham clearly is not so depraved by sin that he is unable to have faith and trust in God.

The Old Testament is filled with stories of other righteous men and women. Naoh and his family are saved from the flood, because Noah is righteous. Joseph is a good man, who saves his family and the people of Egypt from famine. Samuel obeys God by anointing David king of Israel. All the prophets respond to God’s call and speak for God to their people. Daniel has courage and faith in the lion’s den, and Queen Esther stands up for her people at great personal risk.

Similarly, in the gospel stories of the New Testament there are many examples of faith and righteousness before the death of Jesus. Mary, the mother of Jesus, loves and cares for her son. Gentiles, who trust in Jesus, are said to have great faith. After Mary Magdalene is "cured of evil spirits and infirmities" (Lk. 8:2), she is loyal to Jesus during his ministry and through his crucifixion and resurrection. In the gospel of Luke, after Jesus visits the house of Zacchaeus, the tax-collector gives half his wealth to the poor and repays those he has cheated four times what he took. (Lk. 19:1-8) Moreover, Jesus tells stories of a father who forgives his prodigal son (Lk. 15:11-24), and of a good Samaritan who helps his injured enemy (Lk. 10:25-37).

These teachings weigh against the assertion that Adam’s original sin has fatally infected each and every person, as does the story of John the Baptist. John is presented as a just man, who he calls on people to repent for their sins. In the gospels of Matthew and Mark, Jesus announces that the kingdom of God is at hand, and he also calls on people to repent. For both John and Jesus, people were captive of their sins, but they were able to repent and receive God’s forgiveness. In fact, both John and Jesus appeal to the goodness and righteousness of the people who come to them, by urging them to change their ways.

All of these stories, which are at the heart of the biblical witness, present a God of love who is calling to men and women, who were created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27), to choose between good and evil. The Bible affirms that the love of God, before the ministry of Jesus, and before his death on the cross, as well as after, enables men and women to be faithful, to live righteous lives, "to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly" with God (Mic. 6:8). We may all be subject to the temptations of sin, but we are not all depraved sinners.

Clearly, as these stories show, we are all able to respond to God, and this is why we are called to repent and love our neighbors. Temptation is always a problem, but we created free in the image of God and are able to lead moral and spiritual lives. Does this teaching guide our life, as well as the reading of the Bible? Absolutely. Does it strengthen and support the teachings of God’s grace and guidance through the Holy Spirit? That remains to be seen, but we will know after we have reviewed these teachings.

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1 in Faith: A Christian Bible Study † Copyright © 2000 by Robert Traer