Of all the passages in the bible which delve into this subject, Romans 1:19 – 3:20 has to be the most comprehensive. In it Paul takes heathens and religious people – in fact everyone – and comprehensively states that they are totally depraved.

There is none that is righteous, no not one. (Romans 3:10).

They have all together become useless (v. 12)

There is none who seeks God (v. 11)

There is no fear of God before their eyes (v.18).

Paul describes how it all starts: men deny the truth in unrighteousness (1:19). And how it ends: death (1:32).

In the middle of the whole sorry descent of man from the Fall onwards (Genesis 3), God gives Moses and Israel the Law whose whole purpose is to give knowledge of sin (3:20). Those who think they have the embodiment of knowledge and truth in the law and tell others not to sin are no better because they practice the things they preach against (2:17-29). Everyone is under sin (3:9). Tis all a bit depressing.

But God. Then He steps in and offers a sacrifice – propitiation – for our sins, His own self in His Son Jesus Christ through whom we are redeemed freely by His grace through faith (3:21-26).

So Paul spends a long time arguing that we need to face the truth that actually no one is righteous, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (3:23) and we are all justified freely.

Humanism doesn’t believe this. In a country at peace by the grace of God living under a kind of right government that at least doesn’t oppress people openly it is easier to believe all is right with us. Others are generally kind. Most people live at peace with their neighbours and relations in their houses.

But nations turn under the wrong types of pressures. Whole peoples can acquiesce while their leaders take them into war and many positively support evil regimes when their own personal interests are threatened. Scratch the surface and the true nature of humans is exposed.

But anyway, whether it seems obvious or not, Paul is making an argument that can be hard to stomach – unless you really know what you are capable of……