Are most people good by nature?  That's one of the questions asked by LifeWay Research.  The answer was shocking.  Shocking to me, at least.  According to their survey, 66% of Americans say, "Everyone sins a little, but most people are good by nature."  Wow. 

The percentage of Americans that claim to be Christian is down into the 70's at this time.  Whether that 66% is all from those "Christians" or not, we have no way to know.  Given the answers to some of the other questions, which will be examined later in this series, I'd say it really doesn't matter.

At best, the survey results seem to show that something less than 20% of those claiming to be Christian actually hold some of the most basic beliefs of Christianity.  Less than 20%!  Stay tuned to find out more.  You can subscribe to this site via the link towards the top right corner of the page.

Are most people good by nature?

Let's see what the Bible says about being "good".  Most Christians should recognize both of these passages.  I emphasize "should" because, according to the survey - a significant number of those claiming to be Christian did not gives answers to indicate that they would have agreed with one or both of them.

First:

Righteousness Through Faith

Ro 3:21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

OK - it's Romans.  Lots of - too many - Christians probably don't even get very far with it, because it's "too hard" to understand.  Not that I'm saying it's a good excuse.  It isn't.  A life or death - as in the second life or death - situation should be worth the effort to find out what it means when Paul writes all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 

I mean, if we don't do something about that, it's the second death.  Part of the problem there, as we'll see in a later installment of this series, is that many Christians don't believe in Hell or eternal punishment.

Second:

The Rich Young Man

10:17-31 pp — Mt 19:16-30; Lk 18:18-30

Mk 10:17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Mk 10:18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’’”

This one is Jesus.  And it's quite clear.  Jesus is saying that no one is good, except God.  That's a far cry from most people are good by nature.  For a Christian, it's either not knowing what Jesus said, or it's not believing what Jesus said.  

Either way, it's something everyone who calls themselves a Christian should understand and believe.  You can use the links above to read the entire passage if you're not aware of it, but the end result is that the young man walks away from Jesus.  And he knows the consequences.  But He does it anyway.

Knowing what Jesus said, but not believing it or refusing to acknowledge it - that will lead us to the same place as the rich young man.

But these days, too many Christians seem to not know the consequences.  We'll see shortly, a surprising number don't even believe that Jesus is God.  They think Jesus was a created being.