good vs. evil

Hello all! :) So I found a topic today that really struck me and made me want to dig in deeper. Are we born good or are we born evil? And when I say "evil" I speak of being "sinful" and "not pure" not of an "evil antagonist" view!

So are we born into this world good? Or are we evil by birth? I've found some bible verses and have some thoughts of my own to share about this debatable topic.

Genesis 1 & 2
These two chapters are ones that most people know by heart wether they have grown up in the church or not. These two chapters speak of the creation of all.

• "And he saw that it was good." (1:10) 
• "And God saw that it was good." (1:12)
• "And God saw that it was good." (1:18) 
• "And God saw that it was good." (1:25)
• "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." (1:26)
• "And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good." (1:31)
• "The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." (2:9) 

As he made all things, he saw that things were "good." How could something not be good if our creator made it from his words. God is the epitome of the word good. All things are good solely because he made them good. These two chapters are proof that because God spoke things to be and was pleased with them, they were good. 

Romans 1

This chapter is titled, "God's Wrath on Unrighteousness." To me this chapter really shows the "evil" side of the argument. But the question still remains, are we BORN evil or are we born good?

• "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as god or give him thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened." (1:21)
• "They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are fill of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobdient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless." (1:29-31) 
• "Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those whom practice them." (1:32)

This passage clearly shows that we as humans have stumbled and failed. We have found things that we like but are not what God thinks is right. Things of this world corrupt us and the way we think. 

I think that as we are born into this world, we are sinless and pure. We are good and perfect as God has created us. As we go through life though, I think that the world we live in today corrupts us. It makes us want things that maybe we shouldn't, it shows us that there is a "wrong and a right" way to do things. Or that we should have to look and dress and certain way to fit into society. SIN. Sin is all around us in todays world. It lives in us as adults, it lives within those that govern our country, its in the television shows we watch, its everywhere. As Christians we have been forgiven of this and been given a home in heaven among our maker. But we still sin. We are not perfect. 

All in all, I think that we begin as pure human beings, but are destined to become sinful because we live in a sinful world. Other than giving our lives to Christ to be forgiven and repented, there is nothing we can do. Humans are destined for a sinful life. 

I know this seems sort of dark and condescending but I think it's something that all people need to understand. Good and evil will ALWAYS exist in the world and we have to figure out the direction we are to go and go faithfully, whole heartedly and do things for the good of Christ.