Late Night with Jesus: Want Light?

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.” (John 3:19)

It’s an old argument: Are we as human beings basically good people who sometimes do bad things—or evil people who just do what comes naturally to us? Another way to ask the question: If God himself showed up with a giant neon sign pointing to what the good choice was, would we still do evil?

latenight_350Jesus’ verdict was that we love darkness. It’s not just a hobby; it’s who we are. It’s not just that we don’t understand right from wrong or that we grew up in a rough neighborhood called Earth, it’s that we are sinners who don’t want to be caught. We don’t want to stop.

That’s why we need a rebirth in the Spirit. Jesus said next: “But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” Believers in Jesus repent, and he begins to do good through us.

Think: Do you tend to think of humans as basically good or naturally evil? How does your answer to that big question change your view of our need for salvation?

Pray: Thank God that through faith in Jesus, he can use his huge power to do good through you.

Do: Listen for reflections of this debate in your world over the next few weeks. Who claims that we humans are naturally good? Who claims that we are not?