Are Humans Inherently Good or Evil?

Behavioral psychology is a fascinating if not mystifying probe into why humans act the way we do.

We see a contrasting world of human compassion, empathy, brotherly kindness and even heroism in the face of loss or trauma. But we also see a world that historically has been filled with killing, terrible inequality and cruel suffering at the hands of our same species.

Is it simply a matter that there are some good people and some bad people? Or is it that there is good and bad in everyone? Is it that either type of behavior can be expressed, depending on the individual’s circumstances and impulses at the time?

Importance of knowing

A proper grasp of man’s nature is vital for any society. It impacts the way we rear our children, order our society and evaluate conduct.

Over the last few decades, Western democracies have undergone a dramatic shift in perspective on how to evaluate and respond to human behavior, especially unruly or lawless behavior. Has this shift served us well, or have we lost sight of important truths?

Jesus, of course, interacted with all kinds of people during His ministry. He met decent everyday people, righteous men and women, religious hypocrites, evildoers and those who later wanted to kill Him.

The apostle John records, “But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and did not need that anyone should testify of man. For He knew what was in man” (John 2:24-25).

What was it Jesus knew about the nature of men (and women)? What knowledge or insight gave Him clues as to what He would face in life?

Man’s nature

Many people characterize Adam and Eve’s sins as a “fall,” with their choices propelling mankind down a path of strife and conflict. Indeed, there is some truth to the fact that a dramatic change took place. They, like little children, came into the world neutral, neither good nor evil. Outside influences and their human tendencies led them to choose evil.

Notice what was present in the psyche of both Eve and Adam even before they sinned.

What makes a Christian different from others is not that his or her human nature has vanished and that he or she defeats every negative impulse. It is that he or she now has a desire to be Christlike from within his or her innermost heart. The devil, in the form of a serpent, tempted Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. Genesis 3:6 says, “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.”

Prior to sinning, Eve already possessed a craving to be wiser and to have what her eyes and taste buds yearned for. Her human impulses to satisfy her ego and wants were built-in—present before she took of the fruit. The devil tempted her to focus those human desires on something she had been told was wrong. Under temptation, she found her natural desires were stronger than her initial intent to obey God.

John later listed human desires as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).

Eve was deceived and believed the devil’s lies. Adam was not deceived (1 Timothy 2:14), but he succumbed to his own human weaknesses and sinned as well.

Misguided thinking

Understanding the human condition is very important for new parents. A recent child-rearing philosophy called “gentle parenting” has gained popularity among many millennials, and it is based on a false premise.

Becky Kennedy is a New York psychologist known as “Dr. Becky,” who espouses the “gentle parenting” strategy. Her parenting enterprise “Good Inside” went viral during the COVID pandemic.

Here is the basis of her philosophy on dealing with what she calls a child’s fundamental goodness:

“And when I say, ‘good inside,’ I mean that we all, at our core, are compassionate, loving, and generous. The principle of internal goodness drives all of my work—I hold the belief that kids and parents are good inside, which allows me to be curious about the ‘why’ of their bad behaviors” (Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be, 2022, p. 3).

This does not seem to be in harmony with what Jesus, or the Bible, has to say.

Jesus said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man” (Mark 7:20-23; see also Jeremiah 17:9).

We humans struggle against our human frailties, or at least we should. By nature, we are not as compassionate, loving and generous as we like to think we are.

Dr. Becky advises parents to explore the child’s emotional life and “unmet needs” to unlock and understand why they misbehave. There’s nothing wrong with understanding feelings since we are emotional beings, but just affirming a child’s emotions does not turn him or her into a pleasant, respectful child. Mom or dad cannot just wait until a child feels like doing what he or she should do.

Parents must provide a loving, nurturing, wholesome environment for their children so they feel secure and safe. Overbearing parents expecting perfection generate childhood anxieties.

But at the same time, a wholesome home life is not possible without understanding that even children can express some of the worst aspects of self-serving behavior. Children can be loving, forgiving and kind, but they can also be mean, selfish, defiant, self-willed, disrespectful, etc.

Understanding whether a child is tired, hungry or upset that his toy is broken can be taken into consideration, but it should never be a repeated excuse for bad behavior going unaddressed.

Effective parents may acknowledge that a child is angry, frustrated or disappointed, but they won’t indifferently dismiss disobedience, disrespect or tantrums. Appropriate correction or consequences must be a part of any parenting strategy (Hebrews 12:7). Matters of character, not just emotional needs, must be paramount.

Sin is still sin

Sin is still the same as it always has been—a transgression of God’s spiritual law (Romans 7:14; 1 John 3:4). Apparently, the first to sin were Lucifer and one third of the angels, who rebelled against God’s governing authority (2 Peter 2:4).

Adam and Eve were the first humans to sin. We have a nature that inclines us, with the help of Satan, to yield to vanity, envy, hatred, selfishness, bitterness, etc. James says we are all drawn away by our own desires (James 1:13-14).

The apostle Paul recognized this human struggle even in himself. “For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members” (Romans 7:22-23).

The nature that fought against his desire to serve righteousness was one he had from his youth.

Christians have human nature too

Christians are no different from anyone else with respect to human nature. “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” (Galatians 5:17).

What makes a Christian different from others is not that his or her human nature has vanished and that he or she defeats every negative impulse. It is that he or she now has a desire to be Christlike from within his or her innermost heart. The natural enmity against God’s law and the desire to do one’s own will is diminished (Romans 8:5-10).

Secondly, Christians have the help of God’s Spirit in striving for that sinlessness. No one ever achieves that perfection anywhere near the degree Christ did, but Christians have much greater success than they ever could have relying on their own power or determination.

Confused world

Today character development and simple identification of good and evil have taken a back seat to how something sounds, looks and feels.

Isaiah said long ago, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20).

That describes a confused, mixed-up society.

That happens when we are bewildered about what is right or wrong and no longer believe that God’s 10 Commandments have relevancy or should define behavior. It also happens when we fail to recognize that residing in our hearts is not a “prevailing, eternal goodness” that we must unlock. But rather, it’s an all too frequent negative pull, in both young and old, that must be continually addressed and kept locked up.

“And everyone who strives for the mastery is temperate in all things” (1 Corinthians 9:25).

If you would like to have an even better understanding of God’s way of life and your own nature, be sure to explore the many articles and resources found on Life, Hope & Truth.

One resource that will guide you through a study of some of the major themes of the Bible is our Journey Starter Pack. It’s interesting, inspiring and the information is priceless.