Moral Evolution?

Do you suppose, O man – that you will escape the judgment of God?
(Romans 2:3 – ESV)

There have been recent studies that have “proven” that some children are “born to be bad”. Of course as Christians we know that all men are born bad. Biblically based Christians are not surprised at the depths of the depravity of man.

The rest of society, however, doesn’t get it. When some astronaut or high-ranking person of society goes bad they act surprised because they think we can educate that out of people.

My question to them is this: Do you believe that we will evolve out of our sinful nature, or predilections, as you might want to call them? Not just what I might call sin or evil, but what you would, something like murder, etc.? Or are there any items that aren't up for grabs?

I am genuinely curious. Do you believe we are getting better? Not just on the social, no-slavery, women's rights, etc., etc., kind of thing, but are we getting better with what is in our hearts? How about with greed, lust, anger, etc.? Maybe those aren't "sins" in your book, well then what is? And are we going to evolve out of those things? If not, what then of evolution, simply Nietzsche’s "will to power", you know, “might makes right”?

It is a great irony that after the bloodiest century in history there are people who deny the existence of evil and there are still people who believe that human beings are basically good, and just need education, not salvation. They believe and propagate the false idea that we don’t need a salvation to save us from our inner corruption; we need education to arouse our inner goodness. Even many churches today have this mindset.

However, God’s restraining grace is the only thing preserving anything of the honor and decency in our world. Man left to himself can never climb his way out of his own heart. He will sink into to the depths of his own depravity, unless God in His common grace restrains him, and until God in His saving grace rescues him. We will not morally evolve and we will not educate ourselves out of our depravity.

Is this greatly educated society of America becoming more moral? Now education is not the enemy in itself, no. We think education is good, yes, it is, but education cannot save us, just the same as God is not as interested in your savings account, as He is your soul. Education and upward mobility are not and cannot be the answer. Salvation is the answer. We need the right education (Romans 12:2 / Ephesians 4:23).

The wrath of God, leaving us to ourselves, is a present matter, it is ongoing – it is being revealed and will continue to be revealed in greater measure (Colossians 3:5-6 / Ephesians 5:6). God gives us up to our own lusts, in accordance with our depraved nature (Ephesians 4:17-19).

Now, looking back we see what they did and are doing, but now it is also you. This means you. Paul is restating and further clarifying his thoughts about men and their need, all men and their need, because they are all guilty, they are all without excuse, they are all damned and doomed without God. All have forgotten God, and none come to God unless He will come to them. Praise His name He has done so though Jesus Christ, and that is the point he is trying to make, that we are all under the just wrath of God, but that God will also reveal more than just wrath, but His righteousness, by saving some through the atoning work of Jesus Christ, and thereby revealing God’s own righteousness, over and opposed to man’s unrighteousness.

You may not do these bad things as much as the other guy or as much as you used to but you have done some of them or all of them once or occasionally, and a miss is as good as a mile (James 2:10). Going even further, really, it is not so much that you do the identical actions, but that your conduct is the same, i.e., you sin against light; against the knowledge of God you have turned this into idols.

You are not perfect, you are not righteous, and you are not a qualified judge. The standard is perfection, the righteousness of God. That is how the righteousness of God is revealed in the Gospel; it is against the backdrop of the depravity of man. Yes some men are worse than others in a sense but all are worse than God, and that is the point that Paul is making. Those whom judge others without looking at themselves first have done some of the same things; they are just as in need of a savior as those who never do anything but bad things. It isn’t a matter of degree, it is a matter of having done any of these things at all, and all have, and so all are without excuse.

This all shows us our need for the gospel, which is this; the righteousness He demands from us He freely gives to us. Romans 1:16-17 says that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe. This is why Christianity is good news. It is God providing for us in Christ what we can never provide for ourselves, namely, a righteousness good enough to have God's favor. God will give it to us freely if we will stop depending on self and start trusting in Him.

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©