The Lowedown

The Nature of Man

written by Dave Lowe

In the 1980’s movie Trading Places, two wealthy, elderly brothers engage in the age old debate concerning the nature of man. One brother argues that man is corrupted by nature, while the other brother believes that the corruption of man is the result of environmental factors.

With each brother equally convinced that his position is correct, they agree to an experiment to decide the matter once and for all. With a $1 bet as incentive, they embark on a plan to completely ruin the life and reputation of their sophisticated Wall Street executive assistant played by Dan Akroyd. At the same time, they exalt a crooked street bum, played by Eddie Murphy, to Akroyd’s former position. Only after seeing how each person responds can they settle the bet and the debate.

Not long after being promoted to a position well beyond his education, Murphy begins to become the sophisticated, educated person that his position requires. At the same time, Akroyd, having lost it all, begins to turn into the common criminal that Murphy once was.

The movie ends up portraying a view of man that is commonly believed in society today—that man is basically a product of his environment. Yet this view is in stark opposition to what the Bible says about the nature of man.

The Bible says that man was originally created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26, 27). The phrase "image of God" refers to our ability to reveal and represent what God is like. Exactly how man reveals the image of God has been debated over the years. However, many believe that two categories which reflect God’s image in man are man’s ability to make moral decisions, and the dominion that was given to man by God.

Before Adam & Eve sinned, the "image of God" in man was perfect. Man walked with God, man had dominion over the earth and every decision man made was morally representative of God’s nature. This is because man was completely dependent on God for moral direction and guidance.

However, when Adam & Eve sinned, this image became corrupted. Specifically, man was corrupted in several ways.

Intellectually, man’s mind became depraved. (Romans 1:21,22,28)

21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,…28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, (NASB)
Emotionally, man became perverted. (Romans 1:24, 26)

24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them…26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural (NASB)
Volitionally, man’s will became enslaved to sin. (Galatians 5:17)

17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. (NASB)

Though none of these verses demonstrate man’s condition when he’s born, the Bible clearly communicates that man is morally depraved from birth. David said in Psalm 51:5: "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." Similarly, in Psalm 58:3, David said, "the wicked go astray from the womb, they err from their birth, speaking lies."

Paul agrees in Ephesians 2:3 where he says, "we are by nature children of wrath."

Clearly then, the idealistic Star Trek world where man’s goodness evolves over time is but a myth. The Bible clearly teaches that man was originally created in God’s image. However, that image was corrupted when Adam and Eve sinned. Every person since Adam and Eve, with the exception of Jesus, has inherited a corrupted sin nature that exists within the person from birth. To argue otherwise is simply to deny the clear teaching of the Word of God.