We cry out like Paul! Romans 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?

I am not a news junkie. Maybe more like a news avoider. Seriously, it's just depressing. So much evil, so much sadness. Why are people so evil? Why do people want to hurt, manipulate and control others?

Well, here is the answer:
Genesis 2:15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. 16 The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”

Genesis 3: 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

Romans 1:25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a (*the original Greek says,THE) lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Genesis 3:4 The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

THE lie? "You will be like God". Be your own god. Independent of God, their Creator. Since then man has tried in every way to be their own god. They- we- believed the lie. And boy, haven't we made a mess of things?

But that's not all that happened when Adam and Eve chose to go their own way:

Romans 5: 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners,

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—

Romans 5:15 For if by the transgression of the one the many died

Romans 5:18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men,

So through that one act of disobedience, sin entered the world and death the result of sin and condemnation to all men. Sin, death, condemned!

So, back to the original question- Why are people so evil? Why do people want to hurt, manipulate and control others?

Every person born since Adam and Eve are born sinners. Condemned. All will die. Objects of wrath. Children of satan. Slaves to sin.

That's why. You, me, we are born sinners.  As sinners, our tendency and inclination IS to sin. But we were not created for sin- we were created to be loved, accepted, have worth and significance- feel secure . But the One that created us with those needs can be the only One that can fill those needs. Yet, being born in sin- independent of God- we try to fill those needs in every way we can. Through power, control, manipulation. Through drugs, relationships, sex, alcohol etc etc etc. Or maybe we try to fill those needs with good things- trying to be a "good" person, exercise/diet/physical appearance, humanitarian work, religious etc etc etc. See- they all have the same root, being independent of God. Hey, it sounds like that tree Adam and Eve were told not to eat from- and yet they did, huh? The tree of knowledge of GOOD and EVIL. But it's not the Tree of Life.

We cry out like Paul! Romans 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?

If you are interested in the answer to this-well, I'll be teaching on Romans 5:12-21 next Sunday morning for my associate pastor, Joe- his Sunday school class. Come and found out. Message me if you are interested.