the bible could have just as easily said "no one is evil"...?

Question

yet, it seems to play this mind game with people telling them, "no one is good" to convince them they are unworthy of anything. wouldn't you say this is somewhat messed up? i think what's even worse is not only the defense of this verse, but the frequent usage of it to justify so much that is bad about religion. i've heard it at least 10 times in the past week on here. people really believe, that not only are other people evil, but they are evil as well. i believe i'm a good person, and thus i don't do things i consider to be evil. if i considered myself to be an evil person, i think it'd be a lot easier for me to justify doing something i felt was evil. i killed somebody, but hey, no biggie i'm evil.

there is a question in there... answer it.

Answer 1

That's what religion does best. Plays on people's self esteem. Someone with a healthy self esteem wouldn't believe someone who told them they were lower than anyone else.

Answer 2

I see your point. I guess what you are getting at is "when I do something wrong, I wouldn't have any remorse or guilt over it and it would feel natural" and that mindset is evil. It would be easier to justify your actions or (and I've encountered these types of people a whole lot)...they do something they know to be wrong, don't want the other person to retaliate and if they fight back, they want the apology even though they begun the evil. Full of pride is all I say. I think people misuse that verse "no one is good" to justify those things that are bad about religion and at the same time deny anyone anything that may be good for them. Then why then do we have religion? It was meant for a higher purpose. Fanatics ruined this opportunity for us.

Answer 3

I am a born again Christian and I think you take this out of context. In the OT the rituals such as bringing animals to God that are slaughtered was done away with when the New Testament and the time of Jesus came along. Whoever is saying your a evil is wrong. We ALL fall short of the glory of God....which means we are all sinners....not evil. Did you know that an atheist or even a killer can still get into Heaven if he or she believes the life, death and resurrection of Jesus happened and just asks for forgiveness ? When Jesus died upon that Cross.........He took in all the sins of the world and that's why we all can go to Heaven if you don't deny Jesus. He didn't die for Christians..He died for all of us. Everyone is good in the eyes of the Lord. He loves us all. If no one was sinless .......then Jesus would not have come , suffered, died and was resurrected for us all. Jesus loves us all. There was no evil or sin until Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the tree they were forbidden. God wanted to give us the ability to choose between right and wrong. I believe the word evil is taken out of context as it usually means sinful. With that said.......I certainly expect to see you in Heaven someday! +
Oh yea...Satan is a powerful angel and he will do everything to get you on his side so that he can have you. Don't let him,he will be defeated by the Lord.

Answer 4

It really depends on your definition of "good", doesn't it?

I mean, you may have good intentions, but do you actually live up to your own high moral standards?

Let's look at God's standards for a moment, and if you don't mind, answer these few questions in the honesty of your own heart:

First, have you ever lied?

Have you ever taken something that wasn't rightfully yours to take?

Have you ever looked at another person with sexual desires? (Jesus said that this makes you guilty of adultery in God's eyes.)

Have you ever been angry at someone, even hated them even for a moment? (Jesus said that this makes you guilty of murder in God's eyes.)

If you had to say "yes" to these 4 questions (and mind you, there are 6 more in God's 10 Commandments), then this would make you a lying, thieving, adulterous murderer in God's eyes!!! (Harsh, isn't it?)

But wait, that's not all!

If you had to admit that you've ever told a lie, or that you've taken something that isn't rightfully yours to take, then I have to add one more questions:

Do you like it when others lie to you, or when someone else steals YOUR stuff?

If you say "no", that you don't like these things happening to you, then you need to add "hypocrasy" to the list, having a double standard!

NOW, you become a lying, thieving, adulterous, murderous hypocrite! (OUCH! That hurts!)

What kind of person does that make you? What do YOU call a person who is a lying, thieving, adulterous, murderous hypocrite? Simply "not good"? Honestly, I don't think so!

(Please, don't assume I'm judging you, because I know that I'm guilty of the same things - I'm just using these to point out that you are not as good as you think you are.)

HAVING a high moral standard, and living up to that standard is NOT the same thing.

Answer 5

I'm tired of answering this question, so I don't even know why I'm bothering to answer it again for you.

The bible does not say we're evil.. "not good" does not equal "evil" in the slightest form!!!!

Get over it; it simply means that we all sin.. no one is perfect. No matter what, you sin in small ways.. it doesn't make you evil.. it just doesn't make you perfect... therefore "no one is good" as in "no one is perfect"

Answer 6

I also think that we are Good, we are not evil!
How can God call us all evil?Why did he create us evil? It is unjust and evil in God's part if he created us evil..

I too believe by thinking evil we will just under estimate ourselves and do more evil things. If someone calls us evil it is wrong.

We are good no matter what others say, if we have done mistakes we will do good from now on, we are good and we will be good. We are good, because we can perfect ourselves.

Answer 7

No, we are not unworthy for Him because His great love for us. You can dwell on self pity or you can be a part of God's great plan for you.

We are not worthy of salvation but He saves us anyway when we accept Him to save us. You do not accept His offer if you think that you are good enough in your own right. And none of us is, we all need Jesus for our salvation.

Answer 8

Just focus with me please ...
The first person who answered you has told you about the Ten Commandments and he is totaly right .
ANOTHER thing to put in mind is : being evil is not to kill in real or to have sex in real or to stole in real . NO .
In the New Testament , Jesus says " Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. " Matthew 5:21 .

If someone says to another one that you are a fool , will deserve hell , Hell for just a word ???
How many times have we scold others in such words ???
Look what a word what may result of it ?
So my dear this is the idea of being an Evil .
Evil can come in many faces , ways , or acts .
And may God lights your ways .

Answer 9

Tell me what sin you are not guilty of:

Have no other God before Me
Make nothing else into an idol for the purpose of
worshipping it
Do not use God's name irreverently
Keep your day of worship holy
Do not commit murder (hating someone is
murdering them in your heart)
Do not commit adultery (looking on another with
lust is the same as committing adultery)
Do not take that which is not yours
Do not tell things that are false
Behave in a way that honors your mother and father
Do not desire the spouse of or any thing that
belongs to another


There is absolutely NO ONE who has kept all of these.

Therefore:
By the deeds of the law there shall no person be
justified in God’s sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin and all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:20, 23
Then,
They all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:12 Also I say unto you, whosoever shall confess me (Jesus) before men, him shall the Son of man (Jesus) also confess before the angels of God: But he that denies me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.. Luke 12:8-9
However.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
For,
Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me. John 14:6
Therefore,
If you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. Romans 10:9
Then,
He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white robes; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. Revelation 3:5
So,
That whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:15

Answer 10

We're all capable of doing good, but never capable of pleasing God. He is a holy and righteous God and demands nothing less than perfect obedience to the law. The bible doesn't say that God grades on a curve.

By nature, we cannot do that. Thus, we must rely on the righteousness of Christ.